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Philosophers in 90 Minutes #21
[(Schopenhauer in 90 Minutes)] [Author: Paul Strathern] published on
Schopenhauer in 90 Minutes is as effective in its biographical and philosophical summarizing as we've come to expect from Paul Strathern's unfolding series of introductions to the great thinkers. "As a man," Strathern writes, "Schopenhauer was a nasty piece of work, but his writings are immensely endearing." While never quite demonstrating how his philosophy "is the first since Socrates to be imbued with the entire personality of the man who propounds it" (though the sampling of excerpts in the back of the book certainly helps), Strathern does convey both Schopenhauer's prickly nature and its contradictions with the ascetic renunciation of the material world that he propounded in his writings. He also demonstrates how that asceticism was influenced by a "questionable use" of Eastern philosophical texts, and how his work would similarly inform that of philosophers like Nietzsche, Freud, and Wittgenstein.
Paperback
First published July 1, 1998
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About the author
Paul Strathern
159 books542 followersPaul Strathern (born 1940) is a English writer and academic. He was born in London, and studied at Trinity College, Dublin, after which he served in the Merchant Navy over a period of two years. He then lived on a Greek island. In 1966 he travelled overland to India and the Himalayas. His novel A Season in Abyssinia won a Somerset Maugham Award in 1972.
Besides five novels, he has also written numerous books on science, philosophy, history, literature, medicine and economics.
Besides five novels, he has also written numerous books on science, philosophy, history, literature, medicine and economics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
August 15, 2014
I'll admit that I have the same kind of perverse fascination with Western philosophers and their (mostly) impenetrably written, and questionably translated, works that most people exude while passing horrific car crashes. But like most people who love a good peak at a roadside massacre, I don't have a Ballardian impulse to be a part of the collision itself. In other words, I don't really know if I want to go slogging through thousand page tomes of someone else's obtuse opinions...but goddamn if it all doesn't still stir an interest in me!
Long story short, I grabbed this audiobook on a whim from work and listened to it over the course of two days while motoring to and from work (and to and from at least one dive bar late into the night). The title is exactly what you get: a brief rundown of the life and work of the titular Polish philosopher. As far as brief biographies go, this one was written in an entertaining and amusingly opinionated manner (Strathern is not afraid to let the reader know that he thinks the works of Hegel are a joke).
While Schopenhauer might have been a sexist and insufferable prig who loved to lord his intellect over all others (surprise, surprise: Schopie had no friends), his philosophy is responsible for reining in the wilder strains of metaphysics back to a more grounded and (at the time) scientific approach to understanding everything around us. Schopie saw life as "a bad joke," in that the world was indifferent to the wants, actions and even existence of humans. His argument was not so much that there was no point to any endeavor we undertake but that these endeavors most likely will only lead to eventual cruel barbarism. He saw humans as no more than brute animals capable of tapping into this current of self-preservation and perseverance that courses ether-like throughout every man and woman. He would come to coin this term as "Will."
Schopie's work (which infused Indian philosophy and Darwinism into Kantian aesthetics, i.e. pure reason, which - though a very complex concept - still essentially sounds like it means) would go on to influence the likes of Wagner, Freud (the concept of "Will" can be seen as a dry run of the Psychic Apparatus: id, ego, super-ego), Nietzsche and Tolstoy, to drop a few names. Too bad for Schopie that the popularity and respect he was certain his work deserved did not come until fairly late in his life, and by that time the man was too much of an embittered Grinch to really derive much enjoyment from the delayed attention. Sorry, Schopie.
Let me reiterate, that this is only a passing gance at the philosopher and his work, but even so Schopenhauer in 90 Minutes makes for a friendly introduction for any enquiring mind.
Long story short, I grabbed this audiobook on a whim from work and listened to it over the course of two days while motoring to and from work (and to and from at least one dive bar late into the night). The title is exactly what you get: a brief rundown of the life and work of the titular Polish philosopher. As far as brief biographies go, this one was written in an entertaining and amusingly opinionated manner (Strathern is not afraid to let the reader know that he thinks the works of Hegel are a joke).
While Schopenhauer might have been a sexist and insufferable prig who loved to lord his intellect over all others (surprise, surprise: Schopie had no friends), his philosophy is responsible for reining in the wilder strains of metaphysics back to a more grounded and (at the time) scientific approach to understanding everything around us. Schopie saw life as "a bad joke," in that the world was indifferent to the wants, actions and even existence of humans. His argument was not so much that there was no point to any endeavor we undertake but that these endeavors most likely will only lead to eventual cruel barbarism. He saw humans as no more than brute animals capable of tapping into this current of self-preservation and perseverance that courses ether-like throughout every man and woman. He would come to coin this term as "Will."
