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The Giants of Philosophy
Arthur Schopenhauer
Schopenhauer emphasized the dark aspects of existence. Evil, pain and suffering are not aberration: they express the inner nature of the world. He is pessimistic about the true nature of existence; suffering and pain outweigh the rewards in life and they're central to the riddle of existence.
There are two basic aspects to the world: representation (visible appearances) and will (hidden reality). Will is a unitary, blind, irrational force underlying all nature and expressing itself throughout it. This will is a single metaphysical reality, and each person's experience is a sort of window into it. Our true motives for action are often hidden from us because our own will is mostly hidden. Will, not reason, is the controlling force within us.
Our will to live - our perpetual striving for life - is a continuing cycle of want, temporary fulfillment, and more want. New desires replace any satisfied ones, so no final or lasting happiness is possible. Our will to live - is doomed ultimately to fail, and we die.
There is no overall end or purpose of life, though art offers an escape from an otherwise painful existence. The artist is a genius who can sustain aesthetic ("will-less") contemplation; music expresses the Will itself.
Human actions are propelled by the will, so prescriptive ethical rules have little force ("willing cannot be taught"). But there are four progressive stages of moral behavior; egoism, enlightened self-interest, altruism, and asceticism (denial of the senses and the will to live).
2 pages, Audio CD
First published October 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 4, 2016
Will over reason...interesting things to think about. Charlton Heston was great but the guy doing Schopenhauer's voice was hard to take seriously.
February 7, 2017
These Giant's of Philosophy series are awesome! They begin by providing the background context of the philosopher's life. This is very important, so that one can understand the perspectives and biases that the philosopher may or may not have. Then they move on to a watered down summery of their various works and the critical analysis of them by other philosophers or contemporary thinkers. They finish the lectures with more in depth (but not very) summaries of the key points of their key works with various excepts along the way. The other lectures follow this same pattern but not necessarily in the same order.
From someone who has already read Schopenhauer's work; I loved the way they put together this presentation and it is not only good to serve as an introduction to the philosophers, but it is also a great way to review their work.
Always, for a better understanding of these philosophers, I recommend reading their published works. I've read Schopenhauer's 'The World as Will and Representation' and although it was very thought provoking, I didn't feel it meshed well with my understanding of the universe and life. Essentially Schopenhauer's thought is that the ultimate underling reality that governs everything in the universe is the 'Will'. Not individual will, but this sort of ominous Will of the universe. Sort of like the Brahman in Hinduism. Like in the Hindi teachings Schopenhauer suggests that his work illustrates the importance of Removing the veil of Maya (ignorance) and then you can face the ultimate truth, the Will! You can very easily notice the influence of eastern thought on his work if you'd studied Hinduism and Buddhism. Although I don't feel that Schopenhauer's view of reality is in fact accurate, I highly recommend that one read this work as it is cited very often in various other works and it is indeed interesting to consider and study. I haven't read any of his other works so maybe there is more truth to be found there than in 'The World as Will and Representation'. If nothing else, this work inspires one to look up and read the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita (or Vedanta) and other Hindi works for a better understanding of Schopenhauer's insperation.
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.
From someone who has already read Schopenhauer's work; I loved the way they put together this presentation and it is not only good to serve as an introduction to the philosophers, but it is also a great way to review their work.
Always, for a better understanding of these philosophers, I recommend reading their published works. I've read Schopenhauer's 'The World as Will and Representation' and although it was very thought provoking, I didn't feel it meshed well with my understanding of the universe and life. Essentially Schopenhauer's thought is that the ultimate underling reality that governs everything in the universe is the 'Will'. Not individual will, but this sort of ominous Will of the universe. Sort of like the Brahman in Hinduism. Like in the Hindi teachings Schopenhauer suggests that his work illustrates the importance of Removing the veil of Maya (ignorance) and then you can face the ultimate truth, the Will! You can very easily notice the influence of eastern thought on his work if you'd studied Hinduism and Buddhism. Although I don't feel that Schopenhauer's view of reality is in fact accurate, I highly recommend that one read this work as it is cited very often in various other works and it is indeed interesting to consider and study. I haven't read any of his other works so maybe there is more truth to be found there than in 'The World as Will and Representation'. If nothing else, this work inspires one to look up and read the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita (or Vedanta) and other Hindi works for a better understanding of Schopenhauer's insperation.
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.
July 18, 2018
Very short (shorter, in fact, than a Very Short Introduction). Read by Charleton Heston, who has a great voice if nothing else. Quotes by Schopenhauer are read in a over-the-top German accent that manages a cute sort of quirkiness rather than a stupid sort of annoyance. Not bad at all as a quick intro to Schopenhauer. Probably rates more than three stars, but not enough to round up to four.
October 15, 2025
The narration of Arthur Schopenhauer itself is a really interesting experience. Charlton Heston has that classic, powerful voice that commands your attention.
The audiobook tries to mimic the tone and style of historical figures. At first, this feels fresh and engaging, but I found it became a little annoying over time.
My First Date with Pessimism
This was my first real encounter with Schopenhauer's philosophy, and for a novice like me, it felt incredible. His ideas are bold, sweeping, and sometimes beautifully gloomy. The central concept he explores is "will" not just human will, but a universal force that drives everything.
