Arthur Schopenhauer, a German philosopher of the 19th century, was known for his pessimistic outlook on life. He believed that human existence was fundamentally characterized by suffering and that the desire for pleasure was an illusory pursuit that ultimately led to disappointment. As such, it is not surprising that Schopenhauer himself struggled with suicidal ideation throughout his life.
Schopenhauer’s writings frequently reference the idea of suicide as a means of escaping the suffering that is inherent in human existence. In his major work, “The World as Will and Representation,” he wrote, “If life is a torment, then the decision to have a child is to will that this torment continue indefinitely.”
Schopenhauer believed that the pursuit of worldly pleasures only served to distract us from the fundamental misery of human existence. He argued that the only true solution to the problem of suffering was the renunciation of desire, which would allow us to transcend the realm of appearances and attain a state of spiritual enlightenment.
Despite his bleak worldview, Schopenhauer did not view suicide as a desirable or legitimate solution to the problem of suffering. In fact, he argued that suicide was a fundamentally selfish act that served only to perpetuate the cycle of suffering.
Schopenhauer believed that suicide was motivated by a desire to escape the suffering of the present moment, but that it ultimately led to even greater suffering in the future. He argued that the act of suicide was an assertion of the will, which only served to reinforce the illusion of individual existence and perpetuate the cycle of suffering.
Schopenhauer’s view of suicide was deeply influenced by his belief in the fundamental unity of all things. He argued that individual existence was illusory, and that the true nature of reality was a single, all-encompassing will. From this perspective, suicide was not a solution to the problem of suffering, but rather a futile attempt to escape the inescapable.
Schopenhauer’s views on suicide were controversial in his time and continue to be debated today. Some critics argue that his pessimistic worldview contributed to an unhealthy fixation on death and suffering, while others argue that his writings offer a valuable critique of the limitations of human existence and the inadequacy of worldly pleasures.
Despite the controversy surrounding his views on suicide, Schopenhauer remains a significant figure in the history of philosophy, and his work continues to influence contemporary thinkers in a variety of fields. His pessimistic worldview and critique of desire continue to offer a powerful challenge to conventional wisdom, and his insights into the nature of suffering and the human condition continue to resonate with readers today.