ABSTRACT
This chapter examines Schopenhauer's contribution to an appreciation of the art of living centered on the idea of knowing things about the wisdom of life. It does so, in part, by discussing his reception of Stoic teaching, which has original aspects. In addition to the WWR I the chapter considers his lengthy essay entitled ‘Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life’ in Volume 1 of PP. The treatment of the wisdom of life we encounter in PP is less bound to his metaphysically supported philosophy of profound pessimism about existence in WWR, with the result that he is able to offer his readers enabling and inspiring recommendations for living well. These recommendations provide us with a different Schopenhauer to the more familiar image we have of him as a life-denier and extreme pessimist. Although Schopenhauer is to be greatly admired for his commitment to developing an honest appreciation of human existence, nothing dictates that we need to live a miserable life, and certainly nothing determines that we should live such a life. His ‘Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life’ is a significant text since in it Schopenhauer covers many of the topics that require attending to in our efforts to cultivate for ourselves a mature and wise way of life, and he is a source of tremendous illumination on them.
