The philosophy of life is a popular trend that appeared at the end of the 19th century. What are its main characteristics? Life, according to this philosophical trend, is a combination of a number of aspects. Thinkers paid attention to the psychological, and biological, and social, and cultural aspects of life.
One of the most important features of the works of representatives of such a direction as the philosophy of life is an attempt to consider the existence of a personality in its integrity and the totality of all details. Thinkers tried to embrace the whole being of man, to decipher its meaning. The most famous philosophers working in this direction are Nietzsche and Schopenhauer. Let's try to formulate the main provisions of their work.
We can say that the philosophy of Schopenhauer's life is quite pessimistic. The great thinker believed that the existence of mankind and the mind are incompatible concepts. The philosopher did not believe in progress. He wrote that the whole life of a person is subordinated not to rational impulses, but to the so-called will. What is Schopenhauer will? Briefly explained, this is the basic instinct that encourages a person to save life at all costs. Will is expressed in certain affects. This is mainly a need for power, love, and so on. It should also be noted that the will is absolutely blind. She is not subject to the laws of logic.
Schopenhauer believed that while there is this will to life, which pushes a person to aimless and unconstructive actions, the whole existence is virtually meaningless and chaotic. What solution does the famous thinker offer? Schopenhauer's life philosophy is that a person must understand the necessity of renouncing the will. Only in this case, his life will not be subject to instinct, and the individual will gain true freedom. Here we can draw an analogy with the ancient mystical teachings, which indicated that the meaning of human life is to achieve nirvana. Both the great philosopher and the sages call for the rejection of the illusory world, which is subject to instincts.
Schopenhauer's irrationalism was shared by the famous philosopher Nietzsche. The philosophy of his life glorifies a strong man who could create himself. Nietzsche scorned the townsfolk, their petty concerns and standard thinking. He sang a hymn to the superman, who is far from conventions, authorities, public opinion. It is worth noting that Nietzsche also mentioned the will in his writings, as the core of human life. However, it is worth making small additions. Under the will, the philosopher meant the desire to rule. In a sense, this is the reason that Nietzsche was an opponent of Christian morality. The philosopher believed that religion makes slaves of people. What is his statement about the fact that only when God dies, a person will finally be free. Nietzsche glorified the lord, the ruler of life, who does not obey anyone and nothing. However, you should not think that the philosopher was inclined to nihilism. Nietzsche noted in his writings the importance of independent rational thinking, individual knowledge of life. The Thinker believed that each person has the power to develop his own principles of his existence, and not to accept the knowledge and laws that are imposed from the outside. Nietzsche wrote that the superman is the peak that every rational person must strive for
If you are interested in such a direction as the philosophy of life, for a better and more complete understanding of it, you need to read the works of many authors. It is worth noting that the main provisions of thinkers can vary significantly among themselves. Despite the fact that philosophers worked in one direction, each of them has his own view of the world, and the place of man in it.
