Essays on Schopenhauer and Nietzsche by Christopher Janaway is a rigorous exploration into the philosophical underpinnings and existential inquiries posed by two of the most influential thinkers of the 19th century. This work is a collection of fourteen essays that go into the relationship between Schopenhauer’s pessimistic worldview and Nietzsche’s radical critique of that very pessimism. Through these essays, Janaway navigates the variety of human existence, suffering, and the nature of values as seen through the lenses of these philosophers, drawing out their implications for the modern world.
Janaway’s essays elucidate the central tenets of Schopenhauer’s philosophy, particularly his concept of the Wille zum Leben (will to life), which posits that the essence of all beings is a blind, insatiable drive towards existence and survival. This will, Schopenhauer argues, manifests itself through ceaseless desires and endless suffering, trapping individuals in a cycle of self-centered yearning. Janaway carefully unpacks this idea, emphasizing how Schopenhauer identifies the will as the root cause of human misery, a force that drives individuals to mistakenly identify their true selves with their empirical, individuated existence. This misidentification leads to an egoistic conception of the good, where the individual’s desires and well-being are placed above others, resulting in conflict and a life permeated by suffering.
Yet, Schopenhauer does not leave us entirely without hope. Janaway explores Schopenhauer’s belief that redemption from this suffering is possible through art, morality, and mysticism. Art, for Schopenhauer, provides a temporary escape from the tyranny of the will, offering a glimpse into the eternal and universal nature of reality, detached from the individual ego. Similarly, moral compassion represents a transcendence of the egoistic will, where one recognizes the suffering of others as akin to one’s own, fostering a selfless form of ethical conduct. Ultimately, Schopenhauer suggests that true salvation lies in the negation of the will itself, a theme he finds echoed in the mystic traditions of Buddhism and Brahmanism, where the cessation of desires and the dissolution of individuality lead to a blissful state of nothingness.
Janaway contrasts these ideas with Nietzsche’s vehement opposition to Schopenhauer’s philosophy. Nietzsche, who initially embraced Schopenhauer’s ideas, later came to reject them, perceiving Schopenhauer’s advocacy for the negation of the will as a symptom of decadence—a life-denying nihilism that Nietzsche sought to overcome. Janaway examines Nietzsche’s critique in detail, highlighting his revaluation of values, where the traditional moral dichotomies of good and evil are overturned in favour of life-affirming principles. For Nietzsche, suffering is not something to be eradicated but rather an essential aspect of life that can enhance and enrich the human experience. He argues that attempts to eliminate suffering, as advocated by Schopenhauer and the major world religions, are ultimately impoverishing and lead to a weakening of the human spirit.
In this context, Nietzsche’s notion of the will to power emerges as a counterpoint to Schopenhauer’s will to life. Janaway traces the evolution of this concept, showing how Nietzsche redefines the will not as a drive for mere survival, but as a fundamental striving for growth, expansion, and the enhancement of one’s power and influence in the world. This will to power, Nietzsche asserts, is the true essence of life, a dynamic force that drives all living beings to assert themselves, create, and overcome obstacles. In this light, Nietzsche sees art not as an escape from the will, but as a profound expression of the will to power, a means by which individuals affirm their existence and impose their values upon the world.
Janaway’s essays also address the broader cultural and historical implications of these philosophical debates. He examines how Nietzsche perceived the decline of traditional Christian values as both a crisis and an opportunity for cultural renewal. Nietzsche’s declaration that “God is dead” marks the end of an era dominated by religious and moral certainties, opening the way for a new kind of existential freedom where individuals must create their own values in the absence of divine authority. This, Nietzsche believes, is the great challenge of modernity—a challenge that requires the cultivation of a new kind of human being, the Übermensch (Overman), who embraces life with all its contradictions, suffering, and joys, and who affirms the eternal recurrence of all things.
Janaway also situates these philosophical discussions within the broader intellectual context of the time, exploring the reception of Schopenhauer’s ideas by Nietzsche’s contemporaries such as Richard Wagner and Olga Plümacher. Wagner’s initial enthusiasm for Schopenhauer’s philosophy, particularly its aesthetic dimensions, later gave way to a more critical stance as he aligned himself more closely with Nietzsche’s vision of art as an affirmation of life. Meanwhile, Plümacher’s analysis of pessimism and her engagement with both Schopenhauer and Nietzsche provide a nuanced perspective on the cultural and philosophical climate of the late 19th century, illustrating the deep impact of these ideas on European thought.
Janaway offers not just a comparative study of two monumental figures in philosophy, but a penetrating inquiry into the fundamental questions of human existence: What is the meaning of life in the absence of God? How should we understand and respond to suffering? What role do art and morality play in our lives? And how should we navigate the tension between self-affirmation and self-negation? Through his clear and incisive writing, Janaway invites readers to engage with these questions, not merely as historical or theoretical issues, but as vital concerns that continue to resonate in the contemporary world. This book is an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand the profound and often conflicting insights of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche, and the enduring relevance of their philosophies in the ongoing quest to find meaning and value in human life.
Simon Gros 
Leave a comment