Chapter 76 half genius, half madman

A philosopher lived in an apartment in Frankfurt, Germany.Right next to the hotel there was a little restaurant where a philosopher used to dine, and it was also a place where British military personnel used to go.However, a waiter in the restaurant discovered a strange phenomenon: before each meal, the philosopher always put a gold coin on the table in front of him, and took the gold coin back into his pocket after the meal.One day, the squire couldn't help asking what he was doing.The philosopher said sarcastically: "I make a bet with those officers in my heart every day, as long as they can talk about other topics besides horses, dogs, and women one day, I will put gold coins in them." Church alms box."

This proud philosopher is Arthur Schopenhauer. True philosophers are mostly eccentrics, who often think and act differently from the average person.And Schopenhauer is particularly weird, even in the circle of philosophers, he is "one of the best".He is arrogant, conceited, and claims to be a genius, but his thoughts could not be understood by the people at that time, and he was ridiculed and treated coldly by his colleagues.He always finds things that make him uncomfortable in the surrounding environment, so he is out of tune with the world. He is celibate all his life, has no wife and children, especially despises women, and has few friends in his life.

Of course, Schopenhauer does not accept anyone.Although he usually regards himself as noble, he only admires Goethe and has a long-term friendship with him.This was due to the company of his mother, whom Goethe was often a guest of honor.As long as Goethe is present, Schopenhauer is respectful.Goethe also held the young philosopher in high regard.It is said that one day, everyone chatted around a tea table, but Schopenhauer walked to the window, stared at the night sky, and meditated solemnly.Several girls giggled.But Goethe said: "Leave that young man alone, boys! Don't make fun of him. One day he will surpass us all."

Later, in 1812, Schopenhauer entered the famous University of Berlin.He listened to Fichte's lectures at the University of Berlin, but soon found that Fichte did not deserve his appreciation at all.Even so, he still came to Fichte's class.It was just to find fault with Fichte so that he could argue with him.What he wrote in his lecture notes were not notes, but harsh criticisms of Fichte. In 1813, Schopenhauer graduated with a Ph.D. from the University of Berlin, and for the next four years, he devoted himself to writing.This is a work that concentrates all his wisdom, and his subsequent works are just commentaries on this book.This book established Schopenhauer's position in the history of western philosophy - the originator of voluntarism.

Since Socrates, Western thinkers have believed that rational things are the origin of the world, and we should all choose a rational life.However, Schopenhauer regards the irrational thing like "will" as the origin and the driving force of life.At that time, no one would agree with him.So it was not until his later years that his ideas were gradually accepted by others.People rushed to visit him and study his philosophy.For more than a century since then, we can find the mark of voluntarism in Nietzsche, Bergson, James, Dewey, Sartre and others. This is Schopenhauer.Half madman, half genius.