The Wisdom of Life

What It's About

The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer: The Wisdom of Life is a practical philosophical guide to achieving happiness, first published in 1851 as part of Schopenhauer's final major work, Parerga and Paralipomena. Rather than engaging with the dense metaphysics of his earlier writing, Schopenhauer turns here to a more worldly form of philosophy — what he calls "eudaemonology", the art of living well. He structures his argument around three broad categories that determine a person's happiness: what a person is (personality and character), what a person has (property and possessions), and how a person is regarded by others (position and reputation).

Key Concepts

Schopenhauer argues that personality — health, temperament, intellect, and moral character — contributes far more to happiness than wealth or social standing, since it shapes how a person experiences everything else in life. He is sharply critical of vanity and the pursuit of reputation, arguing that most people place too much value on the opinions of others at the expense of their own inner resources. Wealth and possessions, he suggests, matter chiefly insofar as they secure the leisure and independence needed to cultivate the mind.

About the Author

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) was a German philosopher known for his pessimistic view of human existence and his emphasis on the primacy of will over reason. Largely overlooked for most of his career, he received wider recognition only in his final years.

About This Edition

This is an 1890 translation by Thomas Bailey Saunders.