Honestly, that big idea does not completely resonate with me, it feels very metaphysical and hard to pin down.
Metro Rides & Shared Sufferings
Crowded metro rides are painful, specially when people sneeze, cough, or overstep, or use your shoulder as supporting handles. I realized that while I was suffering from squashed feet, the person stepping on me was also suffering, probably exhausted and just trying to get home. We are all just part of this big, messy, universal struggle. The world did not look so cruel after that, just filled with fellow sufferers. 🙏
His solution?
Basically, to tell The Will to lose your number.
You can do this by appreciating art (which gives you a momentary break),
being extremely kind to others (because you recognize they are miserable too),
or just giving up on desire altogether.
It is the ultimate "it is not you, it is everyone" philosophy!
I know I will need to listen to this audiobook several more times to really grasp Schopenhauer's ideas. They are dense, layered, and sometimes slippery. But they are worth the effort.
- Do you think suffering is a shared condition that connects us all, as Schopenhauer suggests?
- Can music really express something deeper than words ever could?
- Is the idea of a universal will just poetic philosophy, or does it help explain why we do what we do?
- Could seeing the world as a place of shared suffering actually make us more compassionate people?
The audiobook tries to mimic the tone and style of historical figures. At first, this feels fresh and engaging, but I found it became a little annoying over time.
My First Date with Pessimism
This was my first real encounter with Schopenhauer's philosophy, and for a novice like me, it felt incredible. His ideas are bold, sweeping, and sometimes beautifully gloomy. The central concept he explores is "will" not just human will, but a universal force that drives everything.
Honestly, that big idea does not completely resonate with me, it feels very metaphysical and hard to pin down.
Metro Rides & Shared Sufferings
Crowded metro rides are painful, specially when people sneeze, cough, or overstep, or use your shoulder as supporting handles. I realized that while I was suffering from squashed feet, the person stepping on me was also suffering, probably exhausted and just trying to get home. We are all just part of this big, messy, universal struggle. The world did not look so cruel after that, just filled with fellow sufferers. 🙏
His solution?
Basically, to tell The Will to lose your number.
You can do this by appreciating art (which gives you a momentary break),
being extremely kind to others (because you recognize they are miserable too),
or just giving up on desire altogether.
It is the ultimate "it is not you, it is everyone" philosophy!
I know I will need to listen to this audiobook several more times to really grasp Schopenhauer's ideas. They are dense, layered, and sometimes slippery. But they are worth the effort.
- Do you think suffering is a shared condition that connects us all, as Schopenhauer suggests?
- Can music really express something deeper than words ever could?
- Is the idea of a universal will just poetic philosophy, or does it help explain why we do what we do?
- Could seeing the world as a place of shared suffering actually make us more compassionate people?
January 18, 2022
Uber quick read and quick introduction to Schopenhauer's contribution to philosophy - the concept of Will, the important of aesthetics over science, and a constructivist view of the world (if we didn't have noses, we would not have the construct of odor, smell etc. The Wachowski sisters (the creators of The Matrix series of movies) were influenced by Schopenhauer's philosophy. Need to find an accessible Schopenhauer book to connect his philosophy to my educational research interest.
February 3, 2012
Really excellent overview. Massive bonus: narrated by Charlton Heston.
May 18, 2021
A well-written, concise description of the thinking behind Schopenhauer's philosophy, particularly in how he differed from many of the other great minds of his era, eg., Kant, Hegel, et al.
Of course, any time you dig into philosophy and philosophers, you have to be prepared for what seems to be their deliberate efforts to obfuscate their ideas by using arcane language and obscure allusions. But trying to decipher it is all part of the fun.
Of course, any time you dig into philosophy and philosophers, you have to be prepared for what seems to be their deliberate efforts to obfuscate their ideas by using arcane language and obscure allusions. But trying to decipher it is all part of the fun.
July 31, 2022
Pessimistic world view. The concept of overarching Will. This world is like a dream, an illusion. Similar to Brahman of Upanishads, this world is that of appearance. However Aesthetics (music poetry) provides relief and glimpses of the bigger truth. Organized Religion only meant to appease and manipulate the masses.
December 5, 2022
I’ll keep this one short and sweet. I’ve been curious about Schopenhauer’s philosophy and wanted a short and sweet intro. This did the trick. I’ll definitely read some more in-depth stuff at some point.
January 10, 2021
Turns out the world is not so rational after all - Schopenhauer has a lot to say about how Will precedes Reason, and you can definitely see his influences on Nietzsche and others.
February 19, 2024
Decent overview of the philosophies of the most well known pessimist. I was glad to be reminded he considered music the highest of art forms
June 16, 2025
No will. No representation. No world.
March 18, 2017
Ótimo audiolivro disponível no youtube. Narra a trajetória tanto intelectual como pessoal do Schopenhauer, apresentando um panorama geral de suas ideias e o contexto em que produziu seu trabalho.
October 22, 2016
Some thoughts are reflected into my own, will need something by Schopenhauer , this was too short.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews