Engineering and the Work of Schopenhauer Were Studied More Than Once in France

Engineering and the work of Schopenhauer were studied more than

once in France, when pessimism replaced today, quite unfavorably

moreover, by wild and arbitrary theories of Nietzsche and his school

by the worship of brute force and the theory of will to power, when

the great metaphysician root quadruple of sufficient reason was

fashionable in the literary world, and even intellectual in society to

the claims of dilettantism. Among these works of criticism or

scholarship should be mentioned first of all Etudes few really worthy

of Schopenhauer that he had spent the masters of our French

philosophical literature.

The best known and most popular is undoubtedly the work of M.

Ribot, already a classic volume, which obtained a legitimate and

resounding success. This is a great work, a monograph just

remarkable and has been the greatest honor to the eminent director

of the philosophical journal. It is difficult, it seems, to summarize with

clarity, sharpness and impartiality, as an original philosophy, as

subtle, complex, and shocking all the intellectual habits and beliefs of

all persons other than the metaphysical speculations. It is these that

caters Ribot, and the influence of the volume was to be beneficial

because it gives a very clear idea of the doctrine, trends and

personalities of Schopenhauer to Reader who has never read a line of

the master. Other hand, the high intellectual author of these beautiful

studies of experimental psychology that shine at the forefront of

modern productions of the French school are known, and we know

that the strength, originality and harmonious homogeneity of thought

1

have emerged vividly in larger works, but that begs to Schopenhauer,

despite its simplicity, remains one of the finest works of M. Ribot, and

German authors of some pedantic and aggressive monographs could

gain something if they deigned to assimilate lucidity, exposure safety

and impeccable composition, all the qualities of order and measure

that distinguish masterful and definitive work of M. Ribot.

Latest French book on Schopenhauer, the beautiful book by Mr.

Bossert, is also a work of the highest order as deep and sagacious

than pleasant reading 3t physiognomy so curious of the great German

pessimist is studied with infinite: picturesque first and relief.

There are also excellent things and pages quite as charming literary

mastery in the early study of Caro on pessimism, quite extensive

summary table where the portrait he draws of Schopenhauer in the

foreground. The author of legal studies on present times was no

superficial mind, we have enough amateur philosopher foolishly

mocked his lifetime and has never existed in the imagination of its

critics.

It was, instead, a professional metaphysician, loving great speculative

problems, perfectly capable of understanding the austere but

compelling and pathetic beauty c was also, unfortunately, a

philosopher without striking personality, and concerns of current

morality often affect the sharpness of its judgments. Thus in his

study, by no means negligible, very distinguished literary point of

view, sometimes charming to read, one is shocked at every moment

by the bias of search especially social and aesthetic consequences of

2

pessimism bias statement even before a serious refutation of the

philosophy of Schopenhauer we have demonstrated the good law and

the merits. This is not how we judge and a man of genius, a thinker

such as metaphysician World as Will and Representation is

condemned.

How much deeper, more meaningful, more sagacious, testing

Renouvier appear on pessimism. The majestic head of the French

school of criticism, the illustrious and eminent philosopher whose

incessant labor and immense talent, depth and originality of views,

the powerful unity of doctrine, are worthy of philosophical unanimous

admiration of the world, the author of this test classification systems,

gigantic work, has repeatedly occupied the theory and ideas of the

German metaphysician, first in the extraordinary synthesis we just

quote liter, a monument of learning, understanding and speculative

thought, and in other books, most recent publication, meaning and no

less great value, but mainly in this book so curious title: History and

solving problems metaphysical where all the chapter in which

Renouvier studied philosophy of Schopenhauer is a masterpiece of

analysis and synthetic reconstruction masterpiece where the wealth

of ideas is so great and lively, where each line contains many new

insights, profound comments that the intelligence of the reader feels

a sort of vertigo by browsing. But the face of Schopenhauer stands

sharper, yet precise in admirable books Alfred Fouillée.

No philosophical work in France appears larger, more beautiful, more

worthy of admiration than Fouillee, and we are pleased to express

3

once again the enthusiastic admiration she inspires us and see also

that admiration of his disciples we claim very modestly humble place

among the faithful - this admiration spreads in most foreign media

and more indifferent to high speculation it penetrates the deepest

layers of the public and becomes so unanimous, it finally looks like

the popularity and fame.

Glory! that if any legitimate wage worker there thinking, the most

mediocre pamphleteers or vaudeville has often while public dispute

and refuses to do so stubborn meanness philosophers and thinkers. It

is good, however, it is just as beneficial and occasionally a man of

genius whose stupid crowd is unable to understand the works, trends

and the ideal that continues to be admired and known, and it is

especially an excellent example of a metaphysical turn benefits of

this unanimity of votes incompetent whose specialist in the smallest

areas of sciences, boasts too often. For so long fools of all parties

affectèrent not just ignore the immense work done by the philosophy

of our country to France, but treat lightly the key issues and the

rationale for the philosophy itself . The intellectual and moral

authority exercised by a man today as the illustrious author of the

Future of metaphysics makes it almost impossible that great disdain.

Even the ordinary newspaper reader, one whose tales of our public

prints are the only intellectual nourishment knows vaguely that

contemporary France has a great philosopher, a metaphysician of

genius, a thinker who is the equal of the most famous masters of the

speculative thought, the pride of our country, the truest and noblest

4

glory of our time. All taunts, all the attacks of jealous mediocrity and

worries can not prevail against a certain fact: never had na

philosophy in France and many prominent representatives of a truly

meritorious zeal, if we consider the indifferent reception our scholar

subject to their work, and no public admires most sincerely that the

author of these lines the high value and meaning of the philosophical

movement that occurs over the past twenty years in the country of

Descartes and Malebranche, where noble traditions of speculative

thought once seemed abandoned forever.

But despite the immense talent, originality, brilliance, depth of

metaphysicians such as MM. Bergson, Boutroux Ribot, Liard,

Bourdeau, Lévy-Bruhl, Durkheim, Gabriel Séailles and many others,

not to mention the famous masters who now rest Supreme sleep

Vacherot Ravaisson Saisset, Secretan, Renouvier Brochard, the

immensity of the work done, the multiplicity of issues that are

currently discussed, the power of moral influence on the European

philosophical movement, perfect control exerted in the study of all

the phenomena of social life artistic or intellectual, a thinker as Alfred

Fouillee assure him without any doubt, an absolute supremacy in the

world of high philosophical thought, as well as in irrational and

instinctive judgment of the crowd.

It is for us that Kant was once for Germany, that Herbert Spencer was

in the Anglo-Saxon peoples, the most famous of the metaphysical

tradition of his country and his race representative, Master respected,

admired all entered into living immortality, the thinker whose work

5

and glory will only grow, which has created quite a flourishing school

and whose name and popular shows at once, dominating the tumult

of political factions and selfish interests.

And it is only justice. Because, as I said in all sincerity, Mr. Alfred

Fouillée is a genius in every sense of the word we use today too often

without rhyme or reason. He built a new system of the universe, he

rebuilt the world on a new plan, he created one of those vast

metaphysical syntheses where Enigma first - the origins and destinies

- seems resolved to a brilliant intuition and where the mysterious

image of the universe, of the Totality of Being, the assembly of

existing or possible realities, this great picture where each of us finds

himself, according to his beautiful voice, fighting, suffering, enjoying,

magnet, a victorious moment, always sure to be defeated at the end,

where the image of the World appears clearer, more vivid, more

accessible to our weak eyes.

The immanent force of achievement in becoming a steerable,

ennobled and used for the Cause of the noblest ideal, by force to

move from. potentiality to actuality he attributes to the essential

ideas, base and starting point for all his worldview - Fouillee wanted

to abolish the ancient barriers that still existed between Matter and

Spirit, between the physical universe and human consciousness,

between psychology and cosmology, positive science and the science

of the soul, Thought and Action. In any case, even in the judgment of

those who, like the author of these lines remain faithful to principles

of philosophical dualism, Mr. Alfred Fouillée restored harmony so

6

ardently sought, individual life with the universal life and by that very

fundamental and ultimate unit of the World: the admirable

demonstration of sociological element that lies at the bottom of the

instinct of speculative research, it is only the need of the universal

and the Universe is the largest of the groups to which we belong, it

completely redesigned the method and purpose of social science task

already outlined by the pathetic Guyau, this noble thinker, died too

young, having written three or four books that remain some of the

purest masterpieces of philosophy and of French letters,

metaphysician whose remarkable Fouillee spoke so eloquently, flame

and sublime emotion in a book that is also a genuine masterpiece.

But the principles of metaphysics reform, renewal of philosophy

sociological element, the principles laid down by Guyau with both

safety and authority are still qu'ébauchés in his work. This is Fouillee

who developed a series of immortal works are all related to the same

doctrine of ideas forces immanent monism, with clearly idealistic

tendencies in their scientific rigor, which animates the whole

philosophical work of this illustrious thinker. Among his works should

include everything from the philosophy of Plato, this monument of

scholarship and creative thinking at a time when the whole Platonic

wisdom saw to the last volume published by Fouillee.

And sociological trend of speculative investigation is itself one of the

aspects in which we displayed the doctrine of Mr. Alfred Fouillée, one

solution of the eternal problem that better than anyone, he

understood and expressed the complexity and multiplicity of different

7

perspectives he has, because who would dare to enumerate or even

assess the possible attributes of Being?

A doctrine like that of Schopenhauer, a philosophy which exerted a

preponderant and decisive influence on the destinies of speculative

thought, and which, despite its absolute originality, appears as a new

phase, as a logical consequence of the great reform accomplished

decline eighteenth century by Immanuel Kant, a grandiose system,

ingenious, and it must be said, also disconcerting when considered

from the standpoint of good common sense and bourgeois logic,

would inevitably attract the attention of a historian and a critic of

philosophical ideas here that e Alfred Fouillée, whose erudition,

knowledge and high understanding of all contemporary doctrines

amazes us as much as his creative gifts.

On several occasions, the philosopher of yours Psychology key ideas

studied trends they metaphysical ideas of the great World as Will and

Representation. First in a most substantial and most instructive

chapter of his History of Philosophy, classic work that Fouillee recently

completed, adding a conclusion that is a pure masterpiece of

eloquence, ingenious synthesis, light penetration and prophetic future

destiny of metaphysics. In the consecrated part in this huge and

critical synthesis, in the Philosophy of Plato, this admirable

monograph where the whole doctrine of the Master inspired and

sagacious leading, for many centuries, souls thirsting for absolute

truth eternal Banquet relives historical, still influences the visible and

lively of Platonic thought on modern philosophy, Fouillee in some

8

wonderful pages of lucidity, depth, synthetic brevity, summed up the

value and significance, the basic principles and importance of the

metaphysics of Schopenhauer. But it is especially in a truly

extraordinary work by the brilliance, variety, abundance of ideas, the

work translated into all languages, admired and commented by

professional philosophers around the world, especially in his Essay

critical contemporary moral systems that Fouillee track has a

definitive portrait of Schopenhauer, that's where he studied with a

master's authority and wisdom that will certainly exceeded per

person, initial trends this great doctrine. Perhaps the illustrious author

of Psychology of the European peoples not it makes enough justice to

the metaphysical value and above the purely aesthetic and literary

value of Schopenhauer as a thinker and writer, this value is absolutely

exceptional, numerous studies he continued at different times of his

own career & g critic and historian, however, remain what we wrote

most remarkable deepest and most comprehensive French language

on this subject, and in this connection ideas, as in all possible

philosophical scholarship and speculation upper regions is in the

works of Alfred Fouillée the French reader should seek accurate and

reliable information.

We meet, we could convince s, effort and talent made by French

commentators Schopenhauer, it is deeply regrettable nevertheless

unable to report, in a study of the author of The World as Will and

translations as a representation similar studies published on

Germany.

9

They allow the public can still interest in the problems of high

speculation, to fully assimilate the thought of Schopenhauer, enter

some subtleties that have escaped the most authoritative

investigation among the French critics. In any case, the Teutonic

items of higher value inspired by this great philosophy complement

the notion that we're formed. Among those whose immediate

translation is required for the scientific reputation of our beloved

country, we must mention first three magisterial monographs, each

interesting in various ways, one of Paulsen, one of Volkelt, and the

volume of the collection the great modern philosophers who

established once the immense fame of Mr. Kuno Fischer, where it

examines the work and biography of Schopenhauer with

thoroughness, concern least characteristic details, scientific

consciousness almost exaggerated, but also with authority, a force of

deduction and incomparable erudition. Dare I confess, despite my

appreciation for the famous professor who so nobly spoken of our

great Descartes, despite the beautiful pages that contains its study

Schopenhauer - some are even beautiful - dare I say very clearly that

I put quite the same level as this critical biography (though it is

usually quoted before all others), the admirable studies of two other

German philosophers contemporaries, both well known in their

homeland, almost ignored in France.

The book of Mr. Volkelt professor at Leipzig, is a beauty unmatched

analysis. There is superb clarity, relief, picturesque ressemblance.de

and lengths, scholarly essays, but tiring for the audience, which

10

increase the classic work of Kuno Fischer, are totally absent, which is

rare in a book German. This is an absolutely outstanding job, deep,

interesting and invoice ingenious composition of simple and clever,

easy to read, run by a professional metaphysician, as competent as

the insufferable pedants who swarm the country of Kant and Fichte,

of Schelling and Schopenhauer, but advantageously differs from its

counterparts by a freshness, clarity and a talent for writing almost

comparable to the talent of the philosopher he exposes us the history

and doctrine, with such verve, method and sober eloquence.

I would say the same of the study Paulsen, and since the opportunity

offered to me to mention the name of the famous philosopher, why

not say that we should have as long a translation of his admirable

Introduction to Philosophy. This is one of the masterpieces of modern

speculative thought, a major philosophical books this time, as the

author is, undoubtedly, one of the foremost metaphysicians of the

time. This is a great mind and a writer value offline thinker of the first

order, of such magnitude as Germany, the Peerage of high

speculation, do not have right now more robust, more ingenious or

more powerful. Again his famous Einleitung in die Philosophie is a true

masterpiece, it is essential to make it known in France. And many

other German studies among all the literature aroused the genius of

Schopenhauer, how many biographies, reviews, essays, or other work

could also deserves to be translated and understood. The literate

public would find as much profit as interest in reading outstanding

analytical studies such as those of Schopenhauer and Richard Uber

11

Mebuis Bottgen (Der Grundproblem Schopenhauerschen der

Philosophie), even in reading biographies such as impeccable history

of life Schopenhauer by Grisebach, not to mention personal memories

of the famous Master Frauenstadt which literary property bequeathed

his work el who profited elsewhere to publish immediately in an

absurd and incomplete edition, Frauenstadt Mr. Kuno Fischer panned

with as spiritual ferocity in his classic work, aggravating

circumstances that can not prevail against the fact some privacy very

noble, very pure and disinterested which existed between the great

man and his first admirer. It is true that we do not have either one of

the admirable translation of correspondence Schopenhauer himself,

correspondence of which there are several editions in Germany.

And Hartmann himself, the most illustrious disciple of the Master, the

creator of a whole system that claims to complete the work of

Schopenhauer. Hartmann devotes many pages admirable philosophy

of pessimism, the great metaphysician of the unconscious is so pon

known yet.

To do away with these grievances inspired only by love, the most

ardent and sincere intellectual interests of France, my adopted

country very dear and worthy to be loved, let me also want the

French publication of some metaphysical systems disciples of

Schopenhauer, for example the famous Philosophie der Erlosung of

Mailander that we would see how far can go the logic of the doctrine

of Master consequences, the destructive force of pessimism and

suction fanatic absolute nothingness.

12

The publication of these remarkable works, despite the unequal value

they have, in any case we prove the futility of gossip about the

alleged decline of German philosophy. No, a thousand times no, if the

era of the great creative geniuses there seems to be over, fitness,

feeling and metaphysical gifts, will weaken and does not diminish the

country of Kant, Schopenhauer and Hegel, which is also the country

Wundt, Lotze, Lange and many other eminent thinkers, already in the

past, too, but we insist on ignoring. Germany still has many

philosophers of talent, superior intelligences speculative and can

boast of an activity, a production and a metaphysical scholarship

which can not find the equivalent in any other country. Because we

do not even know the names of current celebrities supreme

knowledge, do not have at least the ridiculous claim to deny their

effort and their very existence. The archi-known impartial study of

bed almost classical works, which I have just quoted securities, we

would also refute many objections because they probably qualify

paradoxical and arbitrary sustained thesis in this book. This thesis has

yet found many advocates among the most prominent critics of

contemporary Germany each had the courage to use, as we do here,

the word of optimism that seems an easy joke in bad taste, when

applied to the author of Aphorisms on wisdom in life. But all agreed

more or less in his monumental work, and sometimes contradictory,

as the very existence of positive elements, patterns of belief and

hope, professions eudemonists faith that we only coordination in the

small work present with more depth and more disdain yet received

13

opinions and conventional definitions. We would like to briefly

summarize the impression conveyed to us the critical appreciation

Schopenhauer's doctrine was subject under the most different skies.

Although we were not able to indicate here that the general trends of

French or German commentators, a conclusion can be deduced from

this brief review, especially gi we add a few thoughts inspired by the

attitude of criticism Slavic countries.

Too often without them realizing complete themselves, critics of

Schopenhauer made the Master responsible for uncompromising

theories that some of his fanatical supporters, with the exclusiveness

of all sectarian and there philosophy as in all areas of human activity,

alas! drawn its principles. To view the philosophical system of the

metaphysician Mainlander, whose work I have had the opportunity to

speak during this study, and who enjoys fame in Germany dune

comparable to the philosophy of the unconscious Edward Hartmann,

the famous Philosophie der Erlösung is infinitely curious and

significant. It is at home in Mailander Hartmann, moreover, that

human consciousness, despite all the talent spent by the authors (and

they have a lot of one and the other) faces the dangerous chimeras -

and how unnecessary! - Cosmic suicide, extinction of Being, absolute

nothingness, chimeras against which the lucid and biting Engineering

Master rebelled always in secret, even when we preached

renunciation and ultimate sacrifice.

Schopenhauer is that if it is overwhelmed with pain rending spectacle

of universal suffering, if none of the miseries of this world escapes his

14

gaze, he is appalled by the existence, no wants to destroy item

forever, but ennoble, purify, directing crs better future and the true

joy that he conceived the possibility within the Nirvana, higher form of

being, of the Ideal and realized winner. Schopenhauer fears, fears and

despises our own life, precarious, miserable and sordid, he not hate

the concept of Being in itself, and it can not be repeated too often,

what he preaches with such tragic eloquence : it is the destruction of

our abominable world, subject to the ephemeral representation and

insatiable desire, still unsatisfied, but not the total destruction of

Reality.

By positive evidence we have reported in its doctrine, worship he

dedicated to the genius of Art, Virtue and Waiver, this great man

leaves poor humanity a way out, he tells her a port of refuge and

liberation, it lays the foundation of a doctrine of renewal and life force

reconquered. His philosophy is not the absolute nihilism, wild, barren,

and hate not adaptable to the conditions of life taught by Edward

Hartmann and especially Mailander.

The fiery breath of Mercy, the great light of the mystical hope vivify,

animate, and will partially open before her the bronze doors of the

Future and Eternity. This philosophy remains the same, we have tried

to show, a doctrine of life, as well as the doctrine of the Sublime

Master of Pure Reason.

Also admit we do not understand the reasons for the strong

opposition that still raises in northern countries, especially in Slavic

countries, where the works of Schopenhauer, however, are

15

widespread, all of his theories. We readily admit the intense antipathy

must inspire the implacable monism Schopenhauer a diametrically

opposed thinker in his world, for example Mr. Lutoslawski, one of the

most gifted and most famous among young Polish philosophers

whose system staff is one of the most intriguing attempts to

reconstruct the Greek atomism, a renewed science and safety of any

modern method. Mr. Lutoslawski has synthesized his doctrine in a

book entitled The Power of Soul (Seelenmacht) and published in

German, work that we consider for our part as one of the highest

manifestations, the most original Slavic genius, robust beautiful and

harmonious metaphysical construct whose daring delights us because

the author is fighting intellectuals abuse of the present time, this

fanatical cult of monism presented as the sole explanation of the

world, an assumption contradicted by the constitutive laws of the

mind as well as by the positive achievements of science.

But how, for example, the obvious disdain and antipathy manifested

towards Schopenhauer the most learned, the wisest and most

authoritative among the philosophers of the nation, Mr. Struve,

metaphysician of the first order, impeccable and impartial judge of all

binding s speculative issue and made the important question of all

philosophy, strangely ignored and misunderstood by the Polish

society, whether literate, if cultivated as other points of view, of

incomparable and inestimable services? Through the initiative, the

talent, tireless work of a life devoted entirely to the supreme science,

the defense of its interests and spread its influence, Mr. Struve,

16

seconded elsewhere in Celtic generous task by several other

prominent philosophers, has created a whole philosophical movement

in Polish literature, where the total absence of metaphysical books

shocked as an anomaly and a strange gap.

This movement is growing every year becomes more intense and

beneficial, it even required the creation of a philosophical journal

interesting and well written appearing in Warsaw - something quite

new in the land of Mickiewicz and M . Sienkiewicz, M. Weryho

philosopher of great talent, great thinker, is the editor of the

magazine in question. Henri Struve was one of the promoters and

initiators of this intellectual revolution, whose equivalent is also

produced in Russia, on a larger scale and with more impact and has

himself published an Introduction to the philosophy that

unprecedented work of any kind in the literary history of the Polish

nation, a monument of erudition, wisdom and deep understanding of

the necessities of life philosophy. All questions of metaphysics, ethics

and aesthetics, and all the details of the universal science are

exposed and studied with a masterful authority and unparalleled skill.

This beautiful work marks an important date in the history of the

Slavic civilization. Well! Mr. Struve, too, despite his immense talent

and high impartiality remains visibly hostile to the author of The

World as Will and Representation.

Another philosopher. Russian one, for which I have always had the

deepest esteem, does not grant either Schopenhauer place deserves

it. I mean Mr. Schelpanow who served and still serves well nobly, the

17

interests of the perennial philosophy, in one of the most backward

regions, but the most backward in intellectual point of view of modern

Russia - I mean the Ukraine and its metropolis Kiev - where strictly

individual initiative of the eminent professor Moscow awakened or

rather has created in the minds of some cultivated country need and

desire of metaphysical speculation - and note that in a big city like

Kiev, Mr. Schelpanow even at the local university is the only

professional philosopher. How not to admire the work done by these

brave defenders of universal science admirable that the genius of

Plato traditions, Descartes and Kant emmortaisée, but should be

taught gradually, starting with the most notions rudimentary, when

addressing even young companies.

Moscow and many other metaphysicians share tendentious hostility

Mr. Schelpanow, hostility does not diminish, it is necessary to say,

esteem particular we profess to eminent writer of Kiev, not more

Moreover, the enthusiasm of some Russian philosophers of the past,

for example, the admirable Strakhow a recent admirers of Hegel,

however, only increases our admiration.

Talent alone and not any individual opinions, metaphysics as any

other order of ideas or intellectual labor. We're referring to the Slavic

comments and attitude of philosophical criticism in Russia and Poland

that because it s seems to be set at a point of view wrong considering

only the negative aspects of the philosophy of Schopenhauer. The

test that we are releasing today, precisely because it remains in

agreement with the conclusions of the main German critics, aims to

18

correct this view to unraveling one of the paradoxes and revolts

inflamed Schopenhauer, principles generators survive its apparent

nihilism and even the analysis of the most illustrious masters of

French haute speculation, we believe, despite our respect for their

work and for their genius, failed to highlight or to discern very clearly.

CHAPTER II.

DOCTRINE AND INFLUENCE OF SCHOPENHAUER

The time seems right to judge in all fairness, unbiased biased

whatsoever, the great work and tumultuous genius Schopenhauer. Its

place in the intellectual history of the modern world and in the annals

of speculative thought, it is not disputed by anyone, even by

opponents of his doctrine, far outnumber his supporters. And how

surprised? Since it is a philosophy which, in appearance at least,

condemn and fight the same principle of Being and the joys of life,

these ephemeral joys, perishable and disappointing, whose

problematic conquest remains yet among so many disappointments,

struggles and tragic suffering, purpose, and the dark Ideal for

suffering humanity, the supreme illusion, ever, no matter what, black

slave race will want to deny or abdicate. It really seems that the

desire for happiness, harsh and feverish search for joy, lurent of all

time, reflection, and the accuracy of the absolute elusive picture. So

long ignored, misunderstood and despised, the philosophical work of

Arthur Schopenhauer practiced for nearly half a century, a major

influence on the evolution of ideas and the currently prevailing

worldview and for such, at least, that it is developing slowly among

19

the elite of an era and a generation, for the vast majority of our fellow

mercenary and obscure crowd, and also to be pitied of an immense

pity for his ignorance even his gigantic folly, his fierce bestiality and

eternal slavery, the crowd, today as in the days of barbarism, we

believe that age continues to stagnate, without suspecting the

conquests of the science, thought stamped philosophical investigation

masterpieces already made by the immortal arts, consolation and

delight of this world.

Never forget, when we talk about the most misleading chimeras here,

the glory of artistic, literary or scientific, never forget that its pure

rays do not penetrate the unfathomable abyss of ignorance and

darkness where vegetate nations - and that perhaps one day will

reach the light, do not forget, even when we talk about the most

resounding glory, that it remains limited and ignored the crowd. Keep

in our memories salutary notion of this simple fact: relativity and the

nothingness of what we call the posthumous immortality rather

foolishly, or current celebrity genius. Let us although the lifetime of

Plato, Descartes, Kant and Schopenhauer, some scholars or some

readers, hostile or benign, only knew the existence of the great

geniuses of these masters like none other, and whose Glory is really

brilliant and so pure that seems universal. And if we say that the

opinion of the minority so-called intellectual is the only one that

matters, I'll start, nobody knows anything, then it is moving the issue

and the fact that I reported the tragic eloquence none the less

certain. Yes, millions of creatures lived down here the dream of

20

existence or are still suffering without hearing only pronounce the

name of Plato or Shakespeare, Kant, or Dante, Descartes or Balzac.

It seems superfluous to recall here that Schopenhauer, in his lifetime,

was misunderstood, for many years, misunderstood even by the elite,

the intellectual superiority still seems so questionable and that was so

hard to recognize the genius of the great German metaphysician, in

which the humanity of all ages and all races, is liable for this

masterpiece called the World as Will el representation as a

masterpiece without equal, where s' says the Supreme conquest

which can claim the human mind: a new conception of the universe,

an original explanation of the eternal riddle, a total vision of the Body

of things and synthesis of the Cosmos. How injustice and brutal

indifference which was first welcomed all the gigantic attempt to

Schopenhauer, even among the literate public of his time! Our

readers will certainly remember. What good recall the successive

phases of this sad story?

Schopenhauer was a great philosophical genius, he brought the world

a new word and doctrine, however, related to very speculative

ancient traditions. How could he expect a host other than the one

whose first gratified incompetence, routine and the silliness of his

contemporaries?

For many years the great thinker whose system of the Universe was

to operate the latest one of the most extraordinary metaphysical

revolutions of that time above -. Because even those who decry the

attack or slander, suffered its influence - during the best years of

21

youth, vitality and life force yet triumphant, and when his work was

already done, however, the age at which a thinker, an artist or a

writer can fully enjoy the thrill of victory Schopenhauer knew only the

tune of bitter defeat, the most painful of all those who stand before us

to learn about life paths test: feeling scorned, mocked and beaten,

while the certainty an authentic genius, clear consciousness of

overwhelming superiority, and accentuated by the mediocrity of those

who overcome, our enemies, our rivals, while our sense of unknown

strength burns our heart of its flame invincible. This bitterness

intolerable for some souls too shady or too proud, already rich in

excruciating pain for the soul most sincerely Stoic (as contempt and

disdain are the worst insults, and nothing clears the memory), the

profound metaphysician World as Will and Representation exhausted

him to the last drop.

His masterpieces remained unsold, misunderstood, unknown;

scholarly spheres, literary philosophical one, ignorant to the name of

the one who believed himself a reformer called to guide humanity

towards new destinies, the literate public, or so called such, persisted

careful not to buy his books. The formidable conspiracy of silence

crushed his weight, easily finding aids to laziness of mind happy and

fundamental ignorance of the crowd, let alone the deaf animosity of

fate so long enemy. And it is hardly necessary to point out here once

again the strange contradiction between the grandiose goal that

would reach the great thinker and Parerga Paralipomena, and

contempt of the crowd, between the mean failure and the significance

22

of work of Schopenhauer as a whole, the vast horizons that reveals to

us the atmosphere of tragic beauty and sublime revolt that prevails.

Not sure, a thousand times no, a man of genius like Arthur

Schopenhauer would not have had to suffer this disdain of the crowd,

this tenacity with which the fame that so often strikes at the door

makers and fools, s 'obstinately refused to cross the threshold of his

house for him, which, more than any other among the high

personalities of his time, deserves to be praised, glorified, admire'

and loved it!

A thinker of this magnitude, a metaphysician pure Kantian tradition -

because we know that Schopenhauer, so proud, so bitter yet never

thought to deny the intellectual debt he had contracted despite all his

genius, as well as all of us very obscure and humble, to the great man

there Pure Reason, creator and initiator of all modern philosophy - a

philosophy that has penetrated so deeply into the mysterious and

serene regions of the Absolute and Eternity should have despised her

turn foolish contempt of his contemporaries, vain satisfactions of

vanity and pride and pleasure that order so obviously provide less

than the votes of the public or the glamor of fame. He should have

resigned to isolation, loneliness, silence stubborn about his

personality and his work.

It does not have the strength, and suffered cruelly ...

But finally, after so long a period of darkness, waiting feverishly for a

chimerical glory and whose fate was yet to carry out him as a sacred

23

debt, here it appears slowly on the horizon this being so sad and

empty a man of genius isolated, embittered cl unknown behold it

illuminates the decline of what might be called for when even happy,

comparing to the existence of the vast majority of human beings, if

there was always something fatuous el a huge dose of silliness in

presumptuous claim to appreciate the reasons for sadness and joy of

our fellowmen.

And, obviously, there was the moral nature of Schopenhauer in his

psychic personality and individual temperament, an inexhaustible

source of bitterness and melancholy. However, his hatred and fear of

life seem to vanish under the beneficent influence of this very sweet

chimera of glory that the first rays drunk and soothe the most

stubborn souls who, for him, appeared so late in the time,

everywhere, the evening mists rise, where the icy breath of the grave

already withered crops and the flowers fall, but also seems to give

them more price and value.

We do not intend to trace the well-known biography of Arthur

Schopenhauer, in this sketch, whose purpose is to indicate in his work

some synthetic and generally unnoticed aspects, but which require

the attention of all fans and to all the friends of philosophy, when

deeper doctrine, metaphysical system and the moral teaching of this

extraordinary man. I do not dwell on the successive phases that

crossed this rather rapid progression of celebrity Master momentous

event of his individual destiny, from the mysterious and solemn

moment when he deigned to smile this dreadful and

24

incomprehensible power whose reality is yet more certain than any

other, because each of us experiences the effects and humanity

among the mirages, the struggles and disappointing or sublime

visions of history, was venerated under various names of Fate,

Destiny, Hasard, the adverse or favorable Chance, beneficent or

hostile, from the day on which the Lot, so long enemy, granted to

Schopenhauer the revenge that the great man, unknown to the days

of his youth, still claiming with so much bitterness and anger. without

hope perhaps itself the realization of his dream. Yet it triumphed, as

we know, the lifetime of Schopenhauer. After disrepute, also

exaggerated, as any movement of reaction, which struck the

flourishing philosophical school time. so great and noble, moreover, of

the German idealism of the nineteenth century, one that seems to

identify with the genius of Fichte, Schelling and Hegel especially,

deeply forgotten and unjustly despised in turn, and was. in a still

recent past, the Supreme Master of European thought, which remains

equal to his greatest enemy, here ion discovered the work ignored,

disdained, moisissant on the dusty shelves of libraries, and the

gigantic work sublime Schopenhauer. The high light of a new

doctrine, the invincible force of truth and discovery of one of these

essential truths and indestructible against which the time or human

ingratitude can not prevail, the dazzling beauty of a brilliant idea,

hatched in a large intelligence and developed with a talent as a writer

equal to the force that inspires speculation, yes, light, beauty,

splendid joy of victory, the joy of a victory obtained by more human

25

genius, confusion, emotion, irresistible allure of a huge emerging

glory, all that springs suddenly old books for an unknown philosopher,

barely mentioned by the historians of modern metaphysics, despised

by professional, totally ignored by the public, and whose immortal

works, widespread today around the world, found neither buyers nor

readers could even detractors.

But, again, here is the long-awaited revenge, complete, dazzling, and

worthy of a superior man who enjoyed. We discover his philosophical

system, is passionate about his books, where an extraordinary literary

mastery argued with such skill and originality power of speculative

thought and richness of metaphysical ideas. It says, we analyze the

works, ideas, doctrine, the conception of the world, the vast cosmic

synthesis and paradoxes of Schopenhauer! Indescribable enthusiasm,

and the furious attacks of the envious and foolish revive and make it

more intense, one similar to that which caused the once great, cloudy

and formidable Hegel, personal enemy, the bane of Schopenhauer,

and whose enthusiasm author of The World as Will and

Representation always speak with rudeness and harshness so

distressing, really unfortunate, because we can not repeat too much

Hegel was, too, a great genius, a general enthusiasm of youth

literate, of anyone who thinks, who suffer, who meditate and aspire

major problems to solve, a veritable delirium of admiration, sympathy

and curiosity, is pervasive and compensates Schopenhauer insults,

disdain of the past.

