Schopenhauer’s Philosophy: The Tyranny of the Will (Biblical Response)

Schopenhauer’s metaphysical pessimism posits that the Will is the fundamental force governing existence—a blind, insatiable drive that manifests as ceaseless desire, ensuring perpetual suffering. Human existence, he argues, is caught in a relentless cycle:

# Cycle of the Will:

Desire → Fulfillment → Brief satisfaction → Boredom → New craving → Suffering

Repeat ad infinitum.

The only escape, Schopenhauer contends, lies in aesthetic contemplation—a fleeting transcendence achieved through immersion in art, particularly music. Music, for him, was the purest expression of the Will itself, offering a momentary reprieve from its oppressive grasp.

“Music expresses the metaphysical of everything physical in the world.” – Schopenhauer

BIBLICAL RESPONSE

Ultimate Redemption: Triumph over the Will:

Revelation 21:4: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”

Meaning: The Will-driven cycle of suffering is ultimately broken in the eschatological hope of a new creation.