Schopenhauer's 'The World as Will and Representation': A Reader's Guide

Description

Schopenhauer's The World as Will and Representation is widely considered to be one of the most important and influential texts in nineteenth-century German philosophy. The text provides an avenue through which to introduce and explore a rich assortment of philosophical themes and questions, and represents Schopenhauer's widely discussed attempt to find personal meaning amidst a violent, frustrating and seemingly godless world. Since it was published in 1818, the text has influenced generations of musicians, artists, writers and historians, as well as philosophers. This Reader's Guide presents a concise and accessible introduction to the text, offering invaluable guidance on: - Philosophical context - Key themes - Reading the text - Reception and influence - Further reading

Robert Wicks is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Robert Wicks' Reader's Guide is impressive in very many ways. It demonstrates a mastery of the Schopenhauer corpus and an ability to explain complex arguments in a clear, insightful and accessible fashion, without oversimplification. I believe that it will become essential reading for students wanting to grasp the rich thought of Schopenhauer's masterwork. -- Prof. dr. Bart Vandenabeele, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Universiteit Gent Wicks has done a really excellent job in pressing his deep scholarly knowledge of Schopenhauer into a form that is original, entertaining, and teacherly. -- Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews Reviewed in Tijdschrift voor Filosofie 73 (2011), 4. I enjoyed reading Wicks's text overall and heartily recommend it. -- Jason M. Costanzo, St. John's University * Philosophy in Review *