Arthur Schopenhauer

Date of Birth: February 22, 1788

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Date of Death: September 21, 1860

Biography

Arthur Schopenhauer was a German philosopher born on February 22, 1788, in Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland). He is best known for his work “The World as Will and Representation,” where he developed an atheistic metaphysical and ethical system that has influenced a wide range of thinkers and artists. Schopenhauer’s philosophy is fundamentally pessimistic, emphasizing the role of irrational will in human existence and the inherent suffering of life. He was the son of Heinrich Floris Schopenhauer, a wealthy merchant, and Johanna Schopenhauer, a novelist and literary salon hostess. Arthur had a privileged upbringing, receiving a broad education and traveling extensively through Europe during his youth. However, the early death of his father and his strained relationship with his mother had a profound impact on him, shaping his worldview and personal philosophy. Schopenhauer studied at the University of Göttingen and later at the University of Berlin, where he attended lectures by prominent philosophers such as Johann Gottlieb Fichte and Friedrich Schleiermacher. However, he found himself at odds with their idealism and developed his own philosophical system, heavily influenced by Eastern philosophy, particularly Buddhism and Hinduism. Throughout his life, Schopenhauer remained largely unrecognized by his contemporaries, but his work gained significant posthumous fame, influencing great minds like Friedrich Nietzsche, Richard Wagner, Sigmund Freud, and Albert Einstein. He remained a bachelor throughout his life and had no known children. Arthur Schopenhauer died on September 21, 1860, in Frankfurt, Germany.

5 Interesting Facts about Arthur Schopenhauer

1. Arthur Schopenhauer had a lifelong passion for music and was an accomplished flutist.

2. He was one of the first Western philosophers to incorporate Eastern thought into his work, particularly ideas from Buddhism and Hinduism.

3. Schopenhauer had a pet poodle named Atma, which is Sanskrit for “soul.”

4. He was highly critical of contemporary academic philosophy and had a contentious relationship with Hegel.

5. Schopenhauer’s pessimistic philosophy led him to believe that human desires could never be fully satisfied, which he saw as the root of all suffering.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Arthur Schopenhauer

1. “All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”

2. “The world is my representation.”

3. “Man can do what he wills but he cannot will what he wills.”

4. “Compassion is the basis of morality.”

5. “Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Arthur Schopenhauer inherited a substantial fortune from his father, which allowed him to live comfortably and independently. Adjusted for inflation, his highest net worth is estimated to have been several million dollars in today’s terms.