Arthur Schopenhauer: biography, thoughts and works

Arthur Schopenhauer was one of the most brilliant German philosophers of the 19th century.. Skilled in reflection and possessing a unique sense of humor, he became a universal thinker, outside academic circles.

Although many consider him the greatest representative of “philosophical pessimism”, for others he is a realistic and frank thinker who revealed the less presentable corners of reality and existence. One of the most striking aspects was that Schopenhauer openly declared that life was not worth living, but he did so with incomparable grace.

Many consider Arthur Schopenhauer as an heir to the philosophy of Kant and Spinoza. However, this fabulous philosopher He also drank from Eastern thought, including Buddhism Taoism and Vedanta. From all of this, original and universal approaches emerged that are still valid today.

Arthur Schopenhauer’s childhood

Arthur Schopenhauer was born in Danzig, Poland, on February 22, 1788.. His father, Heinrich Floris Schopenhauer, was a prosperous merchant who introduced his son to the world of business. His mother, Johanna Henriette Trosenier, was an outgoing and sociable woman who became a writer.

It was the mother who organized literary evenings at the Schopenhauer house, attended by the best of the intellectuality of the time, including figures such as Goethe. Arthur followed these encounters closely, but his sullen and withdrawn personality prevented him from enjoying them.. For that reason, he had a very conflictive relationship with his mother.

When Arthur was only 5 years old, the family moved to Hamburg. There he began his private education with the aspiration of being his father’s successor in business, but this destiny was never fulfilled.

A new thinker

Arthur was forced by his father to train as a businessman. In 1805, at the age of 17, he began his training in the trade of commerce. That same year, his father died, under unknown circumstances that seem to indicate a possible suicide. The family moved to Weimar, but the future philosopher remained in Hamburg. In 1809, he decided to leave commerce and enrolled in medicine at the University of Göttingen..

At university, Schopenhauer discovered several philosophers and became passionate about reading them. Thus he discovered his true calling and in 1811 he moved to Berlin, where he began several courses in philosophy. He also studied philology, history and natural sciences.. Finally, he obtained the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Jena in 1813.

He then returned to his maternal home in Weimar and there he had the opportunity to have long conversations with Goethe. Throughout his life he admired him, as well as Shakespeare, Homer and the writers of the «Spanish Golden Age», which he translated into German. Later He moved to Dresden and wrote his supreme work there: The world as will and representation published in 1819.

a great thinker

Since the publication of his work, a unique seal in Schopenhauer’s thought was identified. His proverbial pessimism took shape, based on one premise: we live in the worst of all possible worlds. He is beginning to be seen as a skeptical thinker who denounces human irrationality at a time when the myth of reason prevailed.

However, Schopenhauer’s thinking did not become cynical, but, on the contrary, advocated a new ethic of compassion towards “everything that has life”. He defines art as the ultimate balm for the sorrows and futility of existence. Later, he became famous throughout the world for his lapidary aphorisms, in which he shows that pessimism and joy are not mutually exclusive.

His work had no reception, to the point that it was destroyed due to lack of buyers.. Over the years, he became one of the best-known thinkers. Even Richard Wagner sent him an autographed copy of his opera The Nibelung Ring to express his admiration.

Schopenhauer was largely the thinker of contradiction: he defended vegetarianism, but he ate meat. He spoke to his dogs in several languages ​​and treated them like humans.

The legacy of the thinker: immortal works

He fell ill with cholera and moved to Frankfurt, where he lived for more than two decades. He died in September 1860, defending one of his maxims: “The secret to not being too unhappy is not to expect to be too happy.”

In 1864, shortly after the philosopher’s death, the work “The Art of Always Being Right” was presented to the public for the first time. Since then, this work has maintained its relevance today by providing solid and convincing strategies for arguing, both in the academic field and in daily life. It highlights the importance of logic and reason in defending our ideas, encouraging a critical and reflective approach in communication.

During that same time, the work “The Art of Being Happy” was also released, which remains relevant today thanks to its focus on the search for happiness and the meaning of life. Both works reflect Schopenhauer’s unique philosophical vision, which is also reflected in the contemporary work “A Year with Schopenhauer” by Irvin D. Yalom. In the latter, the characters immerse themselves in the thoughts of Arthur Schopenhauer, considering him a true personal therapist.

You might be interested…