Schopie's work (which infused Indian philosophy and Darwinism into Kantian aesthetics, i.e. pure reason, which - though a very complex concept - still essentially sounds like it means) would go on to influence the likes of Wagner, Freud (the concept of "Will" can be seen as a dry run of the Psychic Apparatus: id, ego, super-ego), Nietzsche and Tolstoy, to drop a few names. Too bad for Schopie that the popularity and respect he was certain his work deserved did not come until fairly late in his life, and by that time the man was too much of an embittered Grinch to really derive much enjoyment from the delayed attention. Sorry, Schopie.
Let me reiterate, that this is only a passing gance at the philosopher and his work, but even so Schopenhauer in 90 Minutes makes for a friendly introduction for any enquiring mind.
July 20, 2009
I needed a quick introduction to Schopenhauer but this book gave me more of a chronology of his life and some quotes from him, not much substantive information on his philosophy.
December 19, 2022
I’m continuing to try to learn a bit more about Schopenhauer, and this was a great, short book. It’s partially about his philosophy of pessimism and cynicism, but it also has quite a bit of biographical information in here as well. Great read if you’re interested in learning about this famous philosopher.
October 27, 2022
A brisk walk across the highlights of his life and work. Nice refreshing palette cleanser. Exactly what was promised and what I wanted.
May 23, 2016
حظ دلپذیری داره این مجموعه.
July 3, 2024
This short introduction to Schopenhauer’s life and work has many funny turns of phrase. It also has little biographical tidbits omitted from other biographies. These take to form of some quotes from his fight with his mother. Also, I learned in this book that he had an illegitimate son.
The introduction is a brief and insightful history of modern philosophy starting with Descartes.
His pessimism is limited in that he claimed that the world “is indifferent to our fate- it doesn't thwart us on purpose.” Schopenhauer recommended we withdraw from this world, much as the Stoics did. But he could not do so himself. He had money and he spent it on concerts, books and women.
He traveled in France as a young man with his parents and saw the destruction of war. He was especially moved by seeing 6000 galley slaves in Toulon. His philosophical heroes were Plato and Kant, along with the Upanishads.
He was much impressed with Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, but he ridiculed Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit. He agreed with Kant on the status of experience—it consists of phenomena—but thought that it was supported, not by the unknowable noumenal world, but rather by Will. “This Will is blind, permeates all things and is eternally without purpose.” “It is beyond space and time and has no purpose.” This Will brings about misery and suffering.
It is a malevolent world out there. Our only hope is self-abnegation and compassion for our fellow sufferers.
Strathern briefly discusses the essays and aphorisms which made Schopenhauer famous late in life. This is a fine 75-page introduction.
The introduction is a brief and insightful history of modern philosophy starting with Descartes.
His pessimism is limited in that he claimed that the world “is indifferent to our fate- it doesn't thwart us on purpose.” Schopenhauer recommended we withdraw from this world, much as the Stoics did. But he could not do so himself. He had money and he spent it on concerts, books and women.
He traveled in France as a young man with his parents and saw the destruction of war. He was especially moved by seeing 6000 galley slaves in Toulon. His philosophical heroes were Plato and Kant, along with the Upanishads.
He was much impressed with Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, but he ridiculed Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit. He agreed with Kant on the status of experience—it consists of phenomena—but thought that it was supported, not by the unknowable noumenal world, but rather by Will. “This Will is blind, permeates all things and is eternally without purpose.” “It is beyond space and time and has no purpose.” This Will brings about misery and suffering.
It is a malevolent world out there. Our only hope is self-abnegation and compassion for our fellow sufferers.
Strathern briefly discusses the essays and aphorisms which made Schopenhauer famous late in life. This is a fine 75-page introduction.
October 24, 2021
Very concise yet informative audio book about schopenhaur.
February 7, 2017
Short and to the point. This series of philosophy acts as more of an introduction to the various philosophers with Paul Strathern's interpretations and commentary of their work. It contains very little actual excerpts from the work. It is very watered down and this will only get your 'feet wet' to the world of philosophy. Nevertheless, it is a good review and he does cover some relevant biographical contexts. I wish Paul would have spent more time on the actual work, rather than his interpretations and commentary of their work.
