more from Arthur Schopenhauer

Single Idea 21472

[catalogued under 29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 1. Religious Commitment / a. Religious Belief]

Full Idea

Religion is the only means of introducing some notion of the high significance of life into the uncultivated heads of the masses.

Gist of Idea

Only religion introduces serious issues to uneducated people

Source

Arthur Schopenhauer (Parerga and Paralipomena [1851], XV:174)

Book Reference

Schopenhauer,Arthur: 'Essays and Aphorisms [from Pand P]', ed/tr. Hollingdale,R.J. [Penguin 1970], p.95


A Reaction

Cf Philip Larkin's poem 'Church Going'. On the whole Schopenhauer didn't actually believe that our lives had any 'high significance'.