The Basis Of Morality by Arthur Schopenhauer [PDF]

Information: The Basis Of Morality

• Author: Arthur Schopenhauer
• Publication Date: 1840
• Main Characters:
  • Arthur Schopenhauer: The author and central voice. A philosopher known for his pessimism and his concept of the Will, here focused on dismantling rationalist ethics.
  • Immanuel Kant: The primary intellectual opponent. Schopenhauer devotes much of the essay to critiquing Kant's categorical imperative and his grounding of morality in reason.
  • Compassion (Mitleid): The core concept of the work. Schopenhauer treats compassion not as a sentiment but as a metaphysical insight into the shared nature of suffering.
  • The Will: Schopenhauer's fundamental metaphysical principle. In this work, it explains egoism and the drive behind all human action.
  • Eastern Philosophy: Hindu and Buddhist ideas serve as key reference points. Schopenhauer draws parallels between his ethics of compassion and concepts like tat tvam asi (thou art that).
• Brief Summary: This essay was written in response to a question posed by the Royal Danish Society of Sciences in 1837. Schopenhauer argues that compassion, not reason or duty, is the sole basis of morality. He systematically critiques Kant's ethical framework, particularly the categorical imperative. The work proposes that genuine moral actions arise from an intuitive recognition of shared suffering. It was published alongside another essay in 1841 under the title 'The Two Fundamental Problems of Ethics.'
• Thematic Analysis: The central theme is the opposition between rationalist and sentiment-based ethics. Schopenhauer argues that Kant's moral system is circular, relying on disguised theological assumptions, and that only direct compassion for other beings provides a real motive for moral behavior. This leads to a broader exploration of egoism, malice, and the metaphysical unity of all living things.
• Historical Context: Written in 1840, the essay emerged during a period when Kantian ethics dominated German philosophy almost without challenge. Schopenhauer's work was deeply influenced by his study of Hindu and Buddhist texts, making it one of the first Western philosophical works to integrate Eastern thought into its ethical framework. It later influenced Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, and the development of the philosophy of compassion.