26

Nothing more moving in its childishness, more human, more touching

than the story of the last years of the great German philosopher, and

this unexpected development of his fame and influence which marks

the events. We find the details in the biographies of many Germanic

Master. For us, it must be said, high personality Schopenhauer was

very little studied in this subjective point of view, yet so important to

the overall understanding of the ideas of a reformer, a contemplative

also obviously inspired and vibrant the slightest impression of life.

However, I repeat, in outline and general appearance of late Celtic

period and final victory, is known to us. For almost overnight,

Schopenhauer became famous: faithful disciples, enthusiastic

admirers come to Frankfurt to present their respectful homage to the

genius who seems to have found the word of all riddles, the cosmic

origins as well that of Love, Art and Beauty of the Earth. With

spontaneous and sincere candor of genius, which always involves at

whoever has the formidable privilege a certain dose relies charming

simplicity, Schopenhauer is pleased with these childish

demonstrations daily increasing admiration of new generations, he

enjoys these impressions with unexpected delight, he fully enjoys its

popularity it enjoys all the sensations of pride, triumph, vanity

satisfied that success can give sensations lower, but still intense and

ennobled by the consciousness of a great work accomplished, the

certainty of having conquered the spell. Finally, after several years of

valuable hand when the man who was Shakespeare really knew the

illusion of pessimism and perhaps the reality of happiness and glory

27

possible here, the soul reconciled with fate, trusting in the future

immortal work he bequeathed to humanity and whose breath of

misfortune and bad luck do not ever doubt it had Schopenhauer

sleeps Supreme sleep.

This sublime intelligence, which had penetrated so deeply by délaies

vain appearances of the material world to the bottom of the

primordial Being, to dark areas of the LORD and the Absolute, the

mysterious Will of which all proceeds and where all returns and fades,

this flame shining in the clear, bitter and disillusioned gaze of the

great pessimist el that, even through death, yet illuminates the road

of humanity, the flame was extinguished forever in the night without

waking.

And the influence of Schopenhauer really reached its peak after the

death of the philosopher. All the late nineteenth century is dominated

by its dark and despotic genius. The reflection of his work, the echo of

his faint voice quivered for eternity, more vivid than ever, on this

glorious tomb whose generations had not had time to unlearn the

way. Track of his theories, always original and vibrant, its worldview,

of duty, and the ideal of truth is found, we find its influence, to say all

in a word, in areas of intellectual activity social and the most foreign

to the great metaphysical speculations appearance.

These are not only the professors of philosophy whom he had

dedicated a fierce hatred and somewhat unfair, frankly, because if

there are pedants among them, as in any other social class, no

among classes contemporary society, can not compete with it as

28

current intellectual culture are not only professionals Supreme

Science dealing with Schopenhauer month as amateurs, dilettantes,

literary critics, moralists lounge, journalists, columnists, vaudeville,

etc.. Needless to note that these improvised judges, who arrogate to

themselves the right to decide without appeal a work they are too

often unable to understand the attribute morose and sublime

metaphysical pessimism inconceivable nonsense he can not be held

responsible any degree unnecessary retract his thought is more

disguised and distorted, but is not in this transformation and this

alteration as is the influence and sustainability dune doctrine, what is

commonly called the glory, and what Schopenhauer coveted his life

with so much sadness and enthusiasm? It cites all about, to rhyme

and several generations of young people admire and choose to

intellectual guide and Supreme Master; hundreds of volumes

published in all countries of the world, even the most extravagant (for

which therefore the great theory of the Will does she not penetrated?)

devoted to refuting or apology Arthur Schopenhauer. The greatest

artist, the most extraordinary creative genius of modern times, who's

telling the Art centuries to come, as Ideal and typical model, a lively

and picturesque synthesis of all the arts: music, poetry, painting and

plastic together into one grand vision of beauty perfect and complete,

Richard Wagner himself proclaims his pupil is obviously inspired his

doctrine cl ready to immortal accents Tristan dying of love, despair

and regret, the noble fierce pride and pessimism.

29

But another time and here begins an inevitable reaction occurs and

slowly erases loud and ephemeral popularity of one who understood

better than anyone the horror and anguish of the tragic event live -

because living is already a and undeserved ordeal - a person who, for

a moment, one could believe, at least, had brought forth from the

depths of the collective soul of thinking humanity, a spark of pity

sincere awareness of our infinite misery, perhaps hope for a possible

renewal. The silence of eternity indifferent already surrounds its

opaque fog his memory and his work. Of course, the one and the

other are only grow in the esteem and admiration of philosophers and

even scholars, but its action on the crowd already belongs to the past,

and I repeat here the necessary restriction made early this study:

when we speak of crowd there, always imply a kind of elite. The

crowd at the exact meaning of what tarnished, the people, the vast

majority of our fellow men, alas! reads nothing, knows nothing and is

still languishing in the darkness of the most complete barbarism. A

man of the people with us as the Lapps or Kaffirs do not even know

that Plato, Descartes or Kant existed. And how moral and intellectual

action Schopenhauer on the society of the time, action was profound

yet now seems ineffective, insignificant and small!

No modern thinker, however, exercised to the extent and limits of the

possible, more legitimate and more beneficial. And here are the

results obtained, the harvest and the salary of engineering: the

modern world has retained none of the teachings of noble thinker and

philosopher sublime. For cruel and stupid humanity, eternal victim

30

and accomplice of the ruthless will to live, the example, the word and

doctrine of Schopenhauer, despite their overwhelming response

remain null, void and non-existent. The moral of the Master

penetrated nor spirits, nor in the morals of the time, it caused only

disdainful pity men of action who vaguely know the main lines,

inspiration and method dialectic, it seems all an extravagant paradox

and reality gives him every moment of cruel denials.

As before, as in yesterday's reality or eternal time, this time is also a

fundamental and innate illusion, a priori forms of sensibility devoid of

reality itself superior truth familiar every spirit somewhat grown since

the revolution effected by Kant, as of old, blind, stupid and criminal

Will living continues unabated painful work that Fate

incomprehensible assigns. It deploys its wonders tips, perversity and

hatred with the same harshness, the same stubbornness and even

dementia. Not only among the visions of terror, murder, destruction

that seem essential conditions of animal life on this earth of slavery

and shame, but in human relations, political, individual and social

civilized world, or supposedly so, never him for life has emerged with

more violence, frenzy and bestiality. Throughout the fittest

oppressing the idea of justice and law, ruthless competition, and the

negation of the Ideal, the exclusive worship of success and victory

obtained in-out price, and the master and ruler of money world, and

all infamies, all crimes, all baseness completed and accepted in

advance to conquer some of that money so quickly remove death to

those who hold the illusory power. Throughout the living beings,

31

throbbing Celtic will whose law governs the impenetrable harmonious

rhythm constellations pursuing their mysterious road paths Infinity,

which will in the tiny and dark regions of earthly life suffers and seeks

the happiness with equal ardor in a man of genius or in the most

disgusting gross crawling on the bark muddy abominable our little

planet, all human beings, too, despite the redemption of the Savior

who died on the cross, destroy suffering and hatred, despite the

warning fair, sages and prophets, of those who, having dispelled the

illusion of appearances, discover the deep source of pain and hurt,

and tell us the issue and everywhere human creatures devour, to

fight, tear, cling to a horrible existence, rebel with a wild fury against

the very idea of a possible abdication of selfishness. Never affirmation

of Being, the Will-live to use the terminology of Schopenhauer himself

- not spread its iniquity resources, more cynically. It is in vain that the

sublime moralist pessimism liberating taught the Western world the

wisdom of renunciation hatched long among Asiatic barbarism, which

does not draw that also hangs strong profits or real progress. It is in

vain that we prove, in the immortal masterpieces, the nothingness of

all ambitions, all desires, all mirages here below. In vain he believed

convince humanity that sad fact, so simple for him, bright certainty of

falsehood so aggressive in the judgment of the crowd: the will to live

is identified with the desire, or desire is itself eternally and

necessarily painful qu'effort sterile aspiration, disappointment and

suffering. Still must contend with the fierce lust of other wills,

spouting sparks the same mystical home, it always spreads around

32

you suffering and evil will always suffer, since it is the desire. Ah! if

you want to live a better life and which may appear light ignored a

happiness that seems impossible, renounce life, or at least to that

cosmic order and Fate Fatal and we require that n ' is selfishness,

pain, crime and madness. Not fight, do more hate, no longer want the

property lying immediately vanish as our feeble hands reach to grasp.

Return to First Source, dispel the eternal illusion, break the chains of

slavery. It is in the immolation of our desires and our hopes that you

will find some promise and pledge of a new, single life worth living,

and whose illusory happiness and freedom in this world are only the

infamous parody, or disappointing symbol for abdicating its own

essence, the Will can break the Destin and deliver the world.

Humanity listened for a moment, or at least pretend to bed hearing

the words of the wise disillusioned and disdainfully, she continued her

way among the same mistakes, the same inequities and the same

tests. Love, ambition, greed, stupidity, vanity and violence, Desire

and Regret of Bliss impossible, burn, devastate and always oppress

the poor human souls thirsting for happiness and joy. No chimeras, no

mirages that delight or fill with terror weak eyes, tomorrow vanished

into eternal night, no grand illusions has abdicated its omnipotence

misleading, or fatal attraction ... No, humanity has given up nothing

and advice pessimism qu'héroïques also remain useless and

ineffective.

The philosopher fashion, the dawn of the twentieth century begins

among many concerns and political or social inequities in a

33

depressing atmosphere of unease and lying, which replaces thinker

Schopenhauer in public favor as influence and reputation for

boldness, the writer who symbolizes the aspirations of avant-garde

and speculative daring literate youth, this is no longer the sublime

rebellious, bitter and charitable who formerly taught in the name of

the invincible suffering the universal pity is not Schopenhauer, but the

hard, bitter and cruel Friedrich Nietzsche, the enemy of Christianity

and kindness, the apologist of brutal force, the critic of all chimeras

which believed reformers and sages of the past. The merciless and

eloquent Prussian writer, whose morality is a total negation of the

concept of morality, in a radical transmutation of values that once

gave a price and meaning to human life, unhappy and pathetic

Nietzsche n ' made elsewhere, building the doctrine of the Superman

and the cult of the vital power which summarizes that continue

printing in him a well unpleasant anti-humanitarian leadership, the

initial theory of the Will conceived as a principle of world gasoline Be

the theory that forms the basis and starting point of the philosophy of

Schopenhauer. Woe to the vanquished! Woe to the weak! woe to

those who suffer! who despair and weep! This was summed up in

vulgar terms, the currency of the philosopher Zarathustra, striking

antithesis of the wise according to Schopenhauer, but so well adapted

to trends and the deepest aspirations of the modern world that he

found no difficulty in aggressive doctrine of Return eternal, the living

image of his ideal despicable. For Nietzsche, the flame of a genuine

literary genius, eloquence, the beautiful lyricism, pathos and beauty

34

of symbols conceal the horror but proclaimed by the vile crowd,

really, what more could inspire a doctrine melancholy sort of disgust?

The horrible time of transition in which we live the dream of

existence, which began then, however, the lifetime of Schopenhauer,

this regime of murder and blood reign over the world, and this

nightmare of armed peace seems to be the normal condition of all

civilization, progress, when in fact even at the worst times of

barbarism and darkness, humanity never knew of such slavery, the

era in which we live could certainly not choose guide and advocate

more appropriate to its value and its deep soul.

***

Yet a third period began in the history of pessimism. After being

attacked, commented, vilified or hated by so many fools, having been

for nearly half a century, to the ignorant crowd, the designated

representative of the ultra-advanced and ultra-revolutionary trends of

speculative thought Schopenhauer is no longer discussed by person

here that an era of peace and healing begins for this great memory

and this immortal work. Yes, finally! finally! - And thanks be fair and

conducive to intended - Schopenhauer is the philosopher most

fashionable one cite the people of the world, when they want to

demonstrate erudition, one mock journalists when want to flaunt or

civic virtue, admired by the confidence the snobs of any kind,

harmless race, certainly, but still hateful because it distorts and

shrinks its level cloud and sublime genius designs.

35

And visionary pathetic World as Will and Representation, haughty and

austere asceticism Platonic moralist is not only the most fashionable

intellectual revolutionary, but it is already, for his opponents and his

supporters as one of classics of the nineteenth century and of all

ages. Yes, Schopenhauer, a classic and as such seems strong backlog

probably some severe judges, who should nevertheless reserve for

themselves lucid severity - this may seem a paradoxical assertion or

exaggerated. How challenging yet the obvious and overwhelming

truth?

It now belongs to the race of great philosophical genius which no one

discusses the dreaded wisdom. Because it seems to personify the

most noble effort, the most sublime of earthly aspirations and glory

around a bit mysterious deaths names immortal masters, hovers

above the vicissitudes of time, contemporary struggles, passions ,

loves and hates the present. Yes. Schopenhauer now appears to us

the equal of Plato and Aristotle, Plotinus and Epictetus, Marcus

Aurelius, Seneca and Epicurus, St. Anselm and St. Augustine,

Descartes and Spinoza, Leibniz and Berkeley, Hume and Spencer,

Malebranche and Fichte, Hegel and Schelling, perhaps even great, the

incomparable Kant, his master and the master of us all. Certainly,

intellectual strength and metaphysical significance of these

philosophers as diverse engineering can not claim the same tribute of

gratitude and glory, but each of them truly embodies some

tendencies of the human mind or some clearly defined period of

thought speculative. Each of them was really creative in the sense

36

that each glimpse of the eternal riddle as an unseen side to him. Each

built a new and fruitful hypothesis, embracing In Totality of Being el

the things Ensemble. Each bequeathed us a doctrine of life, based not

on vague and arbitrary sentences mandatory, but following some

great universal principle of Unity. Each rebuilt the universe on a new

plan, each spoke during the fleeting dream of his earthly life of these

imperishable words against which nothing can prevail neither

forgotten nor change the world, nor the labor of centuries, or even

ingratitude and contempt for our fellow man. It is argued in vain to

conquer and assign a philosophy of argumentation and scientific

certainty that the supreme knowledge (have the courage to say)

rigor, can not achieve, precisely because the object of metaphysics is

the definition of the Absolute and the understanding of the universe,

visible manifestation of the absolute, the very immensity of the loose

company excluded the possibility of a definitive and accurate

solution, as it may require in the special sciences, whose purpose is

never more than a piecemeal analysis of the phenomena of Being.

The great speculative systems still retain this hypothetical that lends

them a beauty, moral significance, eloquence, perfectibility which can

not claim other sciences, always limited by their definition and

purpose of their experimental investigations. All large syntheses

developed by the Masters of the perennial philosophy, are, in fact,

that funky assumptions, keyed alike, our dazzled eyes, the endless

vistas of eternity and immensity, at the same time that they

penetrate to the inner essence of life, until ultimate bottom and hid,

37

that is the radical end of the analysis possible, the deep source where

all that exists derives its reason for living. Again, there is nobility,

grandeur, the inestimable beauty, the action force on elite, austere

grace and sustainability philosophy souls. But how deny? Among the

main explanations of the total Reality, among these immortal systems

which are the common heritage of our slave race, the treasure of

superior wisdom which are enriched in turn successive generations,

the doctrine of Schopenhauer, this gigantic and so clear and so clear

philosophy of the Will, the principle of the World, mysterious essence

of universal existence, is one of the most fruitful explanations, and

more inspired mystery of origins and destinies.

Because we can not stress enough on this important capital, an

explanation of the secret of the world, an overview of the universe

and a doctrine of life for us consolation and support from pain and

earthly ties, that's what should make any philosopher worthy of the

name, and this is the merit that can claim more than any other, the

philosophy of Schopenhauer. It presents) read this very rare feature:

the perfect homogeneity of the legal practice, and the powerful

speculative theory which is the basic frame and base. The ethics of

Schopenhauer is the rational result, logic and irrefutable conclusion

established in the premises of his metaphysical system, inspiration

and unity of dialectics that really gets any impartial a kind of awe

player. No, most certainly, nobody has penetrated the secret of the

world more, no flame great inspiration dissipated as a powerful breath

opaque mists that hide us under the disappointing mirage of vain

38

appearances, eternal truth. And this gigantic work was accomplished

by the extraordinary man who could say with pride: the fact of the

possibility of a moral law ence world of lies set egoism depends on

the reckless assertion: there is a metaphysics. He who denies the

reality destroyed without noticing the evidence and any legal

existence dune. But Schopenhauer knew that, despite all the

negatives and all the revolts of human pride, the sacred law that

pulsates at the bottom of souls, and whose beneficent memory, as

well as the sublime aspect of the starry sky, moved him up tears

illustrated reformer of modern thought, this imperishable law had

found in his own doctrine and a new indestructible foundation.

