Schopenhauer and Yoshida Kenkō: Advice for Living Meaningfully

The German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) and the Japanese Buddhist monk Yoshida Kenkō (1283-1350) shared surprisingly similar views on a range of fundamental issues, among them the evanescence, uncertainty, and vanity of the world, the illusions of unfulfillable desires, the pleasure of a life in seclusion; the power of self-reliance, and the consolations of immersing oneself in the arts. This talk examines the writings of these thinkers as contributions to the art of living meaningfully that still resonate with our own times.