Hermitix The Life and Philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer with David Bather Woods
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Nov 18, 2025 David Bather Woods, associate professor of philosophy at the University of Warwick, dives into the life and ideas of Arthur Schopenhauer, dubbed philosophy's greatest pessimist. He shares his fascination with Schopenhauer’s honesty about suffering and clarifies misconceptions, including a notorious myth about the philosopher pushing a woman down the stairs. Woods examines the tension between Schopenhauer’s pessimism and practical life lessons, while also discussing his contentious relationships and the impact of his philosophical explorations on navigating human anguish.
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Entertaining Philosopher Who Embraced Suffering
- Woods attributes his attraction to Schopenhauer to the philosopher's refusal to intellectualize away suffering and his clear, entertaining style.
- Schopenhauer combines philosophical rigor with literary energy, making him engaging rather than merely depressing.
Seamstress Confrontation, Not Stair Push
- Schopenhauer physically removed a noisy seamstress from outside his door and admitted grabbing and moving her belongings.
- She sued him and he lost the case, though he never pushed anyone down a flight of stairs as some myths claim.
Handing Opera Glasses During 1848 Fighting
- During the 1848 revolutions Schopenhauer let Austrian troops use his riverside home to target nearby barricades and even gave an officer his opera glasses.
- The incident shows his immediate reaction favored order and peace over street insurgency, though politics were complex.