For these various reasons, the teaching and doctrine of Arthur

Schopenhauer grow more each day, as the crowd is not interested in

the false image it once in training, his work appears footprint of such

nature of beauty, tragic serenity, calm, depth and genius, that, now,

the faithful disciples of this great man have the right to admire the

aspect of eternity, sub specie aeternitatis .

And it is appropriate for kids reasons to rejoice deeply passenger

discrediting of this immortal work, the period of reaction it undergoes

at this time, as any manifestation of human genius. The influence,

indirect, though, and passing it may have on the arts, ideas, manners,

and the chatter of an era coming to an end. Listen to the sublime

complaint Tristan dying of despair, crying her abandonment and love

deceived in the infinite distress of those eternal illusion of love was

marked at the front of the dreaded sign, those for whom the world is

39

a desert when creature adored and betrayed no remorse dying of

pain under the indifferent eyes of distant stars, where the soft star

that shines for them in a human eye has moved away, taking with it

the strength to live, dreams of gold and the divine lie. Because there

is there a spell more powerful than Brengane itself potion, and the

omnipotence of the Will-to-live has created countless worlds as his

overwhelming burden crushing a poor soul helpless, so weak cl so

tired, the inevitable time when love appears ...

Here is the great masterpiece of Richard Wagner, this lyrical drama

Tristan and Isolde, directly, immediately inspired by the doctrine of

Schopenhauer, whose poem as well as the music, superhuman

beauty, traverse the centuries as living testimony to the creative

force that throbbed in the philosophy of despair, metaphysical

masterpiece whose light and flame were hatched around him flowers

changing colors, penetrating fragrance, the colors vibrant and lasting

of Heads work of art ... Tristan's farewell to the beloved gone, the

ungrateful who despises and forgets evoke in ourselves the thrill of

the great tragic emotions, because it is the invisible soul of

Schopenhauer and present, who meddles the voice of the dying, and

address in the world, and the long-awaited glory, an eternal farewell.

Let us once more lulled by pure sob and inspired songs that stand on

the vast sea, hovering over the waves wrath and mingling with the

breath of the storm and the confused voices of the material world, the

noble accents human pain, the sadness of farewell, bitterness

40

inexorable separations, the sustainability of faithful love, the

atrocious suffering souls despised ...

In these immortal tears in the complaint and that unappeased yet

soothes the denouement of noble masterpiece of Richard Wagner,

which worshiped in return for receiving a last kiss, the last farewell of

one who did not survive the absence, in these sublime harmonies

exhales, peaked, and then seems to vanish, the influence of

Schopenhauer's philosophy on art, ideas, aesthetic, intellectual and

emotional activity of the living world . The main principles of the

metaphysics of the Will, his assertion in the various types of cosmic

life or earthly organization, the pathos that emerges, the depths of

suffering, distress and despair reveals she suddenly and the salvation

and deliverance which discovers in his own depths, in this eternal

miracle of renunciation and sacrifice, where Christian morality had

already designated the same ideal of wisdom and happiness possible,

all that has sublime and again (because the only genuine innovations

are those found) in the doctrine of Schopenhauer symbolizes an

unforgettable vision of concrete and painful beauty evoked by a

masterpiece of dramatic work and lyrical link that surpass the

emotion.

Then a kind of silence slowly envelops the prestigious work of the

great German philosopher. The crowd away from the tomb, lay let

rest soothed his ashes, artists, poets and amateurs looking elsewhere

inspired motifs and their enthusiasms.

41

Other moralists, other thinkers have this irrational enthusiasm that

fades so quickly, others less austere voice, but harder, of course,

more aggressive, speak words that seem the antithesis of your noble

doctrine, and are received with transports of enthusiasm, they find

immediate application, not only in the fictions of art immortal but also

in world politics, class struggle and individuals disappointing melee

passions and interests of the present. This is not the annihilation of

the eternal Will to life we are taught but his fierce and exclusive

worship. This is no longer the universal pity we are taught to cherish

and spread, but the contempt and hatred of the poor, the outcast, the

loser, the eternal outcast.

This is no longer the great rest, the supreme calm, dreamless sleep

within the Nirvana, once the illusion of time struck down like the

others, which is promised us some revenge, but the Back endless

same suffering the same trials, the tragedy of Destin renewed

through the mirage centuries for the sole benefit of a chosen few, the

miserable fate of slaves without number is dismal and fatal ransom.

Nietzsche is the idol of the day. Once again we find victory. Superman

unleashed in the illusory world of reality his fierce selfishness,

fratricidal struggles, fights and foolish pride.

Zarathustra inspired thinkers and artists, politicians, statesmen and

even the dreamers of the present time, the Dream and Reality kl, Art

and life belong to him! . Woe to the humble! shame and contempt for

those who succumb especially those who are reaching out on behalf

of the Society and Mercy, both exiled queens! This is the ruthless law

42

of the new squealed that the world has chosen. And yet here I speak

of the elite of modern society, because human brutes, always and

instinctively knew this doctrine, and do not want another.

CHAPTER III.

DENIAL AND STATEMENT OF LIFE

Schopenhauer's philosophy, if you want to summarize in a brief form

the ultimate teaching that emerges, resulting in an absolute and

radical negation of life. This is indisputable and certain, and to

pretend otherwise would be an attempt paradox easy manifestation

of intellectual mediocrity very supportive today, but that has always

had a gift for us especially annoying.

However, it should be understood and there in the very notion of

nothingness so hateful a foreign element and the deepest aspirations

of the human soul a more rigorous and comprehensive analysis of the

fateful conclusion philosopher of pessimism was brought there may

discover the beginnings of a possible reconciliation with destiny, the

germ of a fragile hope.

Such a discovery would certainly remain the point without profit to

human knowledge, or for the solution of the most exciting moral

problems, the same one that gives value and meaning to life. If

careful consideration of speculative results by the most lucid, the

most brilliant, the most pathetic and the most inspired of all

misanthropic and pessimistic all, if the inquiry that we would like to

outline briefly, making it not be on the principles, which we assume

43

known to the reader, but the conclusions of the metaphysical system

of Schopenhauer, if we undertake the study allowed us to observe in

the most fierce critic of humanity and living conditions where the it

develops in man of genius who spoke about the suffering of the world,

the hardest and the most severe sentences and who dreamed of

destroying the very principle of be his last refuge, if we find kid

Schopenhauer invincible and unnoticed trend itself to an impossible

happiness, towards a notion of joy that attracts and tempts despite

him the consequences of this simple observation can be significant

and are in effect.

When we read the wonderful masterpieces of metaphysical

construction and bitter literary eloquence which are almost unique

effort in the history of human thought, how now we just give a cursory

glance appears however difficult, almost impossible! It seems at first

that the conclusion generally accepted won with an overwhelming

evidence. No, certainly not more tragic indictment, no more burning

was up against injustice, cruelty, brutality and illogicality of this

terrible world we live our earthly exile, where everything is despair,

crime or madness, where the depths of distress dig at every step of

learning these roads do not lead to any port of peace, happiness or

salvation possible. Because there was, at once, poignant, admirable,

and terrible in this picture of the immense human misery initial terror

of existence, there was wonderful and sublime Schopenhauer is that

his description of the World and countless aches that plague while

being pushed to paroxysm of disenchantment lucid remains ruthlessly

44

true, fair and persuasive is that the inimitable accent of Truth it

throbs.

Hence the thrill Shakespearean horror it causes, hence the despotic

influence she exerted over the minds and souls, the kind of

fascination that draws to its terrible depths unfortunate who have

suffered, cried and including the ultimate truth lies precisely in the

suffering and despair. This tragic truth, we had all interview, but we

do not dare proclaim aloud, and behold, a man of genius is this

courage and justifies the curse that falls on the world by any doctrine

of the Universe, an original and profound philosophy.

The physical world whose ugliness, hostility and blind omnipotence

overwhelm us, the world of force and matter, the outside world that

seems to be the only reality is that the apparent world, the world as

representation as it dies and is reborn with each creature designs in

the making. As such, it has no stability, no reality, no continuity, it

takes us, puny and miserable, and cosmic systems that revolve roads

of infinity in this refluxing torrent, this whirlwind of events perishable,

the show already filled with bitterness and melancholy soul of old

Heraclitus Point object without a subject, that is the great principle of

eternal Idealism Schopenhauer found after his glorious predecessors,

Plato, Berkeley, Descartes, Kant, but he never settled in an

imperishable form of clarity, sharpness and intuitive evidence.

Laws that because we attest, a so tyrannical power, the very

existence of the visible universe, are the conditions under which we

participate in the illusion and mystery of Being. The appearance

45

offered the world comes from the constitution of our intelligence,

innate way all creatures of our species must represent things. But as

an immediate consequence of this assumption is a first evidence of

truth, the material world, infinite, immeasurable, wonderful and

terrible we ourselves are part, is a world of phenomena and

appearances of truth relative. The material is a true lie, according to

the definition of strong and admirable Master el under the

multicolored fabric of visions that causes, or disappointing exquisite,

always prophetic, as the iron law of universal determinism encloses

all sides lurk the ultimate reality, the hidden depths of Being and Life,

One Substance whose very name has changed, the thing in itself, the

noumenon Mysterious Kant denied our slave race the power of an any

intuition, understanding even approximately, a transient vision.

This thing in itself that the philosophers, thinkers and sages of all

times and of all races really cl anxiously sought among the ghosts of

material reality, in vain arabesques (sensible appearances so quickly

dissipated, the breath time which is itself a supreme illusion, this

basic truth is called Will. It is the Lord, the immutable, the mysterious,

the true Wanting to which all proceeds and to which everything

returns, and only remain in this world where everything goes,

whereas all the splendor and overwhelming all sizes that radiate in

the path of the stars among the splendours of suns, planets and Milky

Ways are just confused and clear images both Remember that the

infinite continues the eternal dreamer called the human mind. But he

46

wakes up in the supreme moment of deliverance and visions of his

dream vanish immediately.

Will alone is free, so there is only the will and, apart from the

appearance it takes for perishable creatures, chained forever

connected by Time, Space and Universal causal forms priori principle

of sufficient reason in itself the world's only desire.

Schopenhauer proclaimed this fundamental truth, starting and deep

source of all his doctrine on several occasions, with an eloquence,

zeal and strength of Platonic dialectic incomparable. Should be

attached in support of this assertion a few quotes that awaken in the

memory of fans Master emotions unlike any other in their first

readings?

This world with all its phenomena is the objectification of the will, and

the will, it is not a phenomenon or an idea or an object, but a thing in

itself, is not subject to report consequences principle is the law of any

idea.

These few lines taken at random from the treaty of free will

summarize the already gigantic construction, future work that found

its final expression in this monument of speculative thought entitled

The World as Will and Representation.

Against this definition of the Essence of the world reserve any

criticism can not prevail, it is legitimate, since it corresponds to one of

the key observations of the experimental sciences.

47

Moreover, as Schopenhauer says, the word will is chosen faute de

mieux, and the hypothetical nature of this latest attempt does not

diminish our eyes to the deeper meaning and greater truth, the size

and the same sustainability living philosophy, we believe in the

problematic character that fans vote again its ambitious and

grandiose investigations, so beautiful and so relaxing from the harsh

precision Science and distressing pettiness of Determinism.

Also, when Schopenhauer identifies the Will to live, source of being,

with suffering, that is to say, when he pronounces a verdict on the

moral essence of being, in this world of invisible, inaccessible to

human judgment, we can say that, without exceeding that assigns to

each of us the beneficent power of metaphysical reverie rights, yet he

gets all his predecessors in these regions of the arbitrary and the

unreal beauty which cloud sublime and pathetic beyond any rational

assessment.

Yes, really, when a philosopher says that the thing in itself, that the

entire universe, in its first reality is that desire and when he develops

his thesis with power and splendor of such a dialectic in eloquence

that illuminates the immortal pages of The World as Will and

Representation, he may not incur blame kid from supporters of

dualism, opponents of monism and assumptions remain beautiful and

fertile, dune metaphysical truth that is well worth the truth

experimental sciences.

But if he considers that the purpose of Ultimate Reality seems to

envelop with the vague and uncertain criterion of human morality, it

48

lends more to the discussion, it causes the same, especially if the

ultimate verdict of the philosopher is a conviction against which

Nature and Instinct Soul, everything around us and everything that

beats in us, protest and revolt. Again, the metaphysician who says:

Here is the explanation of the World seems to me in solving problems

and troubling mystery here is the principle of Being and Thought, the

original source from which the stream of springs events and things,

all the taunts and all baffles critics remain powerless to destroy his

work inevitably incomplete, but still beneficial and lucid. For his

philosophical system enlightens us and says the universe, and its

value is measured by the amount of phenomena he explains. There,

the metaphysician remains within the proper sphere of action and

noble independence. A very typical example of this truth, readily

confused with unpleasant paradoxes, is provided by the same

doctrine of Schopenhauer, and it should be emphasized particularly

on this issue, much larger than is generally believed, of especially as

it merges with the object of this study.

The philosophy which teaches us that the Noumenon of Kant, the

absolute approached, the initial cause of Being is that Will, we can not

oppose any evidentiary objection, any more than Herbert Spencer

bringing the same design of primordial essence of the world to the

concept of the Force, Leibniz that of a dynamic and spiritual atomism

both Fichte than ego subjective. Reminiscent Creator and the

Cosmos. (I choose bias here an example of a doctrine of subjective

idealism with exasperated particularly vulgar minds and bourgeois

49

logic, but the metaphysical foundations are certainly as legitimate as

those of materialism.) The metaphysician tells us a picture of the

world, it brings us always incomplete unknown solution of the eternal

riddle, picture, always a temporary solution, but who cares! Any

explanation of the world, every major system of the universe, that is

to say, every great philosophical doctrine contains some truth, since it

establishes the principle of universal intelligibility of mysterious forces

whose hierarchy escapes us.

It can not be said of the innate tendency for any philosopher who

encouraged him to establish a relationship of mutual influence and

immediate reaction between the metaphysical principle of the World

and our ephemeral creatures bounded sensitivity and fragile, and our

ability to suffering is joy. Note also that the dilemma of this report,

particularly difficult to establish conceivable words, a rational and

precise manner, this dilemma is likely that two solutions which

necessarily bring all others: Pessimism or optimism, there is none

and there can be others. the Universe can be designed, analyzed,

understood, and rebuilt in a thousand different ways. Relations that

are imposed with the overwhelming vastness of the world and the

totality of being, fatalism Statutes can only appear in two different

and antithetical aspects. Or life seems good and desirable, acceptable

in any case. or we utter conviction, we deem bad, cruel and hateful. It

is worth living, or the annihilation becomes the supreme wisdom, the

ultimate goal and the single issue and no return.

50

And neither optimism nor pessimism can not be refuted an absolute

refutation of even they can not convince those whose temperament,

their ideas, their moral nature make refractory to initial trend of these

two great doctrines. Because if Schopenhauer shows us a series of

dazzling and eloquent analyzes didactic descriptions that the will is

the essence of the world, we certainly find no compelling argument

that can refute his system, and prove him wrong. But if he continues

to show up wanting to establish an absolute identity between wanting

and suffering, if Acut convince us that all is pain and disappointment

in this world, how does he manage to convince us, if our whole being

aspiring to happiness, the Triumph and Joy, claims to have proven

many times, effects, drunkenness and pleasure, excitement and

charm like no other. If our soul refuses to believe that life is an evil, if

it refuses to renounce the illusion, if it finds an incomplete pessimism

doctrine and also unacceptable that the uncompromising optimism

of Leibniz, of Read or Cousin despite the genius of Schopenhauer,

despite the terrifying truth that contains its doctrine, pessimism will

point taken on its trends and intimate convictions.

Was accustomed, nowadays, foolishly enough to mock the traditional

division of the faculties of rallies in three clearly differentiated groups:

sensitivity ', intelligence and will.

However, in good faith and sincerity in all philosophical. no

classification is better suited to the same truth, none match, a more

accurate and sagacious way to the various modes of our present life,

as have developed innate forms of psychic organization and our

51

reactions exerted on it incomprehensible universe, even assuming

that it is not anything other than the dune psychic manifestation

Force and any immanent ... Yes, you can feel, or want to understand

life. The world can be designed, felt or wanted by the perishable

creature in a few moments contemplating changing mirages. The

cycle of sensations, thoughts and feelings of human s is driven

entirely. All reactions I shudder against his multiple storms senses,

the Soul and the Spirit, is expressed in the story of the three basic

sciences which lead the initial three trends that some popular science

books have some little discredited by isolating each of these faculties

with a stupid and superficial formalism, while in reality they

complement and connect into a living synthesis.

