The World as Will and Idea by Arthur Schopenhauer
This philosophical work posits that the world is driven by a continually dissatisfied will, continually seeking satisfaction. The book is divided into four parts, with the first addressing the world as representation, the second detailing the world as will, the third discussing art and beauty as the only way to transcend the painful human condition, and the fourth discussing ethics and the ascetic ideal. The author argues that the will is the underlying reality of the world, beyond mere appearances, and that it is characterized by ceaseless striving and suffering.
The 1515th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 270
This book was first published in 1818
8 Lists
- score: 169 -- Harenberg Buch der 1000 Bücher - 2005 (Weight: 160)
- score: 84 -- Zeit Library of 100 Non-Fiction Books - 1984 (Weight: 80)
- score: 10 -- 101 of the World's Greatest Books (1950) - 1950 (Weight: 10)
- score: 1 -- Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Inteliquest's World's 100 Greatest Books of All-Time - 1993 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written - 1998 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Twenty Greatest Philosophy Books (Book from 2006) - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 100 Best Books in the World - 2021 (Weight: 1)