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Self, World, and Morality: Schopenhauer, Wittgenstein, and Vedanta

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Schopenhauer on Self, World and Morality

Abstract

This chapter intends to explore Schopenhauer’s views on self, world, and morality so as to situate his ethics in his metaphysics of the Will. Schopenhauer emphasizes the primacy of the Will as the source of the world and individual human beings. However, salvation of man lies in the denial of the individual will and the world. This is comparable to the Vedantic denial of the individual self in search for moksa.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Virtue ethics is central to Indian ethics, especially in Vedanta and Buddhism because in these systems virtues are given primacy over the moral la.

  2. 2.

    See Schopenhauer (1958) for his emphasis on the spiritual evolution of man from the worldly existence to a higher life of emancipation through art, morality, and contemplation.

References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India

    Ramesh Chandra Pradhan

Authors
  1. Ramesh Chandra Pradhan
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Correspondence to Ramesh Chandra Pradhan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, Deshbandhu College, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Arati Barua

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Pradhan, R.C. (2017). Self, World, and Morality: Schopenhauer, Wittgenstein, and Vedanta. In: Barua, A. (eds) Schopenhauer on Self, World and Morality. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5954-4_3

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