"The world is my idea."
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) was a German philosopher known for his pessimistic philosophy and profound insights into human existence. He saw the core of reality not in reason or spirit, but in a blind, irrational "Will"—a striving force that manifests in all of nature and human activity.
Schopenhauer's magnum opus. He argues that the world we perceive is merely a representation, while its hidden essence is an irrational, blind force he calls the Will—the root of all striving and suffering.
His doctoral thesis and philosophical foundation. It categorizes the ways we search for "why"—through logic, experience, mathematics, and inner reflection.
A bridge between philosophy and science. Schopenhauer uses biology, physics, and medicine to affirm that nature too is governed by the Will.
An investigation into free will and moral responsibility. Schopenhauer critiques Kant and sees compassion as the root of all morality.
A collection of essays, aphorisms, and reflections on human nature, education, aesthetics, and metaphysics. This is Schopenhauer's most accessible and widely read work.