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The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer; Counsels and MaximsArthur Schopenhauer

The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer; Counsels and Maxims

by OpenStories

Original author: Arthur Schopenhauer

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"The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer; Counsels and Maxims" by Arthur Schopenhauer is a philosophical collection likely written in the early 19th century. This work presents a series of contemplative essays that explore various aspects of human existence, focusing on the nature of happiness, the human condition, and the way individuals relate to themselves and to others in a world filled with pain and suffering. The opening of the text introduces Schopenhauer's philosophical perspective on life, emphasizing the transient nature of pleasure as simply a relief from pain. He critiques societal norms and the pursuit of happiness, suggesting that true contentment can only be found in accepting life’s inherent struggles. Schopenhauer organizes his thoughts according to key themes: general rules, our relations to ourselves, connections with others, and the impact of worldly fortune. He proposes that real happiness is achieved not through the relentless pursuit of pleasure, which often leads to suffering, but rather through striving to avoid pain and managing one’s expectations in life.

The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer; Counsels and Maxims, by Arthur Schopenhauer. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #10715.

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53 Chapters

  1. 1.Introduction306 words
  2. 2.Chapter I: General Rules.--Section 12,866 words
  3. 3.Section 3: Care should be taken not to build the happiness of life863 words
  4. 4.Chapter II: Our Relation to Ourselves.--Section 4553 words
  5. 5.Section 5: Another important element in the wise conduct of life is to1,046 words
  6. 6.Section 6: Limitations always make for happiness. We are happy in477 words
  7. 7.Section 7: Whether we are in a pleasant or a painful state depends,168 words
  8. 8.Section 8: To live a life that shall be entirely prudent and discreet,446 words
  9. 9.Section 9: To be self-sufficient, to be all in all to oneself, to5,502 words
  10. 10.Section 10: Envy is natural to man; and still, it is at once a vice545 words
  11. 11.Section 11: Give mature and repeated consideration to any plan before376 words
  12. 12.Section 12336 words
  13. 13.Section 13: In all matters affecting our weal or woe, we should be1,251 words
  14. 14.Section 14: The sight of things which do not belong to us is very apt377 words
  15. 15.Section 15: The things which engage our attention--whether they are486 words
  16. 16.Section 16: We must set limits to our wishes, curb our desires,135 words
  17. 17.Section 17: Life consists in movement, says Aristotle; and he is703 words
  18. 18.Section 18: A man should avoid being led on by the phantoms of his412 words
  19. 19.Section 19: The preceding rule may be taken as a special case of the499 words
  20. 20.Section 20: In the first part of this work I have insisted upon the1,218 words
  21. 21.Chapter III: Our Relation to Others.--Section 21471 words
  22. 22.Section 22: It is astonishing how easily and how quickly similarity,977 words
  23. 23.Section 23: No man can see over his own height. Let me explain what362 words
  24. 24.Section 24: I feel respect for the man--and he is one in a112 words
  25. 25.Section 25: La Rochefoucauld makes the striking remark that it is257 words
  26. 26.Section 26: Most men are so thoroughly subjective that nothing really500 words
  27. 27.Section 27: When any wrong statement is made, whether in public or175 words
  1. 28.Section 28: Men are like children, in that, if you spoil them, they390 words
  2. 29.Section 29: It is often the case that people of noble character and1,896 words
  3. 30.Section 30: No man is so formed that he can be left entirely to880 words
  4. 31.Section 31: A man bears the weight of his own body without knowing it,312 words
  5. 32.Section 32: When he is young, a man of noble character fancies that264 words
  6. 33.Section 33: As paper-money circulates in the world instead of real674 words
  7. 34.Section 34: A man must be still a greenhorn in the ways of the1,237 words
  8. 35.Section 35: Our trust in other people often consists in great measure125 words
  9. 36.Section 36: Politeness,--which the Chinese hold to be a cardinal598 words
  10. 37.Section 37: You ought never to take any man as a model for what you96 words
  11. 38.Section 38: Never combat any man's opinion; for though you reached the117 words
  12. 39.Section 39: If you want your judgment to be accepted, express it103 words
  13. 40.Section 40: Even when you are fully justified in praising yourself,176 words
  14. 41.Section 41: If you have reason to suspect that a person is telling you86 words
  15. 42.Section 42: You should regard all your private affairs as secrets,646 words
  16. 43.Section 44: If possible, no animosity should be felt for anyone. But121 words
  17. 44.Section 45: To speak angrily to a person, to show your hatred by62 words
  18. 45.Section 46: To speak without emphasizing your words--parler sans99 words
  19. 46.Chapter IV: ,145 words
  20. 47.Section 48: An ancient writer says, very truly, that there are three1,406 words
  21. 48.Section 49: That Time works great changes, and that all things are1,051 words
  22. 49.Section 50: In the daily affairs of life, you will have very many218 words
  23. 50.Section 51: Whatever fate befalls you, do not give way to great1,021 words
  24. 51.Section 52: What people commonly call Fate is, as a general rule,115 words
  25. 52.Section 53: Courage comes next to prudence as a quality of mind very564 words
  26. 53.Chapter V: The Ages of Life10,521 words