The Basis of Morality by Arthur Schopenhauer

"The Basis of Morality" by Arthur Schopenhauer is a philosophical essay written in 1839. Schopenhauer challenges traditional ethical systems—including Kant's categorical imperative, religious promises of heavenly reward, and governmental laws—arguing they all rest on selfish egoism. Instead, he proposes that true morality stems from compassion: the immediate participation in another's suffering, where the barrier between self and other dissolves. This controversial work, which critiqued Hegelian philosophy, was rejected by the Royal Danish Society despite being their only submission. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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Author Schopenhauer, Arthur, 1788-1860
Translator Bullock, Arthur Brodrick, 1860-
Title The Basis of Morality
Note Wikipedia page about this book: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Basis_of_Morality
Credits Produced by Marc D'Hooghe (Images generously made available by the Internet Archive - Cornell University)
Reading Level Reading ease score: 52.0 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.
Language English
LoC Class B: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion
Subject Ethics
Category Text
EBook-No. 44929
Release Date
Most Recently Updated Oct 24, 2024
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
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