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

by Robert L. Wicks

Overview

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

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781441160331
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	03/24/2011
Series:	Reader's Guides
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
File size:	787 KB

About the Author

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

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements \ 1. Context\2.  Overview of Themes\3.  Reading the Text:  Schopenhauer's Prefaces to WWR, his Critique of the Kantian Philosophy, and The Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason \ 4.  Reading the Text:  Book I, Perceptual vs. Abstract Representations, 1-16\5.  Reading the Text:  Book II, Will as Thing-in-Itself, 17-29\6.  Reading the Text:  Book III, Platonic Ideas, Beauty and Art, 30-52\7.  Reading the Text:  Book IV, Ethics and Asceticism, 53-71\8.  Reception and Influence\Notes for Further Reading\Index.