We explore Schopenhauer's pessimism as a philosophical position and ask the question: can Schopenhauer ground his pessimism in the nature of reality?

The first in a mini-series on what Nietzsche called "Life-Denying Philosophies," in this episode we consider the thoroughly pessimistic philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer. Is his thoroughgoing pessimism and life-denying perspective... wisdom or sickness (or something else)?Works Referenced in this Episode:Arthur Schopenhauer, The World as Will and RepresentationĀcārāṅga Sūtra, translated by Hermann Jacobi, Jaina Sutras, 1884Herman Hesse, SiddharthaWWW.GODSWILLBEGODS.COM

'Cosmic Meaning' is a term used in recent philosophical literature to refer to an objective reason for which life was brought into existence (i.e., an objective meaning of life). We want to ask: is there a cosmic meaning? Is life part of some grand plan? But first we must ask: what are the stakes of the question? Why does it matter?Books read from or otherwise referenced in this episode:Nietzsche, The Basic Writings of Nietzsche (https://www.amazon.com/Writings-Nietzsche-Modern-Library-Classics/dp/0679783393/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5ZDD54DOET05&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sQNBxE86JVrQGKqjl3SYn9fDs8zQNPphQGZM1xmPASzWPuynm3oPQ-aIJX6N2GDPdXxqMsU3B_0vT0wBFNQQekoVP-zfEHGrnIsbNs9EDFsCpa1fjFYIJXBXxxtZYV2nLn2JSuIDo_3vwnSVNO6lGtNeY7MluMEI9wGRFya2jPmA6L378uHOyt8uobsnoyF2jdqxznn--NX3db3XJ1xeNTej297FeGH6t_b_PlPGkek.6NmIa3IpVx1s1QMIVNHIJsPcIjDdqTFENpshNETTNMA&dib_tag=se&keywords=nietzsche+basic+writings&qid=1733074588&s=books&sprefix=nietzsche+basic+writing%2Cstripbooks%2C160&sr=1-1)Nietzsche, The Gay Science (https://www.amazon.com/Gay-Science-Prelude-Rhymes-Appendix/dp/0394719859/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1J2NR0IUMDIQZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Gd6JhkgnPZBir4D-Svdjkcxkkb31wadzIWn8C9VJEFqldw2SXa8tvViO-VIGeWKf-SZqWnoFMQGjJlQZm8eQ9WL6AKBeraw0S7AMJeNZSX0kQxyIqO9U5advxl__lVuPcW7pIAy0SUnX-9Q_cUfckg7h_YDL4OIvPiFoPpto5_V6VDGxHfa2QU96WzRpDYiTTRWQuhszpV26TyN8uLwM7DEji0v90jY7hjzg5cKYkYw.JVGwAcqOVtD79_Pz92evY5Liqn_kXu84RgnV3RLmGjs&dib_tag=se&keywords=nietzsche+The+Gay+Science&qid=1733074715&s=books&sprefix=nietzsche+the+gay+scienc%2Cstripbooks%2C171&sr=1-1)Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation, Volume 1 (https://www.amazon.com/World-Will-Representation-Vol/dp/0486217612/ref=sr_1_1?crid=34OXI15O05VFQ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.0tK8lqpe0eb3Q01GPyyYGMZiRnPtZLIzvz9E3vliO9sZgW0cHM8FvvMaFOItzb_iGXiFxbhWh9cb7W-q9lVL5L7lGazggF1ZGZ9ZioBOYvXU1RZlDO3_qBeqZYIWSYTVXYpDji-HgLcbuBFfFHQ9SKcrdIAqkEPkOHsIlTT-J0ZEn8Q-B-50cU472rb_seytxxyX46k8ZZKH-bBH8UyBWUkVPRTkkn5IDt7oANflFJ0._5LkipAz1fEhwG5lhAvra8UoIyPwpFxFF7l8zFgICI8&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+world+as+will+and+representation&qid=1733074736&s=books&sprefix=The+World+as+Will+and+Representation%2Cstripbooks%2C147&sr=1-1)Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation, Volume 2 (https://www.amazon.com/World-Will-Representation-Vol/dp/0486217620/ref=pd_bxgy_thbs_d_sccl_1/137-1441757-3693329?pd_rd_w=YUiWc&content-id=amzn1.sym.53b72ea0-a439-4b9d-9319-7c2ee5c88973&pf_rd_p=53b72ea0-a439-4b9d-9319-7c2ee5c88973&pf_rd_r=583CB0F0MVSAWJJDE5B5&pd_rd_wg=QC5l7&pd_rd_r=eace1453-19d3-400c-bd94-606199fd56dc&pd_rd_i=0486217620&psc=1)Kerouac, Desolation Angels (https://www.amazon.com/Desolation-Angels-Jack-Kerouac/dp/1573225053/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3VQ3Z0V28Z6T2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.EIgftyYfngzW43oRZneeyqeHsTcQ4LxhUIZLH9X3b1vk8TfH4cGy1nsPBNKw3-Cwe1WV5mr52vEEfh16A_cTiQl6oUMmyfQyv1UXqtcYelQNSTGPes1CIYxOe5FfqxqsW5F_45_Gb06lbGb5aYjG26naHbkC4Zylv6QwdGlkhHqg7vP9Wnt9yIcL5bJ2mUdXQl5bzPxZKK7GtZDUgdpNbc_xnU-ouhGC96xjrmog7dM.bSIfUUF2x37nGxdMXS_nuFh9-IJK69DYqQGXTrn26BQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=Desolation+Angels&qid=1733074764&s=books&sprefix=desolation+angels%2Cstripbooks%2C168&sr=1-1)Shakespeare, Macbeth

Episode 1 (Cosmic Meaning and Salvation) out on November 1st.