The Wisdom of Life

Name: The Wisdom of Life
ISBN: 9787208148994

Arthur Schopenhauer / 韦启昌Shanghai People's Publishing House · ChinaAug 2018

4.5

Word count: 156K words
Chapters: 12
ISBN: 9787208148994

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Summary

The Wisdom of Life is, first and foremost, a book in which the greatest philosopher in history teaches you wisdom and how to live. Second, Schopenhauer is not telling you how to advance, prosper, and strive, but rather what the essence of life is—and from that, where human happiness comes from. Once you understand these two points, the wisdom of life will arise in you. Aristotle divided the goods attainable in life into three classes: external goods, the soul, and the body. Schopenhauer likewise adopts Aristotle's tripartite division, holding that the fundamental differences determining the fate of ordinary people lie in three things: first, what a person is—that is, personality in the broadest sense, including your health, your strength, your appearance, your temperament, your moral character, your intellectual powers, and your potential abilities. Second, what a person has—property, for instance, and other external possessions. Third, how a person appears in the eyes of others—that is, others' opinion of you. Others' opinion can in turn be divided mainly into reputation, rank, and fame, and so on.

Schopenhauer devotes separate chapters to these three elements that determine whether people are happy or not: what a person is, what a person has, and how a person appears. It is no exaggeration to say that Schopenhauer's discussion is a stream of brilliant aphorisms, like flashes of wisdom racing past one after another.

Editor's review

The Wisdom of Life is a late work by the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer and arguably the most accessible and life-oriented part of his philosophical system. This book is not a simplified version of his dense The World as Will and Representation; rather, it translates the core of his profound pessimistic philosophy into concrete maxims for guiding worldly life. With a cold, penetrating touch, Schopenhauer explores practical questions of happiness such as health, wealth, reputation, dealings with others, and self-cultivation. His core view is that happiness depends more on the subject's inner experience—a healthy body, a calm mind, and rich thought—than on external noise and vanity. This wisdom of turning inward has a dual power to warn and console, especially in a contemporary society rich in material goods yet anxious in spirit. Reading this book is like listening to the sharp admonitions of a wise old man: he mercilessly punctures worldly illusions, yet points you toward a path to an inner fortress. This edition from Shanghai People's Publishing House is a fluent and reliable translation, an excellent choice for entering Schopenhauer's intellectual world.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Contemplative readers who keep asking about the meaning of life and the nature of happiness
Readers who feel empty amid worldly success and hope to find inner steadiness
Beginners who love philosophy but dread thick theoretical works
Readers who appreciate a sharp, cold, yet humorous style and can withstand blunt criticism

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking instant, simple rules for happiness or success-study techniques
Readers hoping for warm emotional comfort or optimistic encouragement

Reading tips

Treat it as a collection of maxims or a handbook for reflection; there is no need to read it in one sitting—read a few pages a day and ponder them in light of your own circumstances
Maintain some psychological distance while reading; use his views as a mirror for examining yourself, not as dogma you must accept wholesale
Read alongside a biography or account of Schopenhauer's life; understanding his solitary and difficult life will help you better grasp the origins and underlying tone of his philosophy

About the publisher

Shanghai People's Publishing House China · Founded in 1951

Shanghai People's Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher whose list focuses on academic monographs and general-interest titles in philosophy, social sciences, politics and law, economics and management, and history. Among its books are Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties History in the Chinese Dynastic History series; The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy in foreign literature; the Wenjing Classical Translation Illustrated Edition of The Complete Greek Tragedies of Euripides; and works of social theory such as Max Weber's Economy and Society and Dialectic of Enlightenment: Philosophical Fragments. Its authors include Wang Zhongluo, J.R.R. Tolkien, Luo Niansheng, and Zhou Zuoren.

版权信息
重译序言
译者序
引言
第1章基本的划分
第2章人的自身
第3章人所拥有的财产
第4章人所展现的表象
第5章建议和格言
第6章人生的各个阶段
附叔本华的生平轶事
叔本华哲学的神奇魅力与影响

FAQ

Is this book 'chicken soup' or success literature?

Not at all. This book is rooted in a profound pessimistic philosophical system; its purpose is to analyze what constitutes happiness and what obstructs it, offering a rational Art of Living rather than superficial inspiration or promises. It is more like a bitter but effective medicine.

Are Schopenhauer's views too negative?

On the surface, yes—he denies the ultimate value of worldly honor and social revelry. But this 'negativity' is meant to redirect people's center of gravity toward building an inner spiritual world. He believes true happiness lies in avoiding pain and enjoying tranquility and freedom of thought, which is a profound kind of positivity.

Can I understand it without a background in philosophy?

Absolutely. Schopenhauer wrote this book intentionally for ordinary readers; the language is relatively straightforward and rich in examples. It discusses basic human questions everyone faces, so the threshold for understanding is low, though the depth of thought it contains rewards repeated exploration.

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About the author

Arthur Schopenhauer Author · German · 1788–1860

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) was a German philosopher and a leading representative of voluntarism and pessimism. In his major work The World as Will and Representation, he argued that the world is driven by a blind, irrational will to live, so that human life oscillates between suffering and boredom; he advocated art, aesthetic contemplation, compassion, and asceticism as paths to temporary or fundamental release. Another widely read work, The Wisdom of Life, offers a plain and sober discussion of conduct and happiness. He also wrote On the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason. His writings combine philosophical argument with an essayistic style and are often classified under philosophy, Western philosophy, personal development, and essays. His thought deeply influenced Nietzsche, Wagner, and Freud.

韦启昌 Author

Wei Qichang is one of the better-known Chinese translators and editors of Schopenhauer's works, though publicly available personal information about him is limited. His work centers on translating and compiling Schopenhauer's writings. Ten related titles are held in the collection, including the two volumes of Parerga and Paralipomena, The Wisdom of Life, Essays on Philosophy and the History of Philosophy, Selected Aphorisms of Schopenhauer, Schopenhauer on Logic and Rhetoric, Schopenhauer on the Will to Live and Death, and Schopenhauer's Essays on Art. These books are chiefly translations of Western philosophical classics, with some belonging to the essay and inspirational-reading categories. Their subjects range from practical wisdom and ethics to logic and argumentation, aesthetics, and the question of death. His translations are known for staying close to the original while remaining clear and readable, offering Chinese readers a reliable way to approach Schopenhauer's thought and exerting a certain influence among readers of philosophy.