Always, for a better understanding of these philosophers, I recommend reading their published works. You can freely read much of these on project Gutenberg's website www.gutenberg.org. One thing you won't get from reading their works, however, is an insight into their lives. For that you'll want to checkout Wikipedia or autobiographical published work (if any). After that, you may want to read other's interpretations and commentary of the work.
Always, for a better understanding of these philosophers, I recommend reading their published works. You can freely read much of these on project Gutenberg's website www.gutenberg.org. One thing you won't get from reading their works, however, is an insight into their lives. For that you'll want to checkout Wikipedia or autobiographical published work (if any). After that, you may want to read other's interpretations and commentary of the work.
October 30, 2020
Çok kısa bir kitap olsa da vakit kaybı. İlkokul öğrencileri seviyesinde hazırlanmış genel geçer bir yaşam öyküsü ve aslında felsefesinin ana hatlarına bile değinilmeyen alıntılardan oluşan bir özet diyebiliriz.
November 30, 2017
Did not finish. Couldn't get into it.
November 21, 2023
I thought this was going to be a quick look at Schopenhauer's philosophy but it is actually just a biography.
It's still pretty fun because of how antagonistic it is toward its subject. If Schopenhauer was even half as bad as Strathern paints him then I certainly wouldn't have wanted to know him.
It's still pretty fun because of how antagonistic it is toward its subject. If Schopenhauer was even half as bad as Strathern paints him then I certainly wouldn't have wanted to know him.
September 8, 2023
بخش بیشتری از کتاب زندگینامهی شوپنهاوره و یه ریزه هم دربارهی آشنایی با تفکرات و تاثیراتیه که داشته. در کل بد نیست برای شناختن شوپنهاور، ولی مطلب خاصی نداره که مثلا تو ویکیپدیای شوپی نباشه.
March 15, 2025
An ok introduction. Not to found of getting that much opinions from an author who is presenting another author doe. And Strathern seems to like Freud a bit to much for my liking.
September 23, 2019
More less a biography of Schopenhauer
April 14, 2021
Arrogant, misogynistic, debauched and depressive, Schopenhauer is a difficult figure to admire. Yet, cited by the giants of twentieth century thinking, he cannot be ignored.
This book gives us plenty of details about Schopenhauer’s unpleasant character. Jealous of his mother’s literary success he constantly bickered with her. He prowled theatres picking up prostitutes, and ran away from pregnancies. He responded to one critic of his appetites, ‘Yes I eat three times as much as you, but that’s because I’ve got three times the brain (Kindle 49%).
The author could have made the picture considerably worse as Schopenhauer is known to have also implied that paedophilia was a way to avoid unwanted pregnancies.
The book is well written and I appreciated the author’s occasional literary flourishes. For example, he noted that Hegel’s thought was like a blanket of snow upon European thinking, leaving other philosophers to just chuck snowballs (53%). Nicely put!
But biographical narrative and stylistic flourishes were sometimes at the cost of clarifying Schopenhauer’s thinking, and holding it to account. Instead, we get an oddly contradictory picture of Schopenhauer. On the one hand he is recommending asceticism and self-control, yet he is dining in the finest restaurants and wearing handmade suits (49%). Why? Was he a hypocrite, or sick… or confused?
At the heart of Schopenhauer’s thinking is his 1819 book, ‘World as Will and Representation.’ Schopenhauer depicts will as a blind, uncaring cosmic force, causing the pain, misery and evils which people must endure.
After Darwin’s popularisation of ‘Evolution,’ Schopenhauers ‘will’ sounded sufficiently like ‘natural selection’ for his views to seem zeitgeisty (38%). But picturing Natural selection as a force is misleading, unless that is a metaphor. So, are we to picture Schopenhauer’s ‘will’ as a metaphor too?
Schopenhauer’s views suggest that ‘will’ is more than just a metaphor, but what exactly is it? Is it a single pantheistic force? But then what of each person’s individual free will (34%)? Or is the inevitable consequence of Schopenhauer’s thinking a collapse of human free will into a deterministic single cosmic will?
Questions like this go to the heart of Schopenhauer’s thought and he needs to be pressed to answer them. But the book never quite manages to do so. It notes that Schopenhauer’s cosmic ‘will’ becomes internalised into Nietzsche’s ‘will to power’ (75%) but we’re still none the clearer about what Schopenhauer himself was committed to, and whether it actually made sense.
Overall, the book is a relatively straightforward read, but it left me with more questions than it answered. Despite its title, the book felt as if it was more about history, than philosophy; and that left me feeling a little disappointed in it.
