Volume 1 of the definitive English translation of one of the most important philosophical works of the 19th century, the basic statement in one important stream of post-Kantian thought.

The purpose of the Cambridge Edition of the Works of Schopenhauer is to offer translations of the best modern German editions of Schopenhauer's work in a uniform format for Schopenhauer scholars, together with philosophical introductions and full editorial apparatus. The World as Will and Representation contains Schopenhauer's entire philosophy, ranging through epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of mind and action, aesthetics and philosophy of art, to ethics, the meaning of life and the philosophy of religion. This second volume was added to the work in 1844, and revised in 1859. Its chapters are officially 'supplements' to the first volume, but are indispensable for a proper appreciation of Schopenhauer's thought. Here we have his most mature reflections on many topics, including sex, death, conscious and unconscious desires, and the doctrines of salvation and liberation in Christian and Indian thought. Schopenhauer clarifies the nature of his metaphysics of the will, and synthesizes insights from a broad range of literary, scientific and scholarly sources. This new translation reflects the eloquence and power of Schopenhauer's prose, and renders philosophical terms accurately

""The World as Will and Idea"" Volume 2, authored by the influential German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, continues his groundbreaking exploration of metaphysics and philosophy. Building upon the foundation laid in Volume 1, Schopenhauer delves deeper into his theory that the essence of reality is governed by an underlying force he terms ""will."" In this volume, he further examines the nature of human consciousness, the dynamics of desire and suffering, and the interconnectedness of all existence. Schopenhauer's penetrating analysis challenges conventional understandings of reality, offering profound insights into the human condition and the mysteries of the universe. With eloquent prose and rigorous philosophical inquiry, Volume 2 expands upon Schopenhauer's comprehensive worldview, inviting readers to contemplate the complexities of existence and the perennial quest for meaning. This volume stands as a testament to Schopenhauer's intellectual prowess and enduring influence in the realms of philosophy and metaphysics.

"Schopenhauer's analyses of causation and related concepts . . . rival and probably surpass in their depth and brilliance the more celebrated discussions of David Hume. Where Hume grossly oversimplified these problems and left them riddled with paradoxes, Schopenhauer disentangled them and shed light on what had seemed hopelessly dark." --Richard Taylor, University of Rochester

Schopenhauer's The World as Will and Representation is one of the central texts in the history of Western philosophy. It is one of the last monuments to the project of grand synthetic philosophical system-building, where a single, unified work could aim to clarify, resolve, and ground all the central questions of metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, religion, aesthetics and science. Poorly received at its initial publication, it soon became a powerful cultural force, inspiring not only philosophers but also artists, writers and musicians, and attracting a large popular audience of non-scholars. Perhaps equally importantly, Schopenhauer was one of the first European philosophers to take non-Western thought seriously and to treat it as a living tradition rather than as a mere object of study. This volume of new essays showcases the enormous variety of contemporary scholarship on this monumental text, as well as its enduring relevance.