Studies in Pessimism
by Arthur Schopenhauer · Parerga und Paralipomena
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- 1851; English selection 1890
- Form
- Essay
- Language
- German
- Length
- Short · 140 ppunder 120 pages
- Difficulty
- Moderate2 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendStudies in Pessimism, translated by T. Bailey SaundersCosimo Classics, 2007A reprint of Saunders's 1890 selection; the essays are also in Hollingdale's Penguin Essays and Aphorisms.
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A selection of essays from Schopenhauer's late collection Parerga and Paralipomena, chosen and translated by T. Bailey Saunders in 1890 and read in English under this title ever since. It includes On the Sufferings of the World, which argues that pain is the positive fact of life and pleasure only its absence; On the Vanity of Existence; On Suicide; the notorious essay On Women; On Education; and shorter pieces on noise, books and the study of Latin. It is the easiest way into Schopenhauer's thought.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns Studies in Pessimism are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.
