On Schopenhauer's Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason.

Adair-Toteff, Christopher

White, F. C. On Schopenhauer's Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1992. xii + 184 pp. $54.29-Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) wrote the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason in 1813 and submitted it as his dissertation for the doctoral degree at Jena. He enlarged it for the edition of 1847 and this was reprinted in 1864.

In the first two chapters of On Schopenhauer's Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason, White provides an introduction to Schopenhauer's idealism. Everything depends upon the mind: dreams, fantasies, and all material objects. The "external world" is not an independent reality. Because phenomenal reality is mind-dependent we can know it. There is, additionally, noumenal reality which is "manifested" in phenomena. This reality is the will, simply sheer striving. Life is nothing more than struggle and pain. There are, however, two paths for partial relief: aesthetic contemplation or ascetic renunciation.

In his dissertation Schopenhauer chose a version of the first path and focused on the Principle of Sufficient Reason, namely, the principle which guarantees that all questions can be answered. This is a transcendental principle which, Schopenhauer claims, cannot be proven. It serves, though, as the ground of intelligibility for his four classes of objects: material things, concepts, space and time, and individuals. White treats all four classes but pays closer attention to the first two.

The manifestation of the Principle of Sufficient Reason regarding physical objects is causality, which is identical with the principle of becoming. Every event has a cause, and similar effects follow similar causes. In practice we tend to identify only the final stage in a causal chain, though in theory the cause is the complete set of conditions that are necessary and sufficient for the change.

In the chapters on concepts White explains Schopenhauer's faculty psychology. We have sensibility, understanding, reason, and judgment. Through understanding we gain full knowledge of the world of intuitive representations. It is through reason that we formulate concepts from these representations. Intuitions and concepts are linked by judgments. These concepts may be related to particulars or to other concepts, but in all cases they are universals which allow us to transcend particulars. They give rise to, among other things, scientific thinking.

White criticizes Schopenhauer often for being too sketchy, sometimes for making implausible claims, and occasionally for simply being wrong. In his view, however, these faults are outweighed by Schopenhauer's strengths, which include his methodological procedures, his analysis of causality, and especially his ambitious effort to explain reality.

There are some puzzling features about White's book. He discusses Schopenhauer's connections to numerous philosophers but virtually ignores Leibniz, the most vigorous champion of the Principle of Sufficient Reason. More curious is that while White claims to be concerned with the later editions, he disregards the numerous inflammatory and intriguing remarks that were added to the second edition. Schopenhauer inserted them because he believed that his contemporaries were not only wrong but pompous in their belief that they were right. He had given up hope of securing an academic post and could afford to make comments that would antagonize those whom he called the "Professors of Philosophy." He made caustic comments about many of his contemporaries, singling out Hegel for particularly bitter attacks. These remarks were prompted by Schopenhauer's belief that only he (and Kant) offered true philosophy. White ignores that which serves to characterize much of what is fascinating about Schopenhauer, remarks that undoubtedly attracted his many posthumous readers, including Nietzsche.

White offers a readable introduction to Schopenhauer's philosophy, paying close attention to the connections between the Four old Root and the better known work, The World as Will and Representation (1818). He provides an elementary explication of Schopenhauer's philosophy based upon his reading of the dissertation. Beginners in philosophy will find White's book helpful. Advanced students may consider looking at Schopenhauer's dissertation itself.