Schopenhauer and Luhmann: Some Unlikely Similarities?

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to compare similarities between Schopenhauer's conception of the world as Representation and Niklas Luhmann's notion of society as Communication. We explore the similarities between the way in which Schopenhauer constructs his speculations on the comprehension of reality, and how Luhmann describes what he considers contemporary society’s intelligibility. The analyses presented here do not deal with the discussion of the nature of the Will and its manifestations in the process of construction of reality, which constitutes a relevant part of Schopenhauer's thought. At the end of our exposition we infer some points of convergence in these authors’ explanatory models, although it is not possible to deduce, in a direct and categorical way, a theoretical affiliation between them.

Keywords: Schopenhauer. Representation. Luhmann. Communication. Systems.

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/12-16-06

Publication date:August 31^st 2022