Weltschmerz: Pessimism in German Philosophy, 1860-1900

“Beiser has made an important contribution to our understanding of nineteenth-century German philosophy that should be required reading of anyone who seeks to understand the full story of the German philosophical tradition in this century. It paints a detailed, rich, fascinating picture of a hitherto forgotten controversy, and one that deals with issues of value and meaning in life that touch us all.”–Sandra Shapshay, Notre Dame Philosophical Review

“Overall, this is another excellent book by Beiser, unearthing another major, overlooked controversy in the history of philosophy, with a cast of insightful philosophers making arguments that deserve continued attention. Throughout, Beiser balances accessibility to non-specialists and substantive engagement with important secondary literature on Schopenhauer. He not only explains the views of the participants in this great philosophical drama, but inserts himself-and his readers-into that drama. He describes systems, arguments, and objections so richly that I often found myself interjecting my own thoughts about how one or another philosopher might respond to various objections.”–Patrick R. Frierson, Journal of the History of Philosophy