Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Schopenhauer, Arthur
SCHOPENHAUER, ARTHUR, a German
philosopher; born in Danzic, Feb.
22, 1788; son of Johanna Schopenhauer,
the popular novelist and littérateur. He
studied at Göttingen, attended the
lectures of Fichte at Berlin, spent some time
at Weimar and Dresden, and led a very

restless life till 1831, when he settled at
Frankfort-on-the-Main. He despised his
countrymen and their philosophies, and
studied French and English literature
and latterly Oriental religions. He
became an enthusiast for Buddha and the
Vedas, and enjoyed tracing all Western
accomplishments to Eastern sources. The
principal work of Schopenhauer is 

 “The World as Will and Idea.” It
appeared in 1819, and after being
neglected for many years attracted a good
deal of attention and received some sharp
criticism. The practical upshot of his
system, which makes will the one sole
reality, is intolerable melancholy, taking
from man all that constitutes his greatness,
his goodness, or his bliss. God —
futurity — the soul — mere names, illusions;
and the world of men is to him
hopelessly bad. The style is brilliant;
but the general effect of the work on the
average mind is depressing. He
published several other works of philosophy,
of which the most important is “The
Two Sound Problems of Ethics.” He died
in Frankfort-on-the-Main, Sept. 21, 1860.