Schopenhauer’s biography (3 of 5): the struggling decade

The struggling decade in the life of Arthur #schopenhauer (1788-1860) encompasses the period between 1817 and 1827, that is, the year he had devoted to writing “The world as will and representation” and the ensuing nine years. Schopenhauer had very #optimistic #expectations for his work “The world as will and representation” and did not hesitate to pay for its publication. In the early nineteenth century, we are talking about a substantial investment. In contrast to today’s electronic editing, the publication of a book in 1818 entailed vast amounts of typesetting done by hand and the correction of mistakes detected during proofreading. It was a cumbersome, time-consuming process. On top of that, one had to pay for the printing and binding costs. Even if the initial run amounted to five hundred copies, I estimate that, all in all, Schopenhauer must have disbursed the equivalent of the price of a large motorcycle. After receiving the books from the printer, he mailed a few dozen to reviewers in newspapers and magazines. He awaited an #enthusiastic response, but was met with total indifference. The lack of response #disappointed Schopenhauer, but didn’t affect his self-confidence. He immediately began to plan a new book, expanding the ideas outlined in “The world as will and representation.” Schopenhauer undertook in the years 1821 and 1822 a long journey across France, Switzerland, and Italy. While travelling, he took copious notes that he intended to use in his next books. In 1823, Schopenhauer turned thirty-five. He settled down in Dresden and wrote the essay “On vision and colours.” It is a treatise on the nature of perception and aesthetics, excellently written, but adding little to Schopenhauer’s overall philosophy. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/schopenhauers-biography-the-struggling-decade/