Willing and Unwilling: A Study In the Philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer

Seldom does one encounter a truly fresh and profound interpretation of a prominent past philosopher. Julian Young’s book on Schopenhauer is an exception of this kind. Schopenhauer has been unjustifiably and mysteriously neglected and underrated by contemporary philosophers in the English-speaking world. While it is consequently somewhat easier to break now ground in a study of his work than that of other philosophers of comparable status, the fact should not detract from Young’s achievement. For not only is Willing and Unwilling highly original, it also creates a genuine dialogue with Schopenhauer. Neither concerned to score scholarly points at the expense of a long-deceased thinker who cannot reply on his own behalf, nor to provide yet another opportunity for genuflecting before a “great man,” Young is clearly interested in showing us what is alive in Schopenhauer’s thought, what is relevant, what is ripe for harvesting, what has been previously misunderstood or overlooked.