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Single Idea 21469

[catalogued under 23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 4. Boredom]

Full Idea

Human life must be some kind of mistake. ...Boredom is a direct proof that existence is in itself valueless, for boredom is nothing other than the sensation of the emptiness of existence.

Gist of Idea

Human life is a mistake, shown by boredom, which is direct awareness of the fact

Source

Arthur Schopenhauer (Parerga and Paralipomena [1851], XI:146)

A Reaction

I think it is a good advertisement for existentialism that it makes something more out of boredom than Schopenhauer does.

Book Reference

Schopenhauer,Arthur: 'Essays and Aphorisms [from Pand P]', ed/tr. Hollingdale,R.J. [Penguin 1970], p.53

Related Ideas

Idea 2114 This is the most perfect possible universe, in its combination of variety with order [Leibniz]

Idea 19439 God produces possibilities, and thus ideas [Leibniz]

Idea 12954 God's essence is the source of possibilities, and his will the source of existents [Leibniz]

Idea 19326 God must be intelligible, to select the actual world from the possibilities [Leibniz]