Was wollte Schopenhauer?

Was Schopenhauer a nihilist? What is the meaning of life? What is the world as will and representation really about, and why is Schopenhauer not read? PREAMBLE Arthur Schopenhauer enjoys the reputation of being one of the greatest philosophers of all time. He presents a comprehensive and highly interesting metaphysics of the will and a critique of science, bridging the gap that Kant opened between the subject and the thing-in-itself. Wagner deeply admires him and incorporates his ideas into numerous works. Nietzsche owes him central aspects of his philosophy and accuses him of nihilism. The Marxist Max Horkheimer, co-founder of the Frankfurt School, even considers Schopenhauer considerably greater than Marx. Schopenhauer is a brilliant stylist who expresses his thoughts in impressive and highly readable language. There is therefore every reason to engage with Schopenhauer. Yet, it seems, hardly anyone reads him. Why is that? Why would Schopenhauer's philosophy be particularly valuable for the present day? TOPICS: What is your opinion of Schopenhauer? 01:03 Why Schopenhauer is hardly read 3:07 Schopenhauer's pessimism: the suffering and wretchedness of humanity 4:25 Nietzsche's rebellion against it and Schopenhauer's will to live as affirmation 11:11 Intellectuals' prejudice against Schopenhauer 14:00 Schopenhauer vs. Hegel, "the greatest charlatan of philosophy" 16:00 I. The world as will and representation 1. Kant: World of appearances, external / projection, thing-in-itself unattainable 18:11 2. Schelling: World as manifestation of a world will ("Willing is primal being"), the will as thing-in-itself, internal, attainable in the body 21:30 II. Freedom and necessity Freedom only as the establishment of one's own character in the course of fate 23:40 III. Inside and outside Schopenhauer as the founder of Philosophy of the Body 25:20 IV. Will as a Principle of Natural Philosophy All forces are forces of will: physics requires metaphysics 28:00 Empirical metaphysics vs. idealism: the will is blind, no spiritual will 28:44 V. Schopenhauer and Indian Philosophy Compassion as the realization of "Tat tvam asi," the unity of the will 32:15 World of appearances (Kant) and the blind will behind it = Maya 34:45 Historical significance of the Oupnek'hat ("The most important book of mankind") 36:50 Schopenhauer gave Buddhism influence in the West 45:00 Karma, causality, transcendent primal act: the immutability of character 46:44 Anatman, reincarnation, and the limits of philosophical thought: no one knows how the One comes to the Many ("Nature's sleight of hand") 48:45 Salvation as the negation of the will, saints, sages, "disinterested contemplation" = meditation and Nietzsche's critique (nihilism) 49:55 Metaphysics of Music (Nada Brahm) 52:50 VI. Birth and Death Indestructibility of life, unreality of time, static now 1:03:00 VII. Practical Wisdom What one can learn about life from Schopenhauer 1:16:55 Don't talk to idiots, let go of humanity Compassion and humor in the face of the absurdity of all sentient beings Focus on observing nature and Oupnek'hat Tranquility: Many things are not so important Aphorisms on wisdom, personal recommendation SOURCES: Arthur Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation, Volume I (1819) Arthur Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation, Volume II (1844) Arthur Schopenhauer, Parerga and Paralipomena (1851) Franz Mischel (translator), Oupnek'hat: The Doctrine of Brahms Summarized from the Vedas (1882) https://amzn.to/3xXIot0 Philosophical Conversations with Jochen Kirchhoff, Episode 31, June 26, 2021 (5781). https://www.gwendolinkirchhoff.com/ge... https://www.gwendolinkirchhoff.com/ko... https://www.gwendolinkirchhoff.com/ #Schopenhauer