This book gives us plenty of details about Schopenhauer’s unpleasant character. Jealous of his mother’s literary success he constantly bickered with her. He prowled theatres picking up prostitutes, and ran away from pregnancies. He responded to one critic of his appetites, ‘Yes I eat three times as much as you, but that’s because I’ve got three times the brain (Kindle 49%).
The author could have made the picture considerably worse as Schopenhauer is known to have also implied that paedophilia was a way to avoid unwanted pregnancies.
The book is well written and I appreciated the author’s occasional literary flourishes. For example, he noted that Hegel’s thought was like a blanket of snow upon European thinking, leaving other philosophers to just chuck snowballs (53%). Nicely put!
But biographical narrative and stylistic flourishes were sometimes at the cost of clarifying Schopenhauer’s thinking, and holding it to account. Instead, we get an oddly contradictory picture of Schopenhauer. On the one hand he is recommending asceticism and self-control, yet he is dining in the finest restaurants and wearing handmade suits (49%). Why? Was he a hypocrite, or sick… or confused?
At the heart of Schopenhauer’s thinking is his 1819 book, ‘World as Will and Representation.’ Schopenhauer depicts will as a blind, uncaring cosmic force, causing the pain, misery and evils which people must endure.
After Darwin’s popularisation of ‘Evolution,’ Schopenhauers ‘will’ sounded sufficiently like ‘natural selection’ for his views to seem zeitgeisty (38%). But picturing Natural selection as a force is misleading, unless that is a metaphor. So, are we to picture Schopenhauer’s ‘will’ as a metaphor too?
Schopenhauer’s views suggest that ‘will’ is more than just a metaphor, but what exactly is it? Is it a single pantheistic force? But then what of each person’s individual free will (34%)? Or is the inevitable consequence of Schopenhauer’s thinking a collapse of human free will into a deterministic single cosmic will?
Questions like this go to the heart of Schopenhauer’s thought and he needs to be pressed to answer them. But the book never quite manages to do so. It notes that Schopenhauer’s cosmic ‘will’ becomes internalised into Nietzsche’s ‘will to power’ (75%) but we’re still none the clearer about what Schopenhauer himself was committed to, and whether it actually made sense.
Overall, the book is a relatively straightforward read, but it left me with more questions than it answered. Despite its title, the book felt as if it was more about history, than philosophy; and that left me feeling a little disappointed in it.
September 22, 2021
Maybe the author was trying to be witty but it reads more like a high school grade paper, too much biography and not enough philosophy.
July 8, 2015
Finally, a philosopher that Strathern actually likes. Schopenhauer's atheism and bleak view of our meaningless and evil world was obviously very refreshing to Strathern, and no wonder either, the poor author had to write several 90 minute books about theist with there silly notions of a universe with purpose.
January 13, 2018
Read in Spanish translation. As the rest of the serie is a general and accurate introduction to the author. Not very academic style so it's easier for non student readers. The bibliography recommended at the end is short and includes the "must have" book for deeper study. No annotation or food notes so even easier to read.
December 28, 2021
This is one of the better volumes in the Philosophers in 90 Minutes series, because author Paul Strathern here limits his bias toward the philosopher being explained, which sometimes poses a distraction. It did tell me what I was interested in knowing about Schopenhauer, his philosophy, and what influenced it.
March 31, 2013
I listened to the audio-book of this three times (approx. 4 hrs.)
I read the Wikipedia page for Arthur Schopenhauer (approx. 25 mins.)
The Wikipedia page taught me more.
I read the Wikipedia page for Arthur Schopenhauer (approx. 25 mins.)
The Wikipedia page taught me more.
February 9, 2021
Bastante aburrido, exceptuando el final donde colocó la selección de las obras de Schopenhauer, que estaban bastante buenas. Hubiera sido mejor sólo dejar a Schopenhauer hablando. Te caíste Strathern :C
September 8, 2011
Sir, true I eat three times as much as you, but I have three times as much brains as you.
September 9, 2016
"...похож на новообращённых христиан Гренландии, которые не пожелали неба, узнав, что там нет тюленей".
January 17, 2019
Instant Philosophie
March 19, 2021
It's not as attractive as I wish.
August 20, 2021
I just read it because I have focused on Schopenhauer and read whatever I found.
