Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) is best known for developing a groundbreaking, albeit pessimistic, philosophy that identified the “thing-in-itself” (the ultimate, hidden reality) as a blind, irrational, and insatiable force he termed “The Will.”
His “amazing discovery” lies in his philosophical system that shifts the focus from rational thought to this fundamental, universal striving.
Because the Will is never satisfied, life is perpetual struggle, desire, and suffering. He argued that all life is ultimately doomed to pain or boredom.
Schopenhauer believed that true, albeit temporary, relief from this suffering is possible through art, music, and aesthetic contemplation, which allow us to become “will-less” subjects, momentarily free from desire. He argued that recognizing oneself in others, seeing that all beings share the same suffering, leads to true compassion, which he deemed the only valid basis for morality.
Are you chasing happiness, or trapped in the chase itself?
