On the Basis of Morality
Jan 1903 · The Complete Works of Schopenhauer Book 17 · Continental Press
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"Schopenhauer, the last German who comes into consideration (who is a European event equal to Goethe, equal to Hegel, equal to Heinrich Heine, and not merely a local, a "national" one), is as a psychologist of the first rank: namely, as a maliciously ingenious attempt, in favor of a nihilistic overall devaluation of life, precisely the counter-instances, the great self-affirmations of the the "will to life", the exuberance-forms of life into the field." Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols In the tumultuous intellectual landscape of mid-19th century European philosophy, Schopenhauer's 1840 treatise "On the Basis of Morality" emerges as a groundbreaking philosophical intervention that radically reimagines the foundations of ethical thought. Published during a period of intense philosophical ferment, the work represents a decisive break from the prevailing ethical frameworks of Kantian deontology and utilitarian calculus, presenting instead a revolutionary approach to understanding human moral motivation that would send reverberating intellectual shockwaves through philosophical circles. Schopenhauer's text is not merely a theoretical exercise, but a profound interrogation of the deepest psychological and metaphysical underpinnings of human ethical behavior, challenging readers to confront the most fundamental questions about compassion, altruism, and the nature of moral action. The philosophical architecture of the work is nothing short of remarkable, presenting a nuanced theory of moral motivation that roots ethical behavior in compassion rather than rational calculation or divine commandment. Schopenhauer meticulously deconstructs existing moral philosophies, arguing that true ethical action emerges from a profound recognition of the fundamental unity of human suffering a radical proposition that anticipates later developments in existential and phenomenological thought. His argument traverses complex philosophical terrain, drawing from multiple intellectual traditions while simultaneously dismantling their most cherished assumptions. The text becomes a crucible in which traditional philosophical concepts are subjected to rigorous scrutiny, revealing the profound limitations of prevailing ethical frameworks and offering a startlingly original alternative that privileges empathy and inter-subjective understanding.
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