On the Basis of Morality & Attempt on Spirit-Seeing and what is connected with it

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by Arthur Schopenhauer

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"On the Basis of Morality" (1840) emerged from Schopenhauer's response to a moral philosophy prize question posed by the Royal Danish Society of Scientific Studies - one that, despite its rigorous analysis, the Society rejected. This work dismantles Kantian moral philosophy's emphasis on rational duty, arguing instead that genuine moral behavior springs from compassion - an immediate, intuitive recognition of others' suffering that transcends the boundaries of individual ego. Schopenhauer's radical repositioning of ethics on the foundation of direct empathetic experience rather than abstract moral principles challenged the prevailing rationalistic approaches of his time while anticipating modern discussions in moral psychology and the neuroscience of empathy. "Spirit Seeing and Everything Connected Therewith" (Über das Geistersehn und was damit zusammenhängt), published in his collection "Parerga and Paralipomena" (1851), showcases Schopenhauer's fascination with paranormal phenomena as potential empirical evidence for his metaphysical system. Rather than dismissing supernatural claims outright, he approaches them through his philosophical framework of will and representation, suggesting that apparent ghostly manifestations might reveal aspects of reality normally hidden behind the veil of ordinary perception. The text exemplifies his willingness to engage seriously with marginal phenomena that his contemporaries often dismissed, while simultaneously subjecting them to philosophical scrutiny. His analysis foreshadows later psychological investigations into altered states of consciousness and the relationship between perception and reality. These works, though differing markedly in subject matter, demonstrate Schopenhauer's consistent concern with phenomena that exceed purely rational explanation - whether the immediate experience of moral sentiment or apparent manifestations of supernatural forces.

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