May 6, 2025
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~} * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa18E... * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * {~
* -} {- *
~} * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * Schopenhauer Philosophy in an hour (Audiobook) * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * {~
* -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- *
* -:}|{}|{:- ^ AUDIOBOOK ^ -:}|{}|{:- *
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* -:}|{}|{:- * SUMMARY * -:}|{}|{:- *
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
* -:}|{:- * RATING * -:}|{:- * 8.5/10 * -:}|{:- *
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
* -:}|{}|{: =EXPERIENCES=&=DISCERNMENTS= :}|{}|{:- *
* -:}|{}|{: = SOUND LIKE A TRULY UNBERABLE & SELF OBSSESED MAN = BUT THE PHILOSOPHY WAS TIGHT - I WONDER THE EXTENT 2 = THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL THOUGHT VS = JUST SYNTHESIS OF WHAT PREVISIOUSLY CONSUMED INFORMATION )( MHMMMM )( IN ALL NOT JUST THIS LAD )( ALSO IN MYSELF )( & WHAT PLAYS & REPEATS & = WHAT INSIGHTS COME 2 ME ARE NORMALLY ALWAYS ALIGNED WITH WHAT MY FOCUS IS CENTERED ON @ OR AROUND SIAD TIME )( = }|{}|{:- *
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
* -} https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VWrl... {- *
* -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- *
* -} Gestalt Psychology Simplified with Examples and Principles {- *
* -:}|{}|{: = MY SYNTHESISED ( ^ GESTALT ^ ) OF THE * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * ( WAY THE AUTHOR FRAMES = HIS WRITING PERSPECTIVES ) & ( POINTERS & IMPLICATIONS = the conclusion that can be drawn IMPLICITYLY from something although it is not EXPLICITLY stated ) = :}|{}|{:- *
* -:}|{}|{: = DISTASTEFUL = }|{}|{:- *
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To SEE a WORLD in a Grain of Sand,
And a HEAVEN in a Wild Flower,
Hold INFINITY in the palm of your hand
And ETERNITY in an Hour"
~ William Blake ~
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
“Wisdom tells me I am nothing. Love tells me I am everything. And between the two my life flows.” Nisargadatta Maharaj
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
Form is Emptiness; Emptiness is form.
Form is not different than Emptiness;
Emptiness is not different than form
~ Heart Sutra ~
Like the ocean and its waves,
inseparable yet distinct
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
" I and The Father are one,
I am The Truth,
The Life and The Path.”
Like a river flowing from its source,
connected and continuous
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
Thy kingdom come.
Let the reign of divine
Truth, Life, and Love
be established in me,
and rule out of me all sin;
and may Thy Word
enrich the affections of all mankind
A mighty oak tree standing firm against the storm,
As sunlight scatters the shadows of night
A river nourishing the land it flows through
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~}-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-{~
~}--- :}|{:-:}|{:- * FOLLOW 4 FOLLOW * -:}|{:-:}|{: ---{~
~}-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-{~
~}--------:}|{:-:}|{:- * LINKS * -:}|{:-:}|{:----------{~
~}-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-{~
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
***********************************************
~} * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa18E... * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * {~
* -} {- *
~} * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * Schopenhauer Philosophy in an hour (Audiobook) * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * {~
* -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- *
* -:}|{}|{:- ^ AUDIOBOOK ^ -:}|{}|{:- *
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
~}-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-{~
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
* -:}|{}|{:- * SUMMARY * -:}|{}|{:- *
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
* -:}|{:- * RATING * -:}|{:- * 8.5/10 * -:}|{:- *
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
* -:}|{}|{: =EXPERIENCES=&=DISCERNMENTS= :}|{}|{:- *
* -:}|{}|{: = SOUND LIKE A TRULY UNBERABLE & SELF OBSSESED MAN = BUT THE PHILOSOPHY WAS TIGHT - I WONDER THE EXTENT 2 = THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL THOUGHT VS = JUST SYNTHESIS OF WHAT PREVISIOUSLY CONSUMED INFORMATION )( MHMMMM )( IN ALL NOT JUST THIS LAD )( ALSO IN MYSELF )( & WHAT PLAYS & REPEATS & = WHAT INSIGHTS COME 2 ME ARE NORMALLY ALWAYS ALIGNED WITH WHAT MY FOCUS IS CENTERED ON @ OR AROUND SIAD TIME )( = }|{}|{:- *
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
* -} https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VWrl... {- *
* -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- *
* -} Gestalt Psychology Simplified with Examples and Principles {- *
* -:}|{}|{: = MY SYNTHESISED ( ^ GESTALT ^ ) OF THE * -:}|{}|{:=:}|{}|{:- * ( WAY THE AUTHOR FRAMES = HIS WRITING PERSPECTIVES ) & ( POINTERS & IMPLICATIONS = the conclusion that can be drawn IMPLICITYLY from something although it is not EXPLICITLY stated ) = :}|{}|{:- *
* -:}|{}|{: = DISTASTEFUL = }|{}|{:- *
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
~}-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-:}|{:-{~
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
To SEE a WORLD in a Grain of Sand,
And a HEAVEN in a Wild Flower,
Hold INFINITY in the palm of your hand
And ETERNITY in an Hour"
~ William Blake ~
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
“Wisdom tells me I am nothing. Love tells me I am everything. And between the two my life flows.” Nisargadatta Maharaj
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
Form is Emptiness; Emptiness is form.