Sensitivity, reason and moral sense are the living unity of the Self.

Aesthetics is the science that is the sensitivity, which reflects its inner

essence and the highest inspirations, one of the creative instinct, just

as a similar harmony, Metaphysics is the science par excellence

rational since it is in the Company's satisfaction that burning need

universal unit that turmoil and the sketchy science can not give him

the same, finally, that the morality or ethics expressed that there has

noblest and deepest in the human will, always tending to another

goal. This is a great discovery, we will say it can be and that we can

offer at reduced prices, opening any textbook school philosophy. But

there is no question here of any discovery. While it is nice to make a

new method or a known truth, sometimes it is useful to recall certain

truths already very old but we forget too often under the guise of

52

innovation and modernism. The old division of philosophical sciences

into three distinct groups is the number of these beneficial truths

unjustly despised and a quick study, but careful conclusions, which

apply to Schopenhauer in the regions of pure metaphysics as well as

in those of aesthetics and morality, we provide some decisive in

support of the thesis that we would like to develop ourselves and

present perhaps the greatest philosopher of the system in a new light

arguments.

CHAPTER IV.

THE SPELL OF BEAUTY

The definition of beauty, origin and ultimate goal of Art, inexhaustible

enthusiasm where its elected draw inspiration, as we present in

Schopenhauer's aesthetics, if it is characterized by a strong imitated,

if asserts itself immortal pages that are among the most perfect

productions of the Master, strikes us by way of novelty or absolute

originality. It remains agree with the overarching Science of Beauty

principles, any recent Science moreover, we know - at least, as a

theoretical study of the creative faculty which corresponds to human

sensibility, separate faculty of intelligence and will.

And in Baumgarten, the German philosopher of the eighteenth

century, which is the inventor (the word: aesthetics, whose fortune it

fast and brilliant, so much so that some estimable people, but

singularly devoid of basic education, is are very sincerely that term so

popular today, designated always study the beauty and art - in

53

Baumgarten himself in Salzer, in Mengs, in Hemstertuis, Schiller,

Herder, Hegel and Kant, admirable, suggestive and profound

definitions are thorough and clearly determined the concept of beauty

and the psychological mechanism of creation and aesthetic

enjoyment. The main merit of Schopenhauer as a theorist of Beauty,

is that its aesthetic relates to the whole of his philosophical doctrine is

that it stems directly from its general conception of the world and

destiny and that, given el accepted metaphysics of the Will, no other

definition of Art are possible. If the world is really identical to that

which Schopenhauer tells us the tragic and grandiose vision, artistic

genius and ideal living must be really as defined by the poet and

Parerga Paralipomena.

All Platonic Schopenhauer assigns to eternal ideas, always pure and

immutable meaning is known, an invincible and unchanging in a world

where everything goes youth. They are for us the first manifestation

of the essence of the world, intermediaries between the primordial

Unity principles which all proceeds and emanates and changing

multiplicity of phenomena. This definition also involved, obviously,

deep mystical theories of emanation as they develop in the rain and

sublime systems school of Alexandria, neo Platonists, but especially

the admirable Plotinus This giant speculative thought, so little known,

and which was undoubtedly the most powerful genius of antiquity in

this way to understand the hierarchy of universal forces and

significance of ideas also derives logically aesthetics, theory of art

and beauty Schopenhauer built with a dazzling talent writer and that

54

no professional writer can equal never perhaps. As he himself says in

the chapter entitled The independent representation of the principle

of Will, Book III, Die Welt als Wille: It must be stored in the opinion of

Plato who recognizes own existence as Ideas and who gives things

located in time and space (that is to say, everything the individual

sees as real) no more reality than ghosts or as dreams and adds

further: the idea is the most perfect objectivity of the will,

accordingly, the history of humanity, the tumult of events, changing

times, the forms of human life, so different depending on the country

and the centuries, it is only the accidental form, the phenomenon in

which lies wrinkled adequate objectivity of the will. But Art stops the

wheel of time, relationships go for him, it is only essential, it is only

the idea which is its object. And finally, this chapter aesthetic is

certainly one of the most extraordinary masterpiece Schopenhauer

parties if this results in clear, compelling and memorable definition

objects of artistic genius are considered such ideas eternal, persistent

and essential forms of the world.

And again, most definitely, all these general aesthetic considerations

are of great beauty and intellectual power worthy of the philosopher

of genius who seems to have inherited more than any other of the

highest traditions of the Kantian idealism, but they can not compete

with the radical innovation qualities which distinguish, for example, all

purely metaphase system Schopenhauer's concept of the Universe el

ontology.

55

Aesthetics Master pessimistic merely repeat in a new form, with

eloquence and fierce intensity that Schopenhauer brought in

everything and that makes his work so alive and moving, the

fundamental insights of those who, before him had thought about the

strange phenomena of aesthetic pleasure, the mysterious and

majestic concept of beauty, image (the Absolute, joy and

enchantment of exile here below. intuitive, passionate and painful

search Concert and absent perfection in the real world or supposedly

so, and radiating one and one for more comprehensive and eloquent

distant regions of absolute ideas, expression of undying Model with

people and things by there tell us only uncertain and insufficient

copies, clumsy imitations, relentless pursuit of the characteristic of

the general and symbolized Universal and understood in its deepest

essence and intimate, in any concrete, fuller and truer picture those

whose vain phantoms of material existence in our place and annoying

drafts lamentable eyes. Here, certainly, the foundation of any rational

and worthy of the name aesthetics.

And we easily end up with similar initial aspirations Lessing, Kant and

Hegel, Ruskin, in Richard Wagner or in Taine, in all illustrious masters

who created the science of beauty and called it new for so bright it

may now be the hopes of those who discovered more than once.

But where Schopenhauer is really incomparable, where more than all

his predecessors and where it really delivered new and profound

words whose memory will be wiped away and that upset our deep

understanding of Beauty is in the sublime pages he devotes to the

56

Mission Art immortal purpose of Liberation, Appeasement and

Consolation that the artist must pursue first. Nobody has expressed

more forcefully, eloquently and engineering the spell that emerges

from this supreme conquest of Perfect Beauty, entry passage, set into

a work of imagination, Eternity embrace a perishable creature the

Absolute manifesting this singular phenomenon, a kind of

intermediary between the reality of this world and the mysterious

world of the hereafter, which is called a work of art.

Nobody expressed with a more persuasive emotion, a touching

sincerity of accent, a stronger and more sober eloquence both pines,

nobility, size, durability and charm like none other, Fine arts, and

everything they provide to the human soul, exiled, and bruised at

every step in real life, all they give him comfort, hope, consolation

and courage. Amongst the dazzling and pathetic visions aroused his

genius, Art rayon and hovers over the miseries, sufferings and trials of

universal existence. Our eyes, veiled with tears or filled with terror,

stand up anxiously towards pure light it sheds on the world of slavery

and the ineffable boon of moral healing, healing, albeit temporary, of

Divine oblivion, penetrates and sanctifies our poor wounded hearts.

Our sorrows, our despair, our cruel, our disappointments, our

remorse, our agonizing regret, this is all just a memory whose

melancholy shadows merge gradually with ghosts soothed and distant

smile, whose Art evokes our eyes immemorial theory. Yes, Art is truly

superior to life, since it allows to forget.

57

We ask the Art of Being a faithful mirror of reality. It is a more

powerful and more accurate reproduction of Platonic ideas which

objective will, and for that very reason a living symbol of the world

the essence, it reveals the most secret funds of nature, it expresses

the quintessence of be, the thing in itself mysterious and elusive.

But the metaphysics of Schopenhauer taught us, the thing in itself of

Kant, the mysterious Noumenon, the essence of the world lies in the

principle of life and suffering, blind aspiration and insatiable lust is the

will . And will, only pain, vain and fruitless effort to impossible

Happiness and is the source of disappointing fateful and imperishable

illusions where living creatures and the countless worlds of cosmic

systems draw strength and obligation continue their unnecessary and

tragic pilgrimage roads of infinity and eternity. With eloquence,

indignation, a grand emotion, Schopenhauer proves nothing, cruelty

and lies to live; moral lead to an absolute negation of life, wisdom,

holiness and effort of genius consists in conquer and destroy.

Consequently, how the faithful reproduction of this cursed Will

harmful and lamentable, can we enter it with admiration, healing and

moral welfare of this kind is the result and reward of creating or

aesthetic contemplation ?

There is certainly an inconsistency which so far escaped the countless

commentators of the great German philosopher, and all fallacies and

paradoxes all will fail to abolish. If the Will is a living Evil, how the

enlarged image, synthesized, more truthful, so even more appalling,

existence can it affect our soul as a principle and beneficent restorer?

58

Person, perhaps, have read and reread as often as the author of this

extraordinary masterpiece lines called The World as Will el as

representation. The arguments against its detractors Schopenhauer

are known to me, I confess, however, they never convinced me, at

least if one insists on defining the mystery of art, by placing the point

of view of absolute pessimism, that is to say, the radical negation of

Happiness and Joy. For it is this denial that ends pessimism sincere.

All the arguments of Schopenhauer also bring to this axiom purely

arbitrary: we have as individuals no other knowledge than is subject

to the principle of sufficient reason and this form excludes knowledge

of Platonic ideas: he s follows that if we are able to rise to the

knowledge of particular things up of ideas, it can only be reached by a

change in the subject.

It is this change that consist precisely the mystery and enchantment

of art immortal. She is the living symbol of its action conducive and

beneficial.

CHAPTER VI.

There SOLUTION OF GREATER PROBLEM

Yet it remains the centerpiece of our fragile inexorable fate, and

sooner or later the inevitable law takes us back to his empire,

penitent and obedient, as runaway slaves. However, we can not

repeat too often among the cynical denials of reality insulting the

Ideal, and when the greatest geniuses of our race, titans such as the

thinker of the World as Will and Representation we ordered and

59

despair of dying, the agony of the soul which is renunciation, leak

slave, escape followed by tragic reprisals, but who cares! liberation is

possible, even down here. Yes, misery, pain, grief, betrayal and the

forfeiture of all that our souls liked the spring, the great weariness,

the punishment (live, that's the truth, that our fate at all, it n 'are no

more.

And the heartbreaking struggle that lasts from cradle to grave, each

of us is sure to be defeated at the end of combat. But a ray of hope

shines in the darkness, but we escape the tyranny of Leg-oïsme.des

insatiable appetites of the ardent desire and forever unfulfilled. The

Magic of Art gives us forget for a truce favorable. The sweetness of

love and the sanctity of the moral law, in making us participate in

pain as the apparent joys of others, commanding us to reduce

suffering and spread happiness, makes us more free, reconciles us

more , reveals some features over the idol which the Master denied

the existence itself and whose face is slowly emerging among the

shadows and mysteries of the Absolute, whose mysterious smile

attracts living creatures since the illusion of the world deploys its

wonders, whose eyes seemed to say: Yes, I am the eternal Joy, poor

fools, perishable creatures who dare doubt me, me who aspires to

everything that exists! I am so the inspiration, the initiator, the ruler

of your destiny your negations themselves seem to plead my case ...

What is actually the purpose for which aspires will, tired of so many

fruitless efforts when seeking refuge in forgetfulness of art or good?

This omission, Celtic issue can they be extra pain, increased pain?

60

Certainly not, or, if so, the philosopher unmask once again the perfidy

of the nature enemy she would show us that tends to trap his victims

the illusion of good and beauty. Schopenhauer, however, like all

thinkers and philosophers all worthy of the name, loudly proclaimed,

moved with gratitude and sublime eloquence of a prisoner who

escapes to the tormentors, holiness, nobility and efficiency of Art and

of Morals. Doubt is therefore possible that, and no matter that

illustrates metaphysician does not get. Realized exactly, or rather did

not want to deduct the total consequences of his aesthetics and his

doctrine of duty. Delivering the will of the yoke of selfishness and

servitude, allowing him to reject, if only for a few hours truce

beneficent, the overwhelming burden of anxiety disorder,

disappointing worries, desires inapaisées always, never satisfied

appetites, Art as well as the Moral demonstrate the possibility and

existence of a world where suffering appears diminished, Joy

accessible Happiness from potency to act, evil overwhelmed and

defeated pain.

But the ecstasy of aesthetic contemplation vanished with this tragic

brevity that seems fatal ransom Youth, Beauty, Love and enthusiasm,

because what makes life worth lived is Specifically, alas! what

happens and fades the fastest, here, spring roses, flowers fast

summer or fall harvest we were barely allowed to breathe the divine

fragrances have their bright attire is a memory.

But the moral law, altruism and sublime pity, they take us away from

the material world, where each fighter fights, fight hard, hope and

61

victory finally succumbed and out, arms in hand, on behalf the foolish

selfishness (is it not a miracle, like no other, this single concept of

selflessness, concern for the pain of others, our duty towards other

creatures, the notion that man alone is capable, among countless

living beings, all hate, destroy and devour?) but the moral law, if it

ennobles, purifies and enlarges our existence, making it participate in

the joys and sorrows, and the work the aspirations, regrets, or the

high expectations of our fellow, we do not intake and also a

passenger appeasement, a temporary healing, uncertain and

precarious happiness?

Admittedly, alas! because if the power of oblivion, thereby escaping

the tyranny of instinct, ambition, anxiety the next day slavery to me,

is already a huge conquest pain, mistress Sovereign World, it still

reign in the atrocious shared universe that fate assigns us to prison,

and the soul of the wise issued regrets, remorse, selfishness,

however, continues to suffer from a noble, but still intense and tragic.

suffering Cosmic thrills him pain, complaints of countless martyrs

resonate painfully in the depths of his being, poverty, slavery,

injustice and the despair overwhelm. He cries all the tears of the

world, his heart bleeds for all human injuries, his soul breaks the

appalling performances distress and delirium perishable creatures

which he sacrificed the chimera of personal happiness and his

sacrifice, resolute and accomplished with so much effort, a

superhuman renunciation of a painful and laborious mystical crisis,

has neither issued nor appeased or made completely happy or better.

62

If defeated his own pain, the wise, peaceful hero or mated, while it

remains among the living world, could crush a universal and lasting

victory fateful Act of Will who live the Act is also unnecessary

agitation, defeat certain and inevitable torture.

Evil takes its course, the pain gets his revenge. More than ever, even

admiring the beauty, even following the precepts of good, we suffer,

we despair, we agonize in the throes of a long ordeal ... Now this is

not bankrupt our ideal fragile, which encourages us to revolt and

despair but the desire of the sacred among all ideal, that of universal

joy. As neither beauty nor goodness can not abolish suffering. They

are still, though far superior to vulgar egotism, of course, forms of

human activity subject to the will to live, and there is still Evil,

Betrayal and the Event supreme.

The third and most noble of our faculties (although Schopenhauer has

delighted his former priority and supremacy of old) thought that

mysterious gift of understanding life, alone, in short, that a gulf

between the humans and other creatures, able to feel and want, and

suffering as we, alas! but not thinking, intelligence, will we finally

cross the dreaded threshold replions prohibited, those where the

supreme truths shine dune ineffable light, which finally beats the

flame of absolute, where initiation and ends our destinies are fulfilled,

while the latter sails are torn.

The thinker, not without a very painful still struggle, is free from

selfishness, the primary illusion of the absorbent and fierce

individualism, later, he sought healing and the answer to the riddle in

63

soothed and serene spheres of art, he believed, like all of us, to

discuss port, reach the goal dreamed accepting voluntary servitude of

duty and virtue, and the wait was always disappointed and deceived,

not a complete disappointment, it is true, but still tragic and

heartbreaking. Everywhere, even in pure and sublime atmosphere of

Beauty or the Good, the pain reappeared, the symbolic flower

fragrance that kills the dark colors of despair and mourning, funeral

roses have bloomed again.

And spirit winner, not just illusions of the senses and materials

mirages, coarse traps in their same skill but also winner subtle

stratagems which unfolds the tip of Will Live - omnipotence of genius

or ineffable greatness Mercy - the mind understands, finally, the

ultimate truth, he acquired irrefutable certainty, it recognizes that the

world is absolutely bad and. reached this level of insight and wisdom

binder, he feels in himself the strength to choose between the will to

live and the will to live.

***

The final verdict is pronounced, the highest degree of stoic pride

available to a human being is achieved. The tragic and final word,

inspired and indestructible, hanging over the world condemns it, the

fate of which she beat the immemorial trick. And this supreme award

which is also the supreme wisdom is a conviction. The real duty, true

beauty, the only happiness lies in the destruction of the desire to live,

this is the complete deliverance. Destroy-ourselves spark negative,

the principle of Being. Only then we will suffer more. And that is why

64

the judgment of Schopenhauer, Buddhism, with its destructive rage,

his mystical renunciation and the depths of nothingness he hinted to

his followers, this is why Buddhism seems to be already the symbolic

expression, early and instinctive philosophy. Nirvana is the goal, the

harbor and refuge for our fragile ...

