Arthur Schopenhauer, born on February 22, 1788 in Danzig (Gdańsk), was a German philosopher who left a mark on metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics with his pessimistic yet profoundly insightful worldview. He is perhaps best known for his magnum opus, 'The World as Will and Representation', where he posits that the phenomenal world is a mere representation and the true underlying reality is the will—a blind, insatiable urge intrinsic to all living things. Schopenhauer's work on morality, specifically 'The Basis of Morality', offers a critique of Kantian ethics and argues for a form of moral consideration based on compassion, stemming from an identification with the suffering of others. His thoughts on the primacy of the will influenced later existential and nihilistic thinkers, as well as notable figures in psychology such as Freud and Jung. Schopenhauer's style is characterized by rigor, clarity, and a touch of literary panache, often using metaphors and analogies to illustrate complex philosophical ideas. His pessimism about human nature and disdain for Hegelian idealism set him apart from many of his contemporaries. Despite being largely ignored during his lifetime, Schopenhauer's philosophy gained recognition posthumously, securing his place as one of the most important figures in 19th-century German philosophy.