The World as Will and Representation: 200th Birthday of Arthur Schopenhauer

This official Ersttagsblatt (8/1988) commemorates the 200th anniversary of the birth of the influential German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860). Issued by the Deutsche Bundespost on February 18, 1988, the 80 Pfennig stamp features a portrait based on an 1859 photograph by Schäfer.

The extensive biography on the reverse of the sheet outlines his life and philosophical contributions:

Philosophical Core: Schopenhauer is best known for his magnum opus, "The World as Will and Representation" (Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung), which posits that the fundamental nature of the world is a driven, blind "will."

Influences and Impact: His work was deeply influenced by Kant and Plato, as well as Indian philosophy; in turn, his pessimistic yet deeply artistic outlook inspired figures such as Richard Wagner, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Thomas Mann.

Life Journey: Born in Danzig, he moved to Hamburg after Prussia's annexation of his hometown; despite his father's wish for him to become a merchant, he pursued academia, studying in Göttingen and Berlin, and later settling in Frankfurt am Main as a private scholar.

Late Recognition: While his early work was largely ignored by contemporaries, he achieved significant European fame toward the end of his life following the publication of "Parerga and Paralipomena" in 1851.