In itself, in its unfathomable depths, in its dreamless sleep in the night

without stars, we find rest, deliverance, the end of the long ordeal,

the peace and sanctity of silence that the existence interrupts The

world in which we live, where we agonize instead, can not improve, it

can not escape the fateful Act; hope and the chimera of progress, that

is to say, an improvement of life undeserving as contemptuous

indulgence of the wise. Mon Being better than Being, so that after

laborious investigations of science, after the tumult and the

nightmare centuries, as reward for his hard work, the sad humanity

receives only this advice: the annihilation of Will Live, and with it the

destruction of the world that exists only in the minds where he

represents.

Negative doctrine was never absolute, more radical, more persuasive

than the latter, as the splendor of the form in which it is expressed

only by the force of philosophical thought and admirable unity that

animates throughout to another. Never a harsher sentence

implacable, will not stigmatized injustice in the world and test fate.

We really reached the bottom of disillusionment and despair,

intellectual nihilism can not go there, because already in this

annihilation Schopenhauer taught the limits of earthly world are

65

exceeded. Master of modern pessimism guide us in these spheres of

dream, contemplation and mystical ecstasy and inexpressible in

terms of human language, whose extraordinary visions of the great

Neoplatonic philosophers, the admirable school of Alexandria, so little

known and so worthy of being, that of Proclus, the Sirianus,

moderatus of Gades, of Alcinous, Saccas of Ammonius, of Porphyry,

but especially the huge, dark and formidable Plotinus emulate and

rival of Plato, we can only give a rough idea. The cycle of human

faculties and aspirations is traversed and all roads led to the abysses

of horrors, and horror. Twice the invincible hope will shine on the

perilous road to difficult paths long learning, two different stages,

under the light of stars suitable and beneficial but uncertain one and

the other too far from us, alas! to dispel the darkness twice, the ghost

of happiness rose up before us.

Our trembling hands are outstretched towards him, burdened with

chains, broken by the pain. Under the pure breath of the Ideal winner,

our infinite distress subsided for a moment, we thought discover the

desired cure, but soon the last spectra have vanished, and now

finally, irrefutable, undeniable, all-powerful as eternity here is the

solution of the great problem: Happiness is impossible. Continues as

the test of life, as we suffer here, we must destroy the same desire

and the strength to live. Benefactor, the friend of humanity and

nature is one who aspires to extinguish the fire devouring Being and

suffering, and any rational philosophy ends with an absolute negation.

66

Since the fierce complaints prophets from inflamed, fiery sermons

wise Brahman or early Buddhist teaching human disregard for the

pain and hatred of life martyrs, the sweetness of nothingness and the

rest of the abyss from sublime meditations and disenchanted prince

Hamlet thinking problems of destiny and suffering on the terraces of

Elsinore where the ghost appears to him the duty for the first time

since Aeschylus or Ezekiel, from Shakespeare or Byron, humanity n '

had not heard a fierce that it most ardent more eloquent indictment,.

No, never more pathetic accents, more trembling with fear, most

sincerely tragic, more impressive and more painful had sounded

under the arch of heaven to these infinite spaces, where as human

eyes looked for a sign of hope support, a promise of renewal, a

consolation, albeit pale and trembling as the clarity of distant stars.

Everything is wanting to live, impulsive, useless and purposeless. In

the rhythm of the constellations as in the beating of a loving heart

poor tomorrow burned; any nest that eternal pain, toil without penalty

and without truce, nothing is true, nothing exists except the

mysterious power to live and suffer. And for the hundredth time, the

anxious questioning of desperate soul who asks: Where is the cure,

not illusory and temporary, but true and sincere? the philosopher who

has not only taught but demonstrated despair to the origin and the

end of everything, the wise answered yet: Destruction of Evil is the

only cure. Do not attempt to abolish but to ennoble life. Neither hope

nor mercy possible. Nothingness, nothingness again and again.

67

Alone will appease him only give you peace alone will not betray

you ... But this is really one of the most significant facts and most

important of the intellectual history of mankind. At the same time

Schopenhauer came to the logical conclusion of his doctrine, finding

no arbitrary cleverly deduced, based on irrefutable and I appalling

reality of daily existence as well as the most sublime dialectic, the

supreme moment he must finish the work of his whole life, summed

up in a few pages the synthetic feel of his masterpiece, driven by an

instinct, an irresistible call of his genius really painful throbbing soul

of the world, Here they can not help to push again, despite

everything, despite the horrible truth of his hatred and his revolt,

despite the victory of his philosophy and the certainty that he is right,

the cry of hope that s' off not as a living being will continue to live and

suffer here, looking for the meaning of life and the chimera of

happiness.

We remember the memorable lines, so often cited, commented,

thousand dissimilar ways and that alone generated a whole literature

and a whole school of philosophy, the significant and pathetic

confession that closes the work of Schopenhauer capital.

After recognizing that merely to metaphysics in the world, can not be

formed even symbolic notions of what is beyond the world, the great

philosopher thereby recognizes that if his philosophy ends with a

negation, this denial, although qu'assimilable nothingness after the

rudimentary terminology of human language does not imply the

notion of absolute nothingness. It leaves the state open question the

68

great problem of happiness, the supreme good and the au-away. A

purely intellectual attitude and essentially Kantian skepticism,

imposed by Schopenhauer's speculative loyalty, but a quick winging

far outweighs the absolute nihilism precisely at the solemn moment

when it seemed sure to triumph.

Recall once more some of the wonderful thoughts that complete one

of the greatest works of human genius, by making penetrate suddenly

bright light of infinite space and hopes immortal.

Buddhists use to do much because the purely negative term Nirvana

which is the negation of this world If Nirvana is defined as zero, this

means if anything that this world contains no specific event that can

be used to define or construction of Nirvana.

When, therefore, pure universal sympathy by love, man has come to

understand the universal identity of all waxes, delete-all illusory

principle of individuation, to recognize oneself in all beings and all

beings in itself, then the destruction of the product will (bliss in

death), this state of perfect indifference where the thinking subject

and object disappear thought, where there is neither will nor

representation, nor the world. This is what the Hindus expressed by

empty words as absorbed in Brahma, Nirvana. We readily

acknowledge that what remains after the complete abolition of the

will is absolutely nothing for those who are still full of will to live. But

for those in whom the will is abolished and converted our current

world, so real world with its suns and milky way, what is it? Nothing.

69

It is he who is nothingness. Thus says Schopenhauer, whose profound

wisdom and mercy are burning smile Nietzsche, Master of current

generations.

Simple and sublime words, inspiring words for centuries that will

inform the work of philosophers and the dark fate of our slave race,

prolific words that may create the metaphysics of time to come, as

the speculative scope and moral significance they borrow the genius

of the German philosopher el essential tendencies of his doctrine are

immeasurable, incalculable eh beneficent influence almost certainly

unsuspected Schopenhauer himself.

And the fiercest critic el most eloquent of the world and of human

destiny, the most formidable pessimistic because he had not only

genius, but also a huge talent writer, the bitter and deep thinker, the

rebel whose superb disdain and rage negation spared no chimera, no

illusions, no shelters dismal humanity, the great and gloomy

Schopenhauer himself is obliged, by the omnipotence of eternal

dialectic which merges with life itself, to recognize there the tomb, it

is true, in the unknown regions where we finally be addressed after

the big wreck, to discern, too, in the firmament of eternity , an

invariant star. Our captive and miserable race ever also had not lost

sight of the worst trials, the most hostile darkness, the collective soul

of generations believed in it, lived in hope and the certainty of the

review and find her. It is the star of joy, pure and sacred star of

happiness, happiness away our world, but not (the immense universe

or the vast realm of the possible and feasible.

70

And it is in vain that the illustrious German misanthrope wanted to

convince us of the futility of our belief and our long hopes, it is in vain

that we did, in an immortal masterpiece, demonstration despair and

pessimism. It is in vain that he always denied this if dim light, barely

noticeable, but which nevertheless exists, trembles and shimmers on

the horizon and whose pale light illuminates only our way. Himself

believed already seen in the light smile of beauty or the peaceful eyes

and mild Goodness getting ready to martyr himself drew on the

magical influence it exudes the strength to think, to suffer, to teach

and issue here as the gates of eternity, when our guide thought

deteriorate during the night of nothingness, it flourishes, it spreads, it

springs from all sides, in dazzling and mystical dawn.

For no doctrine of life, no philosophy, that is to say, no explanation of

the universe can not be based on an absolute negation. The

possibility of the world, some tragic, harmful and imperfect as it is,

alas! must have its raison d'être in the absolute, in a positive

principle, otherwise this world, already so atrocious and cruel, but

where the idea, at least, and the dream of Joy continues, this world

perish.

And no morals can not dominate Ames if it preaches only

nothingness, destruction and absolute nihilism, if it is not, even in his

cries of despair and revolt, even in its advice of asceticism and

renunciation, word of life, renewal and hope. How could it be

otherwise? Negation can not be exercised on the ontological concept

very clearly defined, a Although any, primordial, hidden power just

71

maybe, but only supports and explains the miracle of Being.

Humanity can not undergo countless tests, penalties and torments of

life, physical torture and torment of the soul, all the horror and terror

of all our destinies which Schopenhauer has not exaggerated the

intensity, if among so many evil and darkness, there remained still

the mysterious and invincible principle of happiness possible, the

cessation of suffering, the winner today in ideal or thousands of

centuries in the reality of the present moment or unknown cosmic

evolution terms.

The initial strength of each of which we felt the power, to so few and

brief lull and bliss on hours, or even at times when we suffered less,

Celtic are bedridden, as certain also obvious that the suffering and

universal effort, anime, exalts, console, reconcile prevents disappear

forever race live; mysterious power, such as its active intensity

eternal Thought of Aristotle, the divine Mind, the perfect Thought the

source of all virtue and all Beauty absent from our miserable world,

certainly, but that exists and attracts an irresistible attraction!

The concept of happiness is indestructible in nature and in the soul,

rhythm and harmony of the worlds draw the symbol on the path of

the stars, roads infinity, countless creatures seek primitive and crude

realization the satisfaction of instinct and man finally, if limited, so

criminal, so despicable it is still owns the sublime intuition and

continues the impossible dream. Its universality in all regions can be

likened to one of these ontological truths absolute antithesis and

negation are unprovable. - Especially since we can not too often

72

repeat, pure negation can create nothing, a system of life which every

positive element of perseverance in Being, therefore even obscure

welfare is absent an inherently evil world is inconceivable, impossible

and self-contradictory.

Radical suffering is Non-Being, has meaning and reality that if one

accepts the premise also do Being completing his destiny, by

synthesizing with its opposite in the dark and mysterious work of

cosmic becoming. Because it is perhaps deserved punishment coarse

invectives which Schopenhauer overwhelmed Hegel, the illustrious

philosopher Berlin, if forgotten today, and whose genius undoubtedly

equaled that of his enemy, because this genius was very noble, very

big and very pure, this is the revenge of Hegel that we should

remember the famous Hegelian formula to explain the evolution of

the thought of Schopenhauer and the apparent contradiction which

condemns the superior logic of things and truth .

But this apparent contradiction is n, it becomes one more proof of the

strong philosophical unity of the work she summed up in the final

synthesis, absolute integrity dune conscious thought of his strength,

ready to admit all views that require the dialectic of the

metaphysician, while he rebuilt the changing world. It is this broad

and admirable synthesis, with endless opportunities it suddenly

revealed to us, who finished the work of Schopenhauer.

And find there all the more reason to respect his integrity as a thinker

and philosopher of his genius. As it is, without doubt, are connecting

to the Absolute, hence the visible world, an initial synthesis where

73

theses and antitheses of human judgments are reconciled and agree

in a Supreme Reality. As far as Schopenhauer himself, with the same

fiery lust and even bitterness grieves, we believe that the world is

evil, that life is cruel, unjust and atrocious that our destiny is all too

terrible incomprehensible, ephemeral and unnecessary. We believe

that pessimism is right and the worldview he proposes as a doctrine

of life is just, rational and productive. But this doctrine is incomplete

as all those who seek to embrace the absolute in a formula of human

knowledge. Emule, student and follower of Kant glorious, our master,

the most humble to the most famous as the author of The World as

Will and Representation should remember: the Absolute does not

exist in this world of 'appearances and phenomena that is only the

manifestation of ultimate reality, the thing in itself, the substance of

which all First taunting coarse contemporary positivism will fail to

destroy the evidence.

And doctrines that recognize initial and eternal dualism, that of Matter

and Mind, Spirit and Nature in the foundations of the world, as deep

and as defensible theories of absolute monism fashionable doctrines

today Today, the philosophy of dualism to which we draw all our

personal preferences, power read oppose the theory of Schopenhauer

the same objections.

No, really, no Absolute among the vain and fleeting shadows of this

world. This is another evidence first truth, not even the absolute pain,

evil and renunciation. This is not all. For the complete negation of

Happiness, that is to say, radical evil, fundamental, incurable, it is

74

possible (and without these characteristics, sincere point of

pessimism, logical and complete), it is necessary that the property

exists somewhere in the immeasurable regions possible; there must

be a positive principle of Life Affirmation and radiates in the

transcendent world of Nirvana, even assuming it is never absent from

the earthly world and the world of appearances. As an antithesis

purely speculative, such as which is the basis for pessimism, is

intelligible only if the thesis that it opposes as a universal

contradiction, also possesses the privilege of being.

And the omnipotence of the eternal dialectic, we now know, led

Schopenhauer, against his will, without doubt, under the irresistible

impulse of philosophical evidence, this concession to an

immeasurable extent speculative, difficult to reconcile seems he, first

of all, with the preferences of his genius and his doctrine of the

immortal principles and yet complete, complete and sanctify his work.

Aon, some atrocious, despotic and universal that are evil, suffering

and Crime, everything that is the negation of the ideal, these multiple

forms, yet triumphant everywhere, negation can not be the only

elements of the constitution of world. The complete explanation of all

things and accept offers as metaphysical principle, as a final solution,

a radical negation can not satisfy the aspirations and the deepest

tendencies of philosophy and humanity.

According powerful and indestructible word of ancient philosopher,

never, of No Being, you will shoot the prodigy and the reality of being.

75

If the primary fact, the actual postulates the existence arose out of

nothing, and a mysterious force that no term borrowed from human

language can not define a present strength in everything that aspires

to live a sufficient reason explains and renders intelligible and

possible, the miracle of life.

This principle is ineffable, indefinable, immanent in the world, maybe

he is the real world there dune transcendent existence as an attribute

of God. In any case an irresistible instinct of our nature compels us to

believe in him. In us and around us, certify its existence and

omnipotence. He is manifested in the Universal Laws of mechanics

and mathematical harmony that govern the material universe, the

heavenly bodies as well as the stone which obeys, falling in what we

call the law of gravity and attraction land. The same beats,

shuddered, suffers and fights in the struggle for existence which Fate

s requires countless species of living beings, each, even at the cost of

the destruction of all the others, saying, with so many frenzy and fury,

persistence of life and his invincible need of welfare and animal joy ...

And it is still this positive principle between all but ennobled,

idealized, reaching gradually the consciousness of his first petrol and

its true mission directs, lights, protects and anime sad and fragile

humanity.

It is his influence that leads among many trials, sorrows, do

cataclysms and infamies, to new and better destiny. Its symbol, for

us, is the indestructible belief in happiness possible, the

predominance of beneficent forces on the powers of evil in the final

76

victory of the Ideal and the Spirit, that is to say, in short the sacred

belief in the ultimate goodness of life, despite all the denials of the

present. But note well, the solution that we inspire our consciousness

when we ask anxiously for the dilemma depends supreme verdict,

one whose metaphysical terms necessarily oscillate between

optimism and absolute pessimism. If life is not immediately and

radically bad, despite all its flaws and all its terrors, it is worth living

and uncompromising pessimism appears impossible. Moreover, the

coexistence of the principle of bliss, well-being, fulfillment and

happiness with all grounds of suffering, destruction and evil, this

coexistence is already enough, some small, isolated and shy she still

appears to absolve life.

And faith in this principle, his immediate presence, his intuitive

perception are so innate and invincible, that the great German

pessimist, after initially denying any haughty denial, Schopenhauer

also ends the search and discover in all spheres of mental activity in

the exercise of all our faculties react with the universe in our power to

understand, feel or want to Have. This positive principle that the

vulgar always called simply and naively wisely his name, old as the

world, the happiness that radiates in principle already momentary

forgetfulness of our miseries and sorrows that do give the joy of Art

and in the pleasure of sacrifice and punishment well, and finally in the

ineffable bliss of the total annihilation of the will to live which is the

supreme conquest of reason and the end of the pessimistic

philosophy. But we have tried to indicate in this study, specifically the

77

dreaded hour and decisive end to that building this high doctrine,

when Schopenhauer finally expresses his thoughts, by offering

ourselves as a supreme hope the total extinction of the will and the

disappearance of the world, the extraordinary miracle that we want to

point out, once again, the admirers of this great genius, occurs

suddenly.

