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Arthur Schopenhauer Quotes

Powerful Arthur Schopenhauer for Daily Growth

About Arthur Schopenhauer

Arthur Schopenhauer (February 22, 1788 – September 21, 1860) was a German philosopher, known as one of the most significant thinkers in the tradition of Western philosophy. Born in Danzig (now Gdansk, Poland), he spent his early years in a multilingual household, fluently speaking French and German from an early age. Schopenhauer's philosophical journey began at the University of Gottingen where he studied mathematics and the natural sciences but soon became disillusioned with academic life. He later moved to the University of Berlin and then the University of Jena, where he came under the influence of Göttingen professor Johann Heinrich Füssli, who introduced him to Plato's works. In 1813, Schopenhauer published his first book, 'Four Essays', which failed to gain much attention. It was his magnum opus, 'The World as Will and Representation' (1818), that established him as a major philosopher. This work presents a pessimistic view of life, arguing that human beings strive for happiness but are destined to suffer, as their will is bound up in the endless cycle of birth, death, and reincarnation. Schopenhauer's ideas were widely influential in literature, music, and art. He was admired by figures such as Richard Wagner, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Thomas Mann. Despite his controversial views, Schopenhauer remains a significant figure in the history of philosophy, his work continuing to inspire critical thought and debate. In later life, Schopenhauer lived in Frankfurt am Main, where he spent most of his time writing letters, composing music, and studying Kundalini yoga. He died on September 21, 1860, leaving behind a rich legacy that continues to shape philosophical discourse today.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The world is my representation."

This quote by Arthur Schopenhauer signifies that our perception shapes our reality, not vice versa. In other words, we don't experience the world as it is but rather as our minds interpret it. Our thoughts, beliefs, experiences, and individual perspectives create our unique view of the world. This perspective can vary greatly among individuals, making each person's experience of the world distinct from another's.

"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."

This quote emphasizes that ignoring facts or truths does not make them disappear or lose their validity. The reality persists, regardless of whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. Ignoring facts can lead to misunderstandings, poor decision-making, and even detrimental consequences in the long run. It's essential to face and address the facts accurately to ensure a better understanding of the world around us.

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

This quote by Arthur Schopenhauer describes the process of societal acceptance for new ideas or truths. Initially, these ideas are often met with ridicule or dismissal because they challenge established beliefs or norms. As time passes, those who oppose the idea may become more forceful and resistant to change. Eventually, as evidence mounts in favor of the new idea, it becomes self-evident and widely accepted. This pattern can be observed throughout history in various fields such as science, politics, and social movements.

"The more a man can forget, the greater the number of his years."

This quote by Arthur Schopenhauer suggests that a person's perception of their own age is related to their ability to forget. The implication is that if a person has a poor memory and finds it difficult to recall past events, they may perceive themselves as younger than someone who can remember more. In essence, the quote implies that forgetting (or the lack of recall) contributes to the subjective experience of youth.

"Life Swings like a pendulum backward and forward between pain and boredom."

This quote by Arthur Schopenhauer suggests that human existence is marked by a recurring cycle of opposing emotions – pleasure and pain, or more broadly, joy and suffering, excitement and ennui (boredom). He asserts that life swings between these two states, indicating the inherent duality in our experiences. This quote underscores the idea that human beings constantly seek to escape boredom (pain) by pursuing pleasure, yet often find themselves returning to a state of boredom once their desires have been satiated. Essentially, Schopenhauer implies that life can be viewed as an endless oscillation between moments of excitement and moments of tranquility or discontent.

Just remember, once you're over the hill you begin to pick up speed.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Remember, Hill, Over, Age

The doctor sees all the weakness of mankind; the lawyer all the wickedness, the theologian all the stupidity.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Medical, Doctor, Weakness, Stupidity

It is only a man's own fundamental thoughts that have truth and life in them. For it is these that he really and completely understands. To read the thoughts of others is like taking the remains of someone else's meal, like putting on the discarded clothes of a stranger.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Own, Discarded, Putting, Remains

Politeness is to human nature what warmth is to wax.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Nature, Human, Politeness, Warmth

Religion is the masterpiece of the art of animal training, for it trains people as to how they shall think.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Art, Think, How, Animal

Opinion is like a pendulum and obeys the same law. If it goes past the centre of gravity on one side, it must go a like distance on the other; and it is only after a certain time that it finds the true point at which it can remain at rest.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Distance, Other, Point, Centre

The first forty years of life give us the text; the next thirty supply the commentary on it.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Give, Next, Forty Years, Commentary

In the sphere of thought, absurdity and perversity remain the masters of the world, and their dominion is suspended only for brief periods.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Thought, Brief, Remain, Dominion

The difficulty is to try and teach the multitude that something can be true and untrue at the same time.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Teach, Difficulty, Same, Multitude

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

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Intelligence, Genius, Hits, Target

The discovery of truth is prevented more effectively, not by the false appearance things present and which mislead into error, not directly by weakness of the reasoning powers, but by preconceived opinion, by prejudice.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

More, Which, Effectively, Error

Each day is a little life: every waking and rising a little birth, every fresh morning a little youth, every going to rest and sleep a little death.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Morning, Rest, Rising, Each Day

Obstinacy is the result of the will forcing itself into the place of the intellect.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Result, Intellect, Itself, Forcing

Wicked thoughts and worthless efforts gradually set their mark on the face, especially the eyes.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Thoughts, Worthless, Efforts, Wicked

Every parting gives a foretaste of death, every reunion a hint of the resurrection.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Death, Parting, Hint, Resurrection

The two enemies of human happiness are pain and boredom.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Happiness, Pain, Boredom, Human Happiness

Money is human happiness in the abstract; he, then, who is no longer capable of enjoying human happiness in the concrete devotes himself utterly to money.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Capable, Abstract, Concrete, Human Happiness

Sleep is the interest we have to pay on the capital which is called in at death; and the higher the rate of interest and the more regularly it is paid, the further the date of redemption is postponed.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Date, Capital, Which, Redemption

A man's face as a rule says more, and more interesting things, than his mouth, for it is a compendium of everything his mouth will ever say, in that it is the monogram of all this man's thoughts and aspirations.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Thoughts, Will, More, Aspirations

The brain may be regarded as a kind of parasite of the organism, a pensioner, as it were, who dwells with the body.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

May, Dwells, Regarded, Parasite

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

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Truth, Through, Violently, Stages

Great men are like eagles, and build their nest on some lofty solitude.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Build, Some, Like, Nest

It is with trifles, and when he is off guard, that a man best reveals his character.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Character, His, Guard, Trifles

It is in the treatment of trifles that a person shows what they are.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Person, Shows, Treatment, Trifles

A man can be himself only so long as he is alone, and if he does not love solitude, he will not love freedom, for it is only when he is alone that he is really free.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Love, Alone, Will, Solitude

A man's delight in looking forward to and hoping for some particular satisfaction is a part of the pleasure flowing out of it, enjoyed in advance. But this is afterward deducted, for the more we look forward to anything the less we enjoy it when it comes.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Enjoy, Some, Part, Delight

The wise have always said the same things, and fools, who are the majority have always done just the opposite.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Done, Always, Same Things, Fools

Every possession and every happiness is but lent by chance for an uncertain time, and may therefore be demanded back the next hour.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Chance, Next, May, Lent

For an author to write as he speaks is just as reprehensible as the opposite fault, to speak as he writes; for this gives a pedantic effect to what he says, and at the same time makes him hardly intelligible.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Makes, Author, Same Time, Writes

Almost all of our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Sympathy, Spring, Other, Relations

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