Arthur Schopenhauer

1
Arthur Schopenhauer

• Metaphysics of the Will

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Schopenhauer the metaphysical pessimist

• We have known that the modern western philosophy
  culminates in Hegelian optimism that the reason
  will reign at the end of human history. The real
  is reasonable, and the reasonable is real.
• This optimism was challenged by the failure of
  Revolution of 1848 in Germany.
• Before this Revolution Arthur Schopenhauer has
  already formulated his metaphysical pessimism in
  his major work Die Welt als Wille und
  Vorstellung (the world as will and
  representation).

3
Being as Will

• Schopenhauer criticizes Kantian doctrine of das
  Ding an sich. The reality in itself according to
  Kant is unknowable, and we know only the
  phenomenal world. Schopenhauer refuses this very
  fundamental of Kants philosophy that influences
  the German idealism. According to him das Ding
  an sich is knowable, and it is the will.

4
The metaphysical Will

• Schopenhauers concept of will is very specific
  and unique in the history of western philosophy.
  In this sense the will is not the concrete human
  will, but it is the all pervasive will. The
  Schopenhauers will is the reality it self. If
  the whole reality is will, it is a dynamic
  movement of will, not a being, but a becoming.
  But the movement of will moves nowhere, because
  this metaphysical will is blind and purposeless.

5
The World is my presentation

• Agree with Kant Schopenhauer argues that the
  world is nothing than our presentation
  (Vorstellung). The world is not the reality in it
  self. Later he is inspired by the eastern
  philosophy through Friedrich Meyer and believes
  that the visible and tangible world is only the
  veil of maya. Also, our body, our life and our
  environment are only illusion. They are not real.
  The real reality is the blind metaphysical will.

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The One and The Many

• We feel and see that there is plurality in this
  world. Our five senses give us such impression.
  But the reality is in its essence one and not
  many. The one is the will. The many is maya or
  illusion.

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Suffering That is the essence of our life

• We are the slave of the blind metaphysical will.
  Also, our life is not only full of suffering, but
  also life means to suffer, because the will is
  arbitrary and purposeless. We plan something
  rationally for our future, but our reason is only
  the instrument of that will. The will play our
  reason without any direction.

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And How about the Happiness?

• Schopenhauer views happiness not as something
  positive, but as something negative. Suffering is
  something happiness is nothing. If we feel
  happy, we dont get the real situation. This
  feeling of happiness comes from the absence of
  consciousness of our life. We forget the
  suffering, then this feeling of happiness comes.
  But that is not reality.
• With this view Schopenhauer becomes the greatest
  pessimist in all western philosophy.

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The Way of Release

• There are two ways of release from suffering
• 1. Through the aesthetical way Music can release
  us from suffering, but this way is only
  temporary, because we forget only the suffering.
• 2. The true way of release is the the ethical
  way through the ethical sympathy with the other
  being that suffer like us. Schopenhauers ethics
  is the ethics of compassion (Mitleidethik).

10
The Problem of Suicide

• Schopenhauer refuses suicide as a way of release
  from the metaphysical will of this life. But why?
• According to him if man commits suicide, he
  doesnt free himself from the will. The very will
  to commit suicide is itself the manifestation of
  the blind will.