logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2021
24m 6s

David Bather Woods on Schopenhauer on Co...

EDMONDS AND WARBURTON
About this episode

Arthur Schopenhauer is best known for the deep pessimism of his book The World as Will and Representation. Here we focus on a slightly less pessimistic aspect of his philosophy: his views on compassion. Very unusually for an early nineteenth century thinker, he was influenced here by his reading of Indian philosophy. David Bather Woods is the interviewee.

We are very grateful for sponsorship for this episode from St John's College.

Up next
Oct 19
Daisy Dixon on Depraved Art
Can a work of art be immoral? What does that mean? Daisy Dixon, author of Depraved: The Story of Dangerous Art discusses this question with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. 
23m 57s
Oct 11
Heather Widdows on the Beauty Ideal
Which physical characteristics does a woman have to have to be considered beautiful? Are there many different cultural variations on this? Heather Widdows, author of Perfect Me, thinks that today there is a single set of charactestics and that pressure to conform with these has p ... Show More
19m 4s
Sep 21
Miranda Fricker on Blame
We blame people, and sometimes we blame institutions. Miranda Fricker investigates the nature of blame and its functions, draws some important distinctions, and considers the metaphysical implications of this practice. 
23m 34s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2025
Episode 315: Ceaseless Striving (Schopenhauer's Pessimism)
David and Tamler tackle the topic chosen by our beloved Patreon supporters in the first VBW madness tournament – Schopenhauer. We discuss his essays "On the Sufferings of the World" and "The Vanity of Existence," their strikingly modern perspectives on human life and behavior and ... Show More
1h 30m
Nov 2021
18: Arthur Schopenhauer, part I: Will & Representation
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) is known today as the ultimate pessimist among philosophers. Among Nietzsche's influences, perhaps none can be said to be more significant than Schopenhauer. Given that Nietzsche promoted a life philosophy that was ultimately "yes-saying" and full ... Show More
1h 39m
Nov 2007
Schopenhauer - The World as Will and Idea
What is the nature of reality? Why can music be so profound? Are we doomed to suffer or is extended happiness possible? Should we choose a life of asceticism? These are some of the questions that Arthur Schopenhauer addressed in The World as Will and Idea. In this episode of Phil ... Show More
12m 35s
Jan 2025
The Wisdom of a Pessimist – Arthur Schopenhauer
“There is some wisdom in taking a gloomy view, in looking upon the world as a kind of Hell, and in confining one’s efforts to securing a little room that shall not be exposed to the fire.”    Arthur Schopenhauer, Counsels and Maxims At the age of 21, the philosopher Friedrich Nie ... Show More
21m 52s
Mar 2017
Episode #098 ... Schopenhauer pt. 1 - Metaphysics and Love
Today we begin our discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help. Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Social: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethis ... Show More
23m 37s
Mar 2017
Episode #099 ... Schopenhauer pt. 2 - Ethics
Today we talk about the ethics of Arthur Schopenhauer. Thank you so much for listening! Could never do this without your help. Website: https://www.philosophizethis.org/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/philosophizethis Social: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosophizethi ... Show More
23m 14s
Mar 2022
The Dark Philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer
Arthur Schopenhauer was a German Philosopher born in 1788 known for his dark pessimistic philosophical reflections.For Schopenhauer, the underlying force of reality is the Will (also called will to live or will to life), which is the essence of existence. It is an unconscious and ... Show More
31m 49s
May 2025
Close Readings: Nietzsche's 'Schopenhauer as Educator'
In this extended extract from their series 'Conversations in Philosophy', part of the LRB's Close Readings podcast, Jonathan Rée and James Wood look at one of Friedrich Nietzsche's early essays, 'Schopenhauer as Educator'. For Nietzsche, Schopenhauer’s genius lay not in his ideas ... Show More
32m 14s