The World As Will and Idea, Vol. 1 of 3

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 - 1860)
Translated by R. B. Haldane (1856 - 1928) and J. Kemp

In this work, Schopenhauer explains his fundamental idea that at the root of the reality we see around us is a Will that eternally, insatiably seeks to be satisfied. Each human Subject observes the Objects around her from the perspective of that fundamental Will working within each person. The human observer is distracted by the details of life and individual distinctions that obscure this Will; only by penetrating this “principium individuationis” (which is enslaved by the cause-and-effect tyranny of the Principle of Sufficient Reason) can the observer perceive the essential Thing-In-Itself. Art has the power to make us see the Thing-In-Itself, the Platonic Idea freed from the individual particular manifestation of it, thus enabling us to transcend the individual Will and perceive something of true Reality. Perceiving the common Will in all humanity, we are able to come closer to an ego-less love based on that shared essence. Schopenhauer squarely faces the fact that existence is fundamentally suffering, but it would be simplistic to label him (as is so often done) as nothing but a pessimist. His affirmation of Art and Love is a transforming principle, having a powerful influence on writers such as Tolstoy. In the end, he chooses the Way of Negation as the path toward peace; by denying our Will, by silencing the many outbreaks of Will in our lives, we can approach the ultimate peace of annihilation that is the theme of the great Vedic philosophy of India, to which Schopenhauer admits his profound debt. ( summary by Expatriate)

Genre(s): Philosophy, Modern

Language: English

Group: Schopenhauer - The World as Will and Idea (Volumes 1-3)

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 Author's Preface, 1st Edition (1818) Expatriate
00:16:17
Play 02 Author's Preface, 2nd Edition (1844) Expatriate
00:29:05
Play 03 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (01-03) Expatriate
00:15:38
Play 04 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (04) Expatriate
00:15:46
Play 05 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (05) Expatriate
00:17:26
Play 06 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (06) Expatriate
00:19:36
Play 07 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (07a) Expatriate
00:16:13
Play 08 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (07b) Expatriate
00:14:13
Play 09 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (08) Expatriate
00:12:37
Play 10 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (09a) Expatriate
00:16:23
Play 11 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (09b) Expatriate
00:14:34
Play 12 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (10-12) Expatriate
00:24:54
Play 13 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (13) Expatriate
00:09:44
Play 14 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (14) Expatriate
00:23:42
Play 15 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (15a) Expatriate
00:22:37
Play 16 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (15b) Expatriate
00:21:46
Play 17 Book I: The World As Idea, First Aspect (16) Expatriate
00:23:14
Play 18 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (17) Expatriate
00:14:07
Play 19 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (18) Expatriate
00:11:42
Play 20 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (19) Expatriate
00:08:59
Play 21 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (20) Expatriate
00:09:34
Play 22 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (21-22) Expatriate
00:09:53
Play 23 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (23) Expatriate
00:21:33
Play 24 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (24) Expatriate
00:27:55
Play 25 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (25) Expatriate
00:08:28
Play 26 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (26a) Expatriate
00:13:26
Play 27 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (26b) Expatriate
00:15:10
Play 28 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (27a) Expatriate
00:20:29
Play 29 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (27b) Expatriate
00:22:46
Play 30 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (28) Expatriate
00:27:41
Play 31 Book II: The World As Will, First Aspect (29) Expatriate
00:10:17
Play 32 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (30-31) Expatriate
00:17:03
Play 33 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (32-33) Expatriate
00:10:34
Play 34 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (34) Expatriate
00:10:20
Play 35 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (35) Expatriate
00:08:57
Play 36 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (36) Expatriate
00:30:43
Play 37 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (37) Expatriate
00:03:52
Play 38 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (38) Expatriate
00:15:17
Play 39 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (39) Expatriate
00:19:43
Play 40 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (40) Expatriate
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Play 41 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (41) Expatriate
00:11:19
Play 42 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (42) Expatriate
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Play 43 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (43) Expatriate
00:15:21
Play 44 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (44) Expatriate
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Play 45 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (45) Expatriate
00:17:53
Play 46 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (46) Expatriate
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Play 47 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (47) Expatriate
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Play 48 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (48) Expatriate
00:11:01
Play 49 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (49) Expatriate
00:10:24
Play 50 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (50) Expatriate
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Play 51 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (51) Expatriate
00:37:48
Play 52 Book III: The World As Idea, Second Aspect (52) Expatriate
00:37:36
Play 53 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (53) Expatriate
00:11:28
Play 54 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (54) Expatriate
00:33:46
Play 55 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (55a) Expatriate
00:23:27
Play 56 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (55b) Expatriate
00:20:17
Play 57 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (55c) Expatriate
00:21:26
Play 58 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (56) Expatriate
00:09:58
Play 59 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (57) Expatriate
00:24:37
Play 60 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (58) Expatriate
00:12:44
Play 61 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (59) Expatriate
00:09:22
Play 62 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (60) Expatriate
00:15:14
Play 63 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (61) Expatriate
00:07:29
Play 64 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (62a) Expatriate
00:16:57
Play 65 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (62b) Expatriate
00:16:44
Play 66 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (62c) Expatriate
00:17:50
Play 67 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (63) Expatriate
00:20:09
Play 68 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (64) Expatriate
00:07:31
Play 69 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (65) Expatriate
00:23:14
Play 70 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (66) Expatriate
00:21:19
Play 71 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (67) Expatriate
00:09:40
Play 72 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (68a) Expatriate
00:15:34
Play 73 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (68b) Expatriate
00:14:18
Play 74 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (68c) Expatriate
00:17:46
Play 75 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (68d) Expatriate
00:14:41
Play 76 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (69) Expatriate
00:13:18
Play 77 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (70) Expatriate
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Play 78 Book IV: The World As Will, Second Aspect (71) Expatriate
00:10:39