ABSTRACT
This chapter presents case studies of four philosophers, including Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Wittgenstein, and Nietzsche. These philosophers have one thing in common. They resist the temptation to absolutize reason. It is interesting that Schopenhauer's works are filled with literary allusions, scatterings of sayings in a number of different languages, and liberal use of tropes. He stands on the borders of the intelligible to make us consider the extremes of human life and thought. There are fair criticisms to make of Schopenhauer's attempt to deal with Kant's noumenon. There are some philosophers in whom the rhetorical nature of their enterprise comes to the fore. Schopenhauer is one such philosopher. Kierkegaard and Nietzsche also belong to this company. Kierkegaard is the philosopher of indirection, and Nietzsche of metaphor. Kierkegaard is extremely devious in his use of rhetorical strategies and tropes. He makes great use of circumlocution.
