The metaphysics of conflict: some reflections on Schopenhauer’s politics

Abstract

This paper argues for a new interpretation of Schopenhauer’s political theory in the light of the category of conflict. According to Schopenhauer’s metaphysics, The Will (to live), that inhabits any living being and always requests Will/life, cannot ever grasp itself in the “representational” side. This generates struggle, conflict, misery and sorrow. This schismatic and conflictual schema recurs in his moral, social and political arguments. Coherently with his meta-physical view, he substantially theorized the socio-political issue twofold (“political Manichaeism”). On the one hand is the representational sphere - politics as an institutional question (the regulative function of the State); on the other hand, the metaphy-sical or inner sphere - conflict (as means) is unavoidable and solidarity (as goal) in any human social, moral and political agency represents the one and only irremissible prescriptive principle.

Keywords

• Schopenhauer
• Metaphisics
• Conflict
• Political manichaeism