1001Philosophers

Arthur Schopenhauer vs Friedrich Nietzsche on Knowledge

Both philosophers treat the appearance of the world as concealing an underlying drive that is not rational, but they reach opposite conclusions about what knowing this implies. For Schopenhauer, recognizing the will as the metaphysical reality is the precondition of its denial. For Nietzsche, recognizing the will to power as the operative principle is the precondition of its affirmation, and the supposed neutrality of the philosophical knower is itself an interpretation.

About this topic

Epistemology is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature, sources, and limits of knowledge. Philosophers have asked what distinguishes knowledge from mere opinion, whether it requires certainty or can be probabilistic, and how perception, reason, memory, and testimony each contribute. Ancient skeptics challenged the possibility of knowledge altogether, while rationalists located its source in reason and empiricists in experience. Contemporary epistemology investigates justification, reliability, and the social conditions under which beliefs count as knowing.

For a side-by-side overview of the two philosophers more broadly, see the full Arthur Schopenhauer vs Friedrich Nietzsche comparison. To browse philosophy more widely on this theme, see the Knowledge quotes hub.

Representative quotes on knowledge

Arthur Schopenhauer on knowledge

  • “Talent hits a target no one else can hit; genius hits a target no one else can see.”

    Das Talent gleicht dem Schützen, der ein Ziel trifft, welches die Uebrigen nicht erreichen können; das Genie dem, der eines trifft, bis zu welchem sie nicht ein Mal zu sehn vermögen... | Vol. II, Ch. III, para. 31 (On Genius), 1844 | As cited in The Little Book of Bathroom Philosophy: Daily Wisdom from the Greatest Thinkers‎ (2004) by Gregory Bergman, p. 137

  • “Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world.”

    Psychological Observations

  • “The world is my representation.”

    From The Total Library by Jorge Luis Borges, 1999

  • “Letter to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (November 1815) [ citation needed ]”

    It is the courage to make a clean breast of it in the face of every question that distinguishes the philosopher . He must be like Sophocles ' Oedipus , who, seeking enlightenment concerning his terrible fate, pursues his indefatigable inquiry even though he divines that appalling horror awaits him in the answer. But most of us carry with us the Jocasta in our hearts, who begs Oedipus, for God's sa

  • “Obit anus, abit onus.”

    The old woman dies, the burden is lifted. Statement Schopenhauer wrote in Latin into his account book, after the death of a seamstress to whom he had made court-ordered payments of 15 thalers a quarter for over twenty years, after she had accused him of having injured her arm; as quoted in Modern Philosophy: From Descartes to Schopenhauer and Hartmann (1877) by Francis Bowen , p. 392. Schopenhauer

All 7 Arthur Schopenhauer quotes on knowledge →

Friedrich Nietzsche on knowledge

  • “Postcard to Franz Overbeck , Sils-Maria (30 July 1881), tr. Walter Kaufmann , The Portable Nietzsche (1954)”

    I am utterly amazed, utterly enchanted! I have a precursor , and what a precursor! I hardly knew Spinoza : that I should have turned to him just now , was inspired by "instinct." Not only is his overtendency like mine—namely to make all knowledge the most powerful affect — but in five main points of his doctrine I recognize myself; this most unusual and loneliest thinker is closest to me precisely

  • “Against that positivism which stops before phenomena, saying "there are only facts," I should say: no, it is precisely facts that do not exist, only interpretations.”

    Notebooks (Late 1886 – Spring 1887) | Popular usage: "There are no facts, only interpretations.

  • “Notebooks (Late 1886 – Spring 1887)”

    Against that positivism which stops before phenomena, saying "there are only facts," I should say: no, it is precisely facts that do not exist, only interpretations.

  • “Popular usage: "There are no facts, only interpretations.”

    Against that positivism which stops before phenomena, saying "there are only facts," I should say: no, it is precisely facts that do not exist, only interpretations.

  • “In Germany there is much complaining about my "eccentricities." But since it is not known where my center is, it won't be easy to find out where or when I have thus far been "eccentric." That I was a philologist , for example, meant that I was outside my center (which fortunately does not mean that I was a poor philologist). Likewise, I now regard my having been a Wagnerian as eccentric. It was a highly dangerous experiment; now that I know it did not ruin me, I also know what significance it had for me — it was the most severe test of my character.”

    Letter to Carl Fuchs (14 December 1887)

All 9 Friedrich Nietzsche quotes on knowledge →

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