Complete in three volumes. All tenth impressions. Translated into English from the second German edition. xxxii, 532pp; viii, 496pp; viii, 508pp. All three volumes uniformly bound in blue cloth-covered boards with gilt lettering on the spine. 8vos. The cloth is a little rubbed and marked, a couple of short tears at ends of lightly sunned and ridged spines. Upper text block edges dust darkened, remaining edges a little toned and very lightly spotted. Internally neat, clean, bright and tight throughout.
Arthur Schopenhauer, a German philosopher (1788-1868) developed a metaphysical and ethical approach that rejected the then contemporary ideas of German idealism. The World as Will and Idea, first published in 1818 (and sometimes entitled as the World as Will and Representation) was his magnus opus, characterising the world as a physical manifestation of irrational will and has been described as an exemplary work of philosophical pessimism. Although his work garnered little attention in his lifetime, he has had impact in many disciplines and influenced many later thinkers and artists.