Pessimism reached its peak in the integral development of its

principles and its forerunners, is obliged to recognize the existence of

this positive principle indefinable happiness, joy and exhilarating

affirmation conducive he denied with such harshness the ontological

possibility and intelligible.

The famous lines which terminate the principal work of

Schopenhauer, lines already mentioned and whose impact was

immense in the philosophical world, attest that it is developing a

vague hypothesis erected by us in arbitrary assertions, but to such an

obvious and irrefutable conclusion that illustrates the metaphysician

will itself there is the Nirvana or final annihilation of the will of the

word bliss, the most zealous philosopher eudemonistic probably be

satisfied.

And, again, no surprise, nothing illogical in the evolution of a great

philosophy and meditation sincere and deep major problems ...

If life, as we suffer in this world of misery and exile, is the worst

events, if we really exhausts the infinite resources of the pain - and

we believe with Schopenhauer that the answer to the riddle, indeed,

78

is summed up in this beautiful metaphor of a noble French poet truth

sui-life is despair - even ignoring purely ontological reasons that make

us believe in the existence of necessary a positive principle, the

principle of renewal, light and reconciliation, the kid is to have shown

that the existence to which we are condemned is the most terrible of

all possible existences and the living image of absolute evil, fact alone

implies another statement.

The complete annihilation of the state of unspeakable suffering

offered to show the thinker and the hectic world, this ideal Nirvana

can only be a supportive and enabling change, mysterious dawn of a

new day of a mode of Being-which approximates what the human

language calls: joy, happiness, bliss ...

But a universal synthesis which eventually recognize the end of its

evolution, veiled by the mists of mystics regions, happiness, symbol

of the absolute, sacred and elusive object will, a philosophy which

ends with a demonstration also larger positive earthly hopes she can

be described as absolute pessimism? Certainly not ...

And how not to recognize that if a philosophical genius of this

magnitude could not resist the call of this invincible distant voice from

both the other shore and depths of our being, who commands us to

love , to hope and to live anyway, if a pessimist as Schopenhauer,

proclaims the existence of an immanent principle of producer welfare,

destructive pain, which is realized by denying the present life and

nature Perversely, it is true (but the mode of its realization is

79

negligible), is that really the instinct of Happiness is part of the

essence of the soul and nature.

Far from being a vain invention of traditional optimism, it is the most

certain and most beneficent of Realities. Even teaching us

renunciation, you will hear and obey you by promising to souls

burdened distress, weariness, sorrow and doubt, a better life and

happiness, different perhaps chimerical happiness that we continue

here, but still deserve his earthly name. Car Being exists only if it is

better than No Being, because you never create anything with a

negation, because no land or mystic flower flourishes the abyss of

absolute nothingness. Flowering requires a suitable ground should be

a principle, a purpose and a root cause of everything that aspires to

become the phases and the phantasmagoria of Being. For living

creatures of this primordial existence condition is the possibility of

Happiness.

In granting us after the Supreme postage, Schopenhauer has given us

the right to speak on behalf of optimism that contains his work and

that we need to find, since it is the work of a man and a man of

genius.

CHAPTER VII

TEST OF PHILOSOPHY eudemonistic

It may be appropriate to complete without issue no foolish pretension

to compete with such philosophical geniuses, the great work outlined

by Kant and Schopenhauer. It 'might be urgent to develop this work

80

taking into account the direction of the two Masters of German

metaphysics have impregnated high speculation, and never losing

sight of the philosophy of time to come can not develop in the way

they have designated us and whose first principles are known to all:

supremacy of the laws of mind, categories of thought conditioning the

world of appearances, suction unit and method with the work

necessary but part back positive sciences, last but research

increasingly discerning a definition the essence of the World, the

ineffable power, but not inaccessible, since it throbs in ourselves, the

mirage of the universe is only a pale ray and all religions, as well as

all philosophies want to reach and understand.

This primal force, the first principle of being that Kant identified with

the Noumenon, while clearly stating that the thing in itself necessarily

prove the existence of God, creator of the world of substances as well

as appearances, and the law unique, as well as the fabric of

innumerable causes (for the soul, unsatisfied even reached that

degree of wisdom which lies in the material world dissipates, requires

more and wings, to regions higher initiation Mystic) - this essence of

the world, the noumenal truth whose conquest merges with the same

goal of metaphysics, modern science, from the immortal works of

Immanuel Kant and Arthur Schopenhauer, identifies with what we call

will.

The greatest philosophical minds of the present admit this great

discovery, we find the formal admission among thinkers who lead and

dominate if speculative movement of the time:

81

Alfred Fouillée in France, the most brilliant metaphysicians binds Latin

race, in his admirable system of ideas forces in Wundt, Paulsen and

Lange, Germany, in Herbert Spencer, the undisputed master of

philosophy in the most rebellious country to appeal of metaphysics in

Spencer whose notion of force, despite all the baffles raised by careful

review, offers so much analogy with the overriding principle of the

doctrine of Schopenhauer, among other eminent philosophers again.

Metaphysical tendencies, opposing, yet persist in modern thought and

monism is far from having triumphed over his opponents. The author

of these lines is also in favor of metaphysical dualism. But most

contemporary philosophers, worthy of the name, adhere, more or less

sincere to the psychological and cosmological theory of the will. It

finds its place and purpose in the doctrines of pluralism as well as in

ontological monism.

The impulse is given to the spirits, the most extraordinary of all

discoveries of human genius is a fait accompli and the conquests of

Galileo, Copernicus and Newton fade from one that has changed the

method of knowledge and the appearance of universe: the subject

from Kant regarded as correlative to the object, the material world,

the living subject, with the storms of passion, pain and trembling

reality that agitate, became the center and essence of the world.

But this will is it really as homogeneous as simple as little complex

than say dogmatic doctrines? Various elements may conflict can not

they coexist even in the absolute, whose will is only the first symbol

and objectification? Assumption that Schopenhauer would not have

82

admitted, yes, but that applies to our personal beliefs. Because for us,

and while sharing fully the horror, terror and rebellion inspired the

noblest and most eloquent of pessimists show the existence, we

refuse to see it as only the manifestation of a blind force, purely

negative and harmful.

Without reproducing any unacceptable arguments today there

doctrine of final causes, we believe we can discern in the universal

and irresistible momentum Want Living. a positive principle, the living

antithesis of pain and evil, antithesis is also by this dualism whose life

furnishes us many examples, the pathetic and tragic dilemma of

Destinies. Yes, yes, everything is Will, but the Will itself, unaware of

its nature and mission, eternally restless, aspires to an end, some

creatures elite among the human race, are only reached to sense the

splendor.

To this end, it is happiness or rather it is Joy, similar to happiness

concept, but stands apart, as does not claim an impossible

sustainability. For Joy, the joy to joy, struggle, and still evolving,

through the infinite spaces of eternity, the world of the living. Yes,

everything that exists, even insensitive stone, everything is alive,

everything tends to the issue, the release of its true nature, that is to

say to Joy. But the very fact of this vital trend that has created or

maintains the eternal wonder of the world, this world that nothing

fatal and destroys all that resists the forces of evil, this fact finds

justification in the Idea Although the Platonic, of Bliss and the final

triumph of instinct which preserves and falls on the strength that

83

destroys and despair. Realize this idea in the sanctuary of wisdom,

instead it is due, do not fight with an invincible instinct.

No more than skepticism that frightened the Honourable Mr. Royer-

Collard, who was also neither a fool nor a pedant whose distorted

quite pleasant joke, no more skepticism that we can not do its share

eudaemonism.

The instinct of Joy, belief and trust in the principle of life, beneficent

inner emotions, fulfillment and immediate happiness, happiness is the

need of the immanent forces of human nature. The fiercest critics of

existence, the most inspired prophets of despair, Schopenhauer

begins we chose to living example of a thesis that is dear to us, the

most irreconcilable opponents Sort enemy, but which nothing escapes

, yielded to the irresistible attraction of the Chimera that will

withstand all attacks and all negations. But if Kant had done, building

moral doctrine, the more austere and more rigid, a place

eudaemonism in the notion of the sovereign good, if Schopenhauer,

after hearing the mystical appeal in the voice of Art and Pity,

recognizes its symbolic sovereignty Banned bliss that follows and

announces Nirvana regions, it is permissible to see in this noble

chimera, not just a disappointing illusion, but a higher reality, our only

good, our inalienable heritage, our only support in this world of

misery.

Perhaps, in a job where we hope, God allows expose our design

philosophy, universal life and human destiny, perhaps we have the

audacity, after so many illustrious thinkers eudemonists to seek, in

84

turn, the secret of the world, by finding all the presence and not

current or next, but can this supreme reality which constitutes the

essence of the will last some victory, seeking itself and whose vulgar

appellation incomplete but accurate, pathetic word that sums up

everything: Joy seems the clearest and most eloquent symbol.

Even today, in all regions of being, in all our ways of feeling,

understanding and wanting life, and also in all the kingdoms of

nature, we discern the partial triumph of this great principle, which

Schopenhauer's genius could make us doubt despite many similarities

and affinities between its sublime thought and ours very humble.

Because we intend to assign to this principle omnipotence, efficiency

and progressive victory, not only in the dark beyond where the

transcendental world, but become immanent in the present world.

Sublime strength, intuition and beneficent sacred whose pale light

whitens only the horizon of our dark night!

It is still for the great German metaphysician a limiting principle, a

concession that gives us almost reluctantly, an assumption in

apparent disagreement with the whole of his doctrine and his

uncompromising disciples.

Edward Hartmann Mailänder or reject as a temporary lapse of thought

of the Master. We see, on the contrary, completion, his crowning work

of genius and germ developments it contains. For us, these

optimistic elements found in the most tragic of the doctrines of

negations have the inestimable value of irrefutable evidence and a

85

decisive argument. For it is in vain that the most prominent

Schopenhauer successors, it is in vain that Hartmann's Philosophy of

the Unconscious, or Mailänder in Philosophie der Erlösung, should all

living beings complete annihilation, c 'In vain do they hope to

continue this way the unfinished work of misanthropic Frankfurt. It

remained in agreement with himself, when suddenly pet wing genius,

when he was lost forever in the abyss of nothingness, he finds the

right path and the true path, when he proclaimed the immortal hope

and bliss attained by the soul issued after the test of time and pain in

the depths of Nirvana. But Nirvana is still one area of Being, it is a

neo-Kantian philosopher for the Universe, the world is a transcendent

domain inaccessible ù human weakness, but also part of real milk .

The world as representation, which is the material universe, the

transcendental world is that of Noumenon and will finally

transcendent world, the mystical abyss where the primary cause

rayon, God consciousness and attested that love suffering, author of

the World and the Ideal Principle, these three régnions these three

symbolic realms, out of which there is nothing conceivable or

possible, involving all three of the mystery of existence.

Schopenhauer did not understand, we believe that admitting the

reality of a positive principle, the advent of bliss, the possibility of joy

in the transcendent world, it also laid the foundations, certainly less

stable but indestructible in the transitory world where we experience

our exile.

86

The future task of philosophy will be, we believe, to find this principle

of hope, to indicate future developments, not only away from this life,

but in this life itself, and in our world of 'appearances, oppressed by

causality, determinism and relativity, patterns of slavery and pain

where already the faint glow of a star pulsates yet conducive, that the

ideal that modifies and improves life, that of happiness United know

each issued immediately, out of the earthly existence, but an

imperfect, yet more precise, will happen, even here, the time for

humanity to come.

All calls to the complete annihilation, hatred of life, will be in vain and

sterile. You will not stop the stars from the sky to look for wraps

infinity, in the harmony of the spheres and the learned rhythm

constellations. You will not prevent the miserable creatures who

agonize under a terrible burden suffering, you do not defend them to

love, to hope, to believe and worship the idol and the chimera of Joy.

If this chimera, however, by the admission of Schopenhauer, exists in

the world of unearthly Nirvana, if it takes place in the ecstasy of bliss,

we strive to make already triumphed among the deep darkness of the

phenomenal world the exile country where we vegetate, awaiting the

hour of the decisive liberation. Is it really impossible? Time to come

will know the answer to the riddle, the solution of this great open

debate for centuries.

The idealism of Schopenhauer (and despite his transcendental claims,

the philosophy of the will results in any case, as we have seen, the

absolute mysticism), the transcendental idealism that is the logical

87

conclusion, but abuse of the Kantian philosophy must be reduced to

an immanent idealism.

And it can not be rational, comprehensive and can withstand the

attacks of positivism, agnosticism that if we have the loyalty and

wisdom to recognize, even among the horror of our condition and the

anguish of living a reason to accept the test of fate and a reason for

hope.

We discovered this metaphysical principle in the trend of joy, without

which our notion of the will remains insufficient. This dualism inspires

us no fear, on the contrary, it is with infinite gratitude that we discern

the traces even in the most uncompromising of deductions that the

history of philosophy has produced monism. And this is one point of

view that we adopt, speaking of Schopenhauer's optimism,

optimism denies any atrocities in the world, but has not, either, the

sad courage to utter excruciating word of absolute despair. For let us

not forget, the trend that we have tried to highlight has nothing in

common with the infamous optimism, outrage and challenge thrown

to the universal suffering, which is that everything is for the best in

the best worlds.

This universe can become excruciating, though doomed to a fatal

flaw, more space and better. We do not ask, we do hope nothing

more than Celtic certainty. It is enough to absolve the Destin and we

do accept life. The darkness of the past and still continues to reign

over the world, but the dawn of a new day appears on the horizon, its

88

first rays enough to soothe the soul most rebellious, most oppressed,

the most proven by lot relentless.

CHAPTER VIII.

PHILOSOPHY AND DRAMA

The about this study, though mostly claiming the title, glorious among

all, philosopher, has always deeply loved the theater, and its activity

as a playwright has so far prevented complete many metaphysical

work , of paramount importance in his eyes, because he wants to

study in the most humble measure his strength for the same

conundrum - fix disappointing and grandiose image of the world, the

elusive secret of universal life .

However, continuing my work as a playwright to which I lend itself

also greater importance in my work as a philosopher (but more

modest worker must also beware of false modesty), perhaps I been

unfaithful least we think this supreme knowledge that will always be

the goal, the ideal and the solace of my life, my only reason for being

in this world to me very obscure, and the famous masters eternal

Thought to all those who have tasted and experienced the sweetness

invaluable intellectual Joys which offers its faithful.

Is that there is a unique spiritual identity, a striking similarity between

these two forms of human activity so different, so different in

appearance: drama, frivolous, voluptuous, fully dedicated, it seems,

to worship fun and spirit of the age, and philosophy, austere and

melancholy, immersed in meditation major problems, disdainful

89

ambitions ephemeral and perishable goods of this world of illusion,

the theater presents in turn a new image more artificial, more childish

...

In fact, of all the arts, none more than the essentially philosophical

sublime and charming Art Theatre. All playwright, worthy of the

name, is a metaphysician who often ignores its mission and ideals

which sucks his genius.

We have seen, by analyzing the aesthetics of Schopenhauer, the

German philosopher illustrates assigns purpose to art, whatever its

form of expression, the reproduction of initial trends, major

characters, the imperishable substance of beings and things, that is

to say, in short, the essence of the World, in the Platonic sense.

This definition is similar to the formulas of the most prominent

theorists, predecessors or followers of Schopenhauer. But the big

assumption is the basis for the system of the world, that which

Schopenhauer was the inventor and promoter, gives some of his

investigations in the field of aesthetic scope, depth, very special,

unprecedented in the intellectual history of the world and have

completely revamped some of our conceptions of beauty, the ideal

and the Mission of the Artist. Among these aesthetic discoveries, truly

admirable and lasting, must be mentioned at the forefront of the new

definitions of Music and Drama bequeathed to us by the Master which

each playwright and every musician should know by heart the

sublime theories, and almost all of Moreover completely unaware.

90

If the music directly expresses the essence of the world, Will live

Noumenal the background of Being, poetry expresses the most

immediate and most important objectification, which shines in a

human eye, soon faded and off forever, but absolute or throbbing in

the flash of a lifetime ...

It is, indeed, in the struggles, aspirations and stormy existence of

humanity captive the eternal will to live asserts itself in all its fullness.

