The World As Will And Idea (Vol. 2 of 3) - Paperback

by Arthur Schopenhauer (Author)

The World as Will and Idea Representation] (German: Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung) is the central work of the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, published here, as in the original English translation, in 3 volumes. The main body of the work states at the beginning that it assumes prior knowledge of Immanuel Kant's theories (see his "Critique of Pure Reason" ISBN: 9781537260051). Schopenhauer recommended that the student begin with the final Appendix (found in volume 3), titled "On the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason" before the rest of the book. The first volume contains four Books, two on "The World as Will" and two on "The World as Idea," while the second and third volumes contain Supplementary material to each of the four books. The second volume also opens with an appendix to the four books, titled "Critique of the Kantian Philosophy," in which Schopenhauer rejects most of Kant's ethics and significant parts of his epistemology and aesthetics.

Author Biography

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) was a German philosopher, best known for his work "The World as Will and Idea [Representation]". Schopenhauer was among the first to contend that at its core, the universe is not a rational place. Inspired by Plato and Kant, both of whom regarded the world as being more amenable to reason, Schopenhauer developed their philosophies into an instinct-recognizing and ultimately ascetic outlook, emphasizing that in the face of a world filled with endless strife, we ought to minimize our natural desires for the sake of achieving a more tranquil frame of mind and a disposition towards universal beneficence. Often considered to be a thoroughgoing pessimist, Schopenhauer in fact advocated ways - via artistic, moral and ascetic forms of awareness - to overcome a frustration-filled and fundamentally painful human condition. Since his death in 1860, his philosophy has had a special attraction for those who wonder about life's meaning, along with those engaged in music, literature, and the visual arts. - http: //plato.stanford.edu/entries/schopenhauer