In the Presence of Schopenhauer
In the Presence of Schopenhauer (French: En présence de Schopenhauer) is a 2017 book by the French writer Michel Houellebecq. It is a personal reflection on the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer and the effect he has had on Houellebecq.
 Cover of the first edition | |
| Author | Michel Houellebecq |
|---|---|
| Original title | En présence de Schopenhauer |
| Translator | Andrew Brown |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
| Publisher | L'Herne |
Publication date | 11 January 2017 |
Published in English | 22 May 2020 |
| Pages | 96 |
| ISBN | 978-2-85197-832-5 |
Synopsis
Houellebecq recounts how he as a 25-year-old came across a copy of Schopenhauer's Aphorisms. Houellebecq became enthralled within minutes and hunted down the philosopher's major work, The World as Will and Representation. Although a "disappointed enthusiast" for the positivism of Auguste Comte, it is in Schopenhauer's philosophy he finds consolation.
Reception
France Culture's Géraldine Mosna-Savoye wrote that "Houellebecq turns himself into a formidable commentator", and that it would be a mistake to try to read the book as "a clarification of [Houellebecq's] writings". The critic argued that the book should be read only as a confrontation with Schopenhauer's philosophy, and as such manages to make it "both present and current".[1] Joseph Hanimann of the Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote that "Houellebecq's Schopenhauer commentaries offer an as thorough as original reading". Hanimann was particularly fascinated by Houellebecq's defense of eroticism as a viable part of art, which is in conflict with Schopenhauer's view, and wrote that "it's just a pity that he doesn't go further into such paradoxes".[2]
References
- Mosna-Savoye, Géraldine (2017-01-03). "'En présence de Schopenhauer' de Michel Houellebecq". France Culture (in French). Retrieved 2017-08-07.
Houellebecq se fait un formidable commentateur : on aurait tort d'ailleurs d'y voir un éclairage sur son écriture, un « concept auquel ramener son œuvre ». Il faut plutôt y voir un éclairage sans masque, une mise en présence de Schopenhauer : ce qui nous le rend à la fois présent et le rend actuel.
- Hanimann, Joseph (2017-01-12). "Houellebecq liest Schopenhauer". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2017-08-07.
Houellebecqs Schopenhauer-Kommentare bieten eine ebenso gründliche wie originelle Lektüre. ... Schade nur, dass er auf solche Paradoxe nicht weiter eingeht.
External links
- Presentation at the publisher's website (in French)