Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) did not believe that real-life problems can be solved through psychological tricks. The purpose of philosophy is to understand the world, so that one can take real action to solve real problems. John Vespasian explains that, although Schopenhauer made contributions to psychology, his focus was on philosophy. He never lost sight of his primary goal, namely, to identify the principles driving the cosmos in general, and human nature in particular. In his book “The world as will and representation” (1918), Schopenhauer argued that living entities are driven by a blind, irrational force that he called “the will.” The theory of the will (“life force”) predicates that humans are driven to ensure survival, reproduction and seek short-term pleasure without thinking of the cost or the consequences. The will can be counteracted through prudence, foresight, and risk reduction, but those measures require steady dedication. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/schopenhauer-on-psychology/

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