Form is not different than Emptiness;
Emptiness is not different than form
~ Heart Sutra ~
Like the ocean and its waves,
inseparable yet distinct
~}- - - - - - - - - - - - - -:}|{:- - - - - - - - - - - - - -{~
" I and The Father are one,
I am The Truth,
The Life and The Path.”
Like a river flowing from its source,
connected and continuous
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Thy kingdom come.
Let the reign of divine
Truth, Life, and Love
be established in me,
and rule out of me all sin;
and may Thy Word
enrich the affections of all mankind
A mighty oak tree standing firm against the storm,
As sunlight scatters the shadows of night
A river nourishing the land it flows through
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October 9, 2023
Schopenhauer was very pestimistic. He saw immense importance in human will, which he meant lead to misery and all evil. Our only hope is to liberate ourselves from this will and the trapping of individuality and egoism that are at its mercy. This can only be done by self-lessness and expressed in compassion with our fellow sufferers.
Everything has a reason for its existence. It exists like it is and is not anything else.
People should conform to the government they found themselves under. Life in any state and government is always far better in a place without it. Schopenhauer believed that humanity is made up of beasts of prey. The state shall change such animals to obeying (harmless) citizens. Humanity does not choose between good and evil but is driven by an evil universal law.
"Life can be regarded as a dream and death as the wakening from it. In which case the individual personality belongs to the dreaming rather than the waking state. "
"Money is human happiness, in theory, anyone who is not capable of actual happiness longs for money"
Everything has a reason for its existence. It exists like it is and is not anything else.
People should conform to the government they found themselves under. Life in any state and government is always far better in a place without it. Schopenhauer believed that humanity is made up of beasts of prey. The state shall change such animals to obeying (harmless) citizens. Humanity does not choose between good and evil but is driven by an evil universal law.
"Life can be regarded as a dream and death as the wakening from it. In which case the individual personality belongs to the dreaming rather than the waking state. "
"Money is human happiness, in theory, anyone who is not capable of actual happiness longs for money"
October 22, 2020
I got more of Schopenhauer in this 90 minute gloss than I did in a semester-long undergraduate Intro to Philosophy course at a Jesuit University.
It’s a good departure point for further exploration if one is so inclined. It’s odd how the same mind can conjure such bright and exacting views on existence and still have room for misogyny, racism, and anti-semitism.
It’s a good introduction that doesn’t really touch on much of the latter, but the older I get the harder it is to parse and rationalize any of that away.
I did “jump off,” read a little more and found that I don’t need to spend more time with Schopenhauer than this.
This for me is the best of Schopenhauer:
“Our life is not only short, but our knowledge of it severely limited... our consciousness is a momentary flicker in the midst of night...”
— Arthur Schopenhauer / Parerga and Paralipomena
It’s a good departure point for further exploration if one is so inclined. It’s odd how the same mind can conjure such bright and exacting views on existence and still have room for misogyny, racism, and anti-semitism.
It’s a good introduction that doesn’t really touch on much of the latter, but the older I get the harder it is to parse and rationalize any of that away.
I did “jump off,” read a little more and found that I don’t need to spend more time with Schopenhauer than this.
This for me is the best of Schopenhauer:
“Our life is not only short, but our knowledge of it severely limited... our consciousness is a momentary flicker in the midst of night...”
— Arthur Schopenhauer / Parerga and Paralipomena
December 2, 2021
This audiobook is a summary of Schopenhauer's life, his philosophy and his place in history. As with all summaries like this, one is trusting that the author has done his best to present the most important things to know and is not misleading the reader/listener. Certainly, important things are being left out of summaries like this, but one should walk away with a feeling that "I want to know more." That describes this summary. I now want to know more about Schopenhauer.
I'd listen to this audiobook again.
I'd listen to this audiobook again.
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