u/mozzarella__stick

My friend and I would love to check it out but can't afford the full cost, so if you're willing to part with yours for a lower price, please hit me up 😎

I'm just starting to work my way through some of Schopenhauer's work after reading some secondary sources. I am wondering if he ever discusses the idea of knowledge or understanding being opposed to the Will.

Buddhism grapples with the same problem as Schopenhauer does, namely that there's something inherently unsatisfactory about life and that the cause of suffering is self-perpetuating. Unlike Schopenhauer, however, Buddhism doesn't posit asceticism as the most likely solution to this problem. Although renunciation is an important part of Buddhist practice, ultimately the solution to suffering is in right view, which arises when we witness and see the true nature of reality and our own minds clearly. In other words, when we understand reality, we suffer less.

It seems to me that there is something true in this. The ability to know things and understand things beyond representation is something that evolved in humans as a way to further the will. It is an evolutionary advantage that allows us to get what we want, survive and reproduce, but as beings with more complex brains we're also capable of wanting bigger and more abstract things, suffering more subtle forms of pain, and dwelling in depression and fear about the past and future.

However it seems to me this function of understanding incidentally opposes the will as well. We are able to step back from our desires and evaluate them. Understanding often interrupts the desire cycle in a spontaneous and profound way - we can suddenly become disgusted by something that had previously seduced us when we have a realization about its true nature. See, for example, people who become disgusted with meat after witnessing slaughterhouse conditions, or addicts who hit rock bottom and begin the recovery journey.

Knowing/understanding and willing are different functions that seem to both define our nature as human subjects. I guess I'm wondering if Schopenhauer ever explored this dichotomy or alluded to its potential for relief from suffering.

I see people talking about this one all the time and I'm desperate to read it, but it's out of print and used copies are insanely expensive. Where are you all finding copies to read, or is there an ebook available somewhere?

I've tried to follow a few different guides but they all refer to the Windows version.

I've been reading Schopenhauer recently and I'd like your recommendations on books about living the kind of life Schopenhauer suggested might be best for resisting the Will. Subjects might include:

* fasting

* sexual abstinence

* compassion

* asceticism

* appreciating art

Looking for books by authors other than Schopenhauer, preferably not Christian, but self help, philosophy, science, Buddhist, Taoist and popular nonfiction are all good.

On MacOS here. When PIA isn't open the killswitch doesn't work. So PIA crashed the other day but my torrent application was still working through my unprotected connection. How can I prevent this?