Description
Book SynopsisArthur Schopenhauer made the momentous decision to become a philosopher when he was approximately 22 years old. Prior to that decision, he had been studying medicine at the university in Göttingen. By that age, however, he had concluded that life was a troublesome affair. So he resolved to spend his life reflecting upon it. Schopenhauer was doggedly determined to persevere in what he considered his mission in life, to reflect on the ever-disquieting puzzle of existence, to ascertain the meaning of living in a world steeped in suffering and death. He was confident that eventually his work would be recognized, a confidence that enabled him to weather laboring in relative philosophical obscurity for some forty years. What initiated the dawn of Schopenhauer's fame was a review of his philosophy that appeared in a British journal in 1853, and ever since that time, Schopenhauer drew a readership, one broader than most Western philosophers. He is read not simply and solely by professional phi
Trade ReviewThis superlative reference resource on one of the 19th century's most influential Western thinkers is fittingly authored by philosopher Cartwright, a scholar, biographer, and translator of Schopenhauer and director of the North American Division of the Schopenhauer Society. Following a brief chronology of events in Schopenhauer's life from 1788–1860, the author's richly informative 40-page introduction covers the life of the philosopher of pessimism, his philosophy, and his legacy, with helpful summaries of his seminal contributions to the basic domains of epistemology, metaphysics, aesthetics, and ethics. Abounding with cross-references, ranging in length from a single paragraph to several pages, and written with personable fluency, the dictionary entries cover concepts, terminology, themes, and influences pertaining to Schopenhauer's philosophy as well as aspects of his biography bearing upon his thought. The volume concludes with an updated 60-page classified bibliography, organized into original and translated works of Schopenhauer, and a comprehensive, thematically organized listing of Anglophone secondary literature. Given the breadth of Schopenhauer's continuing and growing influence in philosophy, literature, music, and the visual arts, this volume bears a strong claim to be in most academic library collections, replacing the first edition with much new material. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers. * CHOICE *
This exploration of Schopenhauer’s life and work includes excellent ancillary materials. . . .The primary change is that the second edition provides dozens of new cross-referenced dictionary entries. For students and scholars who work in English with interests in Schopenhauer’s original texts, a clear benefit of the volume lies in the German vocabulary provided alongside entries referencing specific ideas or titles. Another helpful feature is the use of boldface type within entries to indicate when specific words appear as entries themselves. The dictionary offers as complete a sketch of Schopenhauer as one could reasonably expect, neither shying away from issues such as his misogyny nor ignoring the importance of his pet poodles. * American Reference Books Annual *
Table of ContentsEditor’s Foreword Jon Woronoff Acknowledgments Reader’s Note Chronology Introduction Schopenhauer’s Life THE DICTIONARY Appendix: Chronology of the First Appearances of Schopenhauer’s Philosophical Books in English Translation Bibliography About the Author
