Spinoza, Schopenhauer and the Standpoint of Affirmation
This paper has two aims: to show the affinities between Schopenhauer’s and Spinoza’s ethics and ontology, and to show that Spinoza’s position, where it is in conflict with it, is superior to Schopenhauer’s. The main focus is on Schopenhauer’s attacks on the affirmation of the will-to-live. It is arg...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Windsor
2007-06-01
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| Series: | PhaenEx: Journal of Existential and Phenomenological Theory and Culture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://phaenex.uwindsor.ca/index.php/phaenex/article/view/52 |
| _version_ | 1811204154850279424 |
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| author | Bela Egyed |
| author_facet | Bela Egyed |
| author_sort | Bela Egyed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper has two aims: to show the affinities between Schopenhauer’s and Spinoza’s ethics and ontology, and to show that Spinoza’s position, where it is in conflict with it, is superior to Schopenhauer’s. The main focus is on Schopenhauer’s attacks on the affirmation of the will-to-live. It is argued that these attacks are not even convincing in terms of what he says about “better knowledge”, namely, that they are valid only against vulgar forms of affirmations of the Will. Also, it is argued that Schopenhauer’s attacks on Spinoza do not carry much weight. For, they are either the result of misunderstandings or, when they are not, they are based on assumptions rejected by Spinoza himself. In conclusion, it is claimed that Schopenhauer’s synthesis of Plato’s, Kant’s and Hindu philosophy into a “single thought” is neither as original nor as convincing as he took it to be. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:07:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c6bd648590fb4bc291b5b6da66d59801 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1911-1576 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:07:37Z |
| publishDate | 2007-06-01 |
| publisher | University of Windsor |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PhaenEx: Journal of Existential and Phenomenological Theory and Culture |
| spelling | doaj.art-c6bd648590fb4bc291b5b6da66d598012022-12-22T03:50:28ZengUniversity of WindsorPhaenEx: Journal of Existential and Phenomenological Theory and Culture1911-15762007-06-012110.22329/p.v2i1.52Spinoza, Schopenhauer and the Standpoint of AffirmationBela Egyed0Carleton U./Concordia U.This paper has two aims: to show the affinities between Schopenhauer’s and Spinoza’s ethics and ontology, and to show that Spinoza’s position, where it is in conflict with it, is superior to Schopenhauer’s. The main focus is on Schopenhauer’s attacks on the affirmation of the will-to-live. It is argued that these attacks are not even convincing in terms of what he says about “better knowledge”, namely, that they are valid only against vulgar forms of affirmations of the Will. Also, it is argued that Schopenhauer’s attacks on Spinoza do not carry much weight. For, they are either the result of misunderstandings or, when they are not, they are based on assumptions rejected by Spinoza himself. In conclusion, it is claimed that Schopenhauer’s synthesis of Plato’s, Kant’s and Hindu philosophy into a “single thought” is neither as original nor as convincing as he took it to be.https://phaenex.uwindsor.ca/index.php/phaenex/article/view/52Continental Philosophy |
| spellingShingle | Bela Egyed Spinoza, Schopenhauer and the Standpoint of Affirmation PhaenEx: Journal of Existential and Phenomenological Theory and Culture Continental Philosophy |
| title | Spinoza, Schopenhauer and the Standpoint of Affirmation |
| title_full | Spinoza, Schopenhauer and the Standpoint of Affirmation |
| title_fullStr | Spinoza, Schopenhauer and the Standpoint of Affirmation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spinoza, Schopenhauer and the Standpoint of Affirmation |
| title_short | Spinoza, Schopenhauer and the Standpoint of Affirmation |
| title_sort | spinoza schopenhauer and the standpoint of affirmation |
| topic | Continental Philosophy |
| url | https://phaenex.uwindsor.ca/index.php/phaenex/article/view/52 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT belaegyed spinozaschopenhauerandthestandpointofaffirmation |