But poetry in the true sense of the word, concerns the representation

of human life and dramatic poetry captures and reflects it in its most

painful intensity, at the height of its destructive fury within hours of

crises tragic destiny decides where and breaks where the bottom of a

soul unfolds before our eyes. It has long been said, and this is a

simple statement of fact: Dramatic poetry, theater studies and

represents first and foremost, conflicts, struggles and knocks the

enemy wishes, disasters and fighting social and individual, when

these great events, of equal importance to the soul that experiences

it, whether it be for an empire or the fragile happiness of a humble

existence, reach their most binding degree of intensity, at the solemn

moment when the flame of the passions, which can dazzle, charm,

intimidate and overwhelm our poor souls, devours and burns with the

most implacable ardor.

This initial definition of art has taught us that it aims to express a

character, a master faculty, an ultimate reality, a deep trend or an

essential feature (regardless of the various forms of aesthetic), with

more depth and clarity that nature itself can do. Material, the fabric,

91

the metaphysical and human capital of the work, have it by even a

direct influence on the impression that the genius of the artist can

produce. The intensity of aesthetic pleasure, the abandonment of

selfishness that oppresses us forget our misery, our weakness, our

deepest sorrows, our immense pain, our childish sorrows, increase in

intensity and influence beneficial as the more or less importance and

significance of the object represented by the work of Art. And it is

hardly necessary to add that the genius, talent and mastery of

execution of the artist also play an important role in the phenomenon

of aesthetic pleasure. But this is still a release, postage, a partial

rescue of the Soul. The intellect, becoming the representative pure

mirror of the world, by an inexplicable prodigy which also lies the

secret of artistic emotion, thwarts the pitfalls of the Will, revealing its

essence.

The contemplation of the omnipotence of uniformity, the fateful

sustainability of suffering abolished for a few moments of truce

abominable yoke. But, again, the picture that reflects the will of the

world through the prism of Art will feature and significantly more

efficient and the spell of art will practice liberating us with a full and a

force conducive.

This is why the drama, theater, art and strange admirable Aeschylus

and Shakespeare, manifestation of the eternal Will at its fullest

development is the supreme art, superior to all other and whose

action on the Ames can not be exceeded and reached. This is also

why all kinds of dramatic poetry, the fools mock heavily, saying it is

92

the sublime, the Shakespearean drama, tragedy or melodrama,

pathos Theatre, in a word, is the most noble, the most worthy of

admiration, for it is he who gives us a glimpse in lightening fast and

fateful disaster situations, the depths of destiny and pain.

For it is he who requires the most creative playwright, strength and

depth of engineering it is he who finally makes us accept with

resignation over the event live and the heavy burden of our sorrows,

we encourages renunciation with the most persuasive and eloquent.

It brings out the most infallibly, mysterious depths of our soul a

moment stamped and reconciled, the flame of compassion,

meditation and the noble melancholy is the dawn of a new life, one

where accepting and including fate, we abdicate the revolt with

sterile hope ...

With unrivaled events, lapses effroyables.des punishment which

destroy a people, an entire race, with disasters that break the

happiness and pride, wealth or omnipotence happy in this world,

before the great show terrifying and whose masterpieces tragic place

in our eyes the tumultuous adventures, the bitterness of our sorrows,

our sharp remorse, the importance of our pain subside and disappear.

A great education is given to us by any great misfortune, a spark of

eternal life springs from the dust of all the martyrs. On the graves of

heroes and saints, generous and touching victims, the poet showed

us the sad loves, broken hopes and miserable end, light radiates light,

a charitable hope restored clarity.

93

The notion of equality inevitable in pain and defeat, there is already a

principle of healing and forgiveness.

While our petty, burning and immense personal pain will always have

more reality and deadly force to us that all events of the protagonists

of Sophocles, Aeschylus or Shakespeare, yet most oppressed, the

most rebellious, the most unfortunate men, in spite of himself, and

even if the victim of the most cruel moral suffering, recalling the

profound words and superhuman thoughts of these ideal types of the

universal drama, whose clothes torn by the storm seem to hide in

their ply sordid and disappointing solemn secret of immortality, the

most unfortunate of vanquished said: "I have to suffer and cry in

silence, since Prometheus suffered his undeserved punishment and

the stars shine with the same brightness indifferent, since the vast

soul of Antigone gets death and contempt for his salary dedication

and sacrifice as Lohengrin loses his dream and hope for too loved and

Elsa doubt it, since Berenice is repudiated, as Hamlet The noble

prince, noble dreamer dies desperate murdered Desdemona. Ophelia

abandoned and betrayed, because love only flowers on the tomb of

Juliet, Elizabeth or Dona Sol, since Lear succumbs to the raging

enemy of nature and ingratitude subsidiary forces; since Cordelia

finally dying in her eyes, she, kindness, charity, Divine Mercy and that

attending his lamentable death in the arms of the old man who has

everything taken out, it really hit the depths of despair and

misfortune."

94

Our individual pain pale with pathetic for these great ideal figures,

living symbols of suffering and human iniquity, ghosts immortals

whom the genius of playwrights lend the flame and focus of life. Yes,

the protagonists of the eternal drama were better than us, yet they

suffered more. This is not all. In the excess of their distress flourishes

like a mystical flower changing colors, subtle fragrance, the great

council of calm and resignation that the philosophy of Schopenhauer

gives us too. Yes, the intensity of the pain, if it exceeds human

strength, by destroying in us the desire to live, heals and soothes the

tenacious and insatiable desire.

To him who lost everything in this world, until the force of invincible

hope, for those who have nothing to expect of fate, neither grace nor

thank you and renunciation becomes easy and desirable.

The propitious moment the bronze doors of eternity open to the light

breath our last breath, for nothing or for a new life, appears defeated

and hopeless, as a deliverance. When all forsake us, that hope

remains. When all fails us, the certainty remains true. This is even

with a kind of joy that the hero struck by misfortune, struck by fate,

denied, condemned and cursed all proscribed and fatal, finally asleep

Supreme sleep. In the unfathomable abyss where everything falls and

fades, the pain itself disappears. The world vanishes in the final look

of the dying, but the bitter tears of defeat, abandonment and despair

will not burn his eyes have cried too ... And protagonist! 'All

masterpieces tragic victims succumbing woes unheard, inexpiés of

95

affronts, seeking revenge for the sins of heaven, bless the dead which

delivers, because it heralds the end of all suffering.

"Sad flame, turn off now," said Ruy Blas. crushed by the most

excruciating pains here - low, contempt of the woman he loves with a

great love, unique and without return, it provides contempt and

fear ... "Sad flame, turn off now."

These few simple words and if melancholy which follow cries of revolt,

regrets wrenching agony and sublime, these few words affect us to

the depths of the soul. We feel that with the last flickering flame torch

will also turn off the life and the pain of one who dared to love her

distant princess, whose beloved all separated here, the hero who dies

the death of his dream, a moment realized. Yes, but already the old

flame burning with a bite less harsh poor broken heart ...

Tannhäuser, condemned and saved by the miracle of true love, ends

with glee at the foot of the coffin where the saint who loved him and

whose prayers were granted him divine forgiveness rests. The last

words of the "Bride of Messina" teach us resignation and renunciation.

Faust, on the threshold of eternity, after experiencing all the joys and

all the drunkenness, cried bitterly: "Why was I born?" And the last

prayer of Hamlet, dying in the arms of the friend who supports and

cries, his last wish, reached us through the centuries, as the sigh of

relief of a soul that will stop throbbing and pain: for the rest, friend,

silent .. . silence! ...

96

These great souls, broken, also regenerated by suffering, no hope, no

desire, no longer seek nothing for the ... nothing except dreamless

sleep, which also is a good, since it all calms down and destroyed ...

Goods that make life worth living and they have lost forever,

everything is pride, purpose, and the smile of the earthly pilgrimage:

love, glory, joy and beauty, by renouncing forever in the Nirvana they

finally found. From there, once again, Celtic tranquility, serenity

hovering over the works of the great tragic poets, this infinite

sweetness that exudes poems, though full of tears, blood and torture,

Aeschylus, Shakespeare, Hugo and their beneficial action and their

durability, halo and supremacy ... The highest maxim, the deepest

philosophical wisdom formula y rayon under the symbol images, is

that after the immense fatigue for more stormy, the darker human

day will come the sweet repose ... Among the disasters and the ruins

of the most unfair disqualifications, the most inconsolable despair,

one certainty remains in this world where everything happens: the

feeling that pain must end, too.

Thus, in the worst trials, yet remains a principle of freedom, renewal

and healing. Stop suffering is already a joy unspeakable ecstasy, she

suddenly interrupted the task executioners.

No, pain, error and evil are not absolute rulers of the world, since

their kingdom is destined to end one day, as all eventually prevail. Let

the unfaithful disciples who do not want to understand the guidance

of the master, let them see the thrilling emotion that tragedy, the

ultimate form of art, it provides rare moments of excitement and

97

forgetfulness, denial of life, total and voluntary negation. We argue

recognize us in the sublime resignation heroes of noble

Shakespearean race who, having lost everything, not regret anything

and overcome suffering, a principle of life, springing from the tomb,

ruins and defeated death.

Blur not like, do not venerate these benefactors of mankind which we

are indebted for such teaching? Ah! forget, forget! suffer no more! If

happiness has fled, if the dream whose treason equivalent to

bankrupt us in the world, fainted, try to lose at least the concept and

tearing regret. Forget! this is the secret of life is our highest good and

forgetfulness come.

Fate can not deny us his eagerly awaited return, and already we hear

at night its not the approach he brings to the poor of this world

ineffable present his charitable hands, invisible hands, soon break our

chains. ..

The historian of great philosophical doctrines, Fischer is absolutely

right to say, no definition of the essence of art, not worth that of

Schopenhauer: life is only the will and desire is suffering, but the

magic Art gives us oblivion, forgetting for a moment or an hour, but

who cares? this prodigy resident greatness, nobility and durability of

engineering, but also theatrical genius.

A finding of importance, both social as purely aesthetic point of view,

still emerges from this brief overview of the dramaturgy of

Schopenhauer.

98

The feverish curiosity that focuses on theatrical matters, instead of

growing the drama, even its most puerile events occupies in public

concerns and worldly life, cause interest actors and actresses, parts

and backstage intrigue, gossip and competitions in the art, this ardent

sympathy, obviously exaggerated modern society feels for the

theater, this craze that has inspired so many stupid ranting and bitter

protests Far from being (read histrionics grotesque, as is claimed,

shape, aggressive among all of the immense human stupidity,

appears, on the contrary, the deeper judgments of the philosopher as

one of the most generous aspirations, a the most rational and the

most beneficial trends in social life.

If the theater claims and obtains a prominent today and unique place

is that the drama is the most perfect and most synthetic of all arts,

the highest expression of human genius in the field of creation and

aesthetic contemplation. All representations of life, which gives us the

drama, is the smoothest and most powerful because it addresses both

the three core functions are talking about old treatises on

metaphysics, our sensibility, our intelligence and our will, the innate

abilities to understand, or want to experience the existence imposed

by the human mind its constitutive laws. This representation, in fact,

should be a synthesis of poetry that speaks to the intelligence, plastic

art that charms the senses and the music that sings in our souls

eternal complaint of the World and harmony become infinite.

Richard Wagner in his prophetic insights into the future for the

theater, however admirable theoretical views that call many

99

reservations and need to be reformed and fill in some respects, has

ruled on this issue final words against which no fluctuation mode, no

change in taste can not prevail. But the accession of a famous

philosopher and a creative artist such as Schopenhauer and Wagner,

bring to the development of our thesis unexpected engineering

support. Like us, these two giants of modern thought believe that the

theater, far from being a trivial distraction, a negligible pleasure, a

good hobby for the crowd, on the contrary, the supreme fulfillment of

psychic life, the form the noblest and deepest that can take down

here unattainable ideal, the most fertile and most beneficial Art, who

takes away on the wings of dream, do the fastest most suret

momentum far from our sorrows, our sufferings, our negative

selfishness. We must love, we must worship and serve him must

propagate in classes mercenaries among the slaves who are still

unaware of its pleasure and its ineffable charm, tradition, worship and

observance.

The theater alone among all chimeras and all the illusions of this

world, we grant the priceless joy of peace found there, suffering

abolished, harmony achieved in the contemplation of an ideal for

which are reflected after terrible struggles and tragic conflicts, the

essence of the world, the desire to live finally reconciled, peaceful,

redeemed by the very excess of his suffering. From there, the kind of

spell theater, the irresistible allure to the intensity of feeling that

obtained by means apparently so material and so primitive. Hence

the extraordinary prodigy and occur every night in each theater:

100

several hundred human creatures, sad, vulgar, burdened with

worries, sorrows and selfish concerns, sometimes immense personal

pain and, for some hours of oblivion, live a fictional created by the

playwright or the genius of the performers.

Liberating power or spell admirable drama! ... All drama, full of real

beauty, is not it the image and the distant symbol of creation? And

the world itself, with its miseries, sufferings, aspirations and endless

joys, is not it the most extraordinary performances? .. Never forsake

the sublime art of Sophocles and Eurypide, of Shakespeare and

Calderon, of Richard Wagner and Victor Hugo. Alone is alive and

passionate philosophy filing.

Serving its noble cause is that of metaphysical and eternal

speculation that we still serve. For the great and sublime Hegel, the

adversary and the enemy of Schopenhauer, in spite of the common

ideas that would reconcile these two thinkers of genius, Hegel rightly

said: Drama represents Universe.

***

Let the people of the world, people circle, politicians, columnists,

amateur moralists and other profound minds, the privilege of ranting

against the histrionics, childishness, and cumbersome fascinating

theater. The philosopher knows that derogates way, dealing with love

these things so futile, more harmless in any event that vile massacres

of the war or the messy political intrigues there, ambition and lucre.

So far, reports are rare and infrequent between the world of theater,

101

comes to petty rivalries and struggles of individual appetites, and the

world of professional philosophers, pursuing their dream of truth, and

their search for the absolute in retirement and seclusion, away from

the tumult of vain supposedly fun places.

However, I am absolutely convinced, the agreement will be

established more intimate and profound, inevitable and some

between Metaphysics and Drama, Philosophy and Theatre, these two

antithetical forms of mysterious aspiration that we hinted absolute

among the transient forms of global change. These megatrends Soul,

philosophy is certainly the most sublime, the most imbued with a

sacred and mystical character. The instinct of Drama remains,

however, undoubtedly the manifestation of human genius that the

closest. And this analogy is easy to understand.

Is that the playwright and philosopher, without doubt, working on a

similar task. One wants to reconstruct the synthetic image of the

World and Eternity, the drama of cosmic origins of universal evolution

and destiny of the human race, the other in the narrow and limited

context of theater in the limits of episodic fiction, evokes the drama

part of an individual destiny. For that very reason, the inspiration of

the metaphysician and the playwright appear similar, fraternal, also

released vain environments. We are deeply convinced of the need

dune alliance or merger more intimate between these two categories

of thinkers and creative intellectuals.

No rude jests not impair or weaken us this invincible hope. The future

of civilization is, as well as the domination of the world belongs to

102

men of thought, the apostles of Joy and Truth, philosophers, poets

and playwrights. Some that are dazzling surprises whose normal

achieving progress wrinkled from the Power to the Act, we reserve

glare, to us, or rather to future races, all of the poor people can not be

themselves metaphysicians, playwrights or wise, but all, even the

most humble of our brethren, to participate one day ineffable joys,

noble pleasures as theater and philosophical speculation does not

agree that the intellectual and social elite the present time. It will

have real progress, civilization worthy of the name, in this land of

misery and exile, the day the worker, the worker, the mercenary

himself, for which his work, however, will not be the burden of the

curse now, as we can understand the beauty of a Platonic dialogue, a

drama of Shakespeare or a poem Wagner.

All oasis of joy, beauty and bliss that human genius discovers among

the arid sands of the desert, here is the most dazzling of light and life,

of all shelters, all shelter, all these precarious shelters, his ingenious

industry and edified with his charity invites us to cross the threshold,

this is the safest, most hospitable. We can not repeat too often the art

of theater is the deepest f, the most admirable of all the arts, because

it is the music most directly inspired by instinct and metaphysical

need. In this world where everything is f mirage visions and

disappointing, this area of fiction, precisely because it does not affect

any claim to an illusory reality is that which contains the most true

treasures. In these enchanting and dummy regions in the magical and

naive atmosphere there for the philosopher who has unravel, through

103

the art annoying nonsense metaphysical sense of theater, flower

flowers oblivion.

The theater is the supreme art. Richard Wagner is the greatest

musician, William Shakespeare, the greatest artist in the world. And

among the elite who guide humanity of time to come to an ideal, each

more beautiful and purest day to sources ignored joy, renewal and

ecstasy, the pessimistic and desperate doctrine of Schopenhauer

brought forth still under our feet and we want to find in the future

city, the model of the hero, the wise appear to our descendants

happier in the guise of noble and pathetic Friedrich Schiller,

philosopher and playwright, metaphysician and tragic poet.

END

104