On the Will in Nature

On the Will in Nature is a work by German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, published in 1836. It is a treatise that uses findings from the natural sciences to support his metaphysical doctrine of the will.1

Schopenhauer's philosophy posits that the will is the fundamental, irrational, and unconscious force underlying all of reality. He believed that this will is a restless, insatiable striving that leads to suffering. In On the Will in Nature, Schopenhauer sought to demonstrate how this concept of will is reflected in various natural phenomena, from inorganic forces to organic life. This work is a significant exposition of his broader philosophical system, which profoundly influenced later thinkers like Friedrich Nietzsche.213