Quote by Arthur Schopenhauer: “Compassion is the basis of morality.”

Schopenhauer argues that our ability to feel empathy for others is the very foundation of ethical behavior. He believes that true moral actions stem from understanding and sharing the suffering of our fellow beings, not just following rules or abstract principles.

In an era deeply influenced by Kant's duty-based ethics, Schopenhauer proposed an alternative, grounding morality in universal sympathy. This was part of his effort to re-establish a foundation for ethics rooted in human experience and natural feeling.

German philosopher whose major work The World as Will and Representation argued that human life is driven by blind, insatiable desire. His ideas deeply influenced Nietzsche, Freud, and Tolstoy, and his pessimistic philosophy has enjoyed repeated revivals of interest.