more from Arthur Schopenhauer

Single Idea 4162

[catalogued under 11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 3. Idealism / a. Idealism]

Full Idea

The world which surrounds man exists only as idea - that is, only in relation to something else, the one who conceives the idea, which is himself. If any truth can be enunciated a priori, it is this.

Gist of Idea

The world only exists in relation to something else, as an idea of the one who conceives it

Source

Arthur Schopenhauer (The World as Will and Idea [1819], I 001)

Book Reference

Schopenhauer,Arthur: 'The World as Will and Idea', ed/tr. Berman,Jill and David [Everyman 1995], p.3


A Reaction

Yes, but the idea we have is of a real world. It is definitely not part of the idea that it is an idea (unlike my idea for a Christmas present).