John Vespasian

John Vespasian
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JOHN VESPASIAN is the author of sixteen books, including “When everything fails, try this” (2009), “Rationality is the way to happiness” (2009), “The philosophy of builders” (2010), “The 10 principles of rational living” (2012), “Rational living, rational working” (2013), “Consistency: The key to permanent stress relief” (2014), “On becoming unbreakable” (2015), “Thriving in difficult times” (2016), “Causality: Aristotle’s life and ideas” (2024), “Foresight: Schopenhauer’s life and ideas” (2024), and "Constancy: Michel de Montaigne's life and ideas" (2025).

  1. 10h ago

    Analysis of Schopenhauer's idea of justice

    The genius of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) also shows in his unique idea of justice. On the one hand, he regarded it as highly desirable in society. Civilization cannot exist without a consistent protection of life, liberty and property. On the other hand, Schopenhauer acknowledged that human life inevitably entails injustice; sometimes injustices are caused by errors and mistakes; on other occasions, injustice is caused by sheer bad luck that deprives a person of his health, property, or livelihood. In the latter cases, lamentations help very little. There is no mechanism to remedy all injustices in the world. Even with the best intentions, projects will sometimes fail, relationships break up, and accidents occur. Schopenhauer praised empathy and compassion as essential virtues to diminish suffering when injustices occur. You’ll find those recommendations in his key book “The world as will and representation” (1818) and in his “Aphorisms of life’s wisdom” (1851). https://johnvespasian.com/analysis-of-schopenhauers-idea-of-justice/

  2. 10h ago

    Schopenhauer and the idea of justice

    In the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), we find a unique combination of realism and empathy. His books show that Schopenhauer was fully conscious of the advantages of industrial societies. They offer individuals far more chances than agrarian, immobile, medieval structures. At the same time, Schopenhauer was aware that perfection cannot be expected from any justice system. Judges and juries make mistakes, and corruption and incompetence play a role in some cases. Even with hard work and the best intentions, you may prove extraordinarily unlucky, suffer a random accident, and lose your savings and your health. Indeed, justice isn’t guaranteed but we should remain grateful for the opportunities offered by modern society. https://johnvespasian.com/schopenhauer-and-the-idea-of-justice/

  3. 11h ago

    Schopenhauer's pessimism: what it is and what is not

    According to most philosophy books, Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) was profoundly pessimistic. However, when you look into the details of his life and his works, you will see that the truth goes in the opposite direction. Historians tell us that Schopenhauer was confronted with a series of personal tragedies that rendered him pessimistic, but is this really true? Indeed, his father passed away when Arthur Schopenhauer was just seventeen. That’s an early death by any standards, but not an unheard tragedy. Let us not forget that Schopenhauer received from his father an inheritance that enabled him to live without ever working. I do not know many people that are placed in such a favourable financial situation when they are just seventeen. I am sure that Arthur Schopenhauer would have preferred that his father lived for another three decades, but that’s life. It gives you good cards and bad cards, and demands you to play the game right away. There is not much point in complaining. One thing is sure when speaking about Schopenhauer. He is not someone that had to face terrible financial struggles. I don’t know why some biographers would invent such nonsense. The truth is that Schopenhauer inherited a sizeable share package in his father’s company. The shares threw an annual dividend that is equivalent to forty thousand USD in today’s terms. https://johnvespasian.com/schopenhauers-pessimism-what-it-is-and-what-its-not/

  4. 11h ago

    Schopenhauer and the philosophy of history

    The philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) places history on a secondary plane. Schopenhauer didn’t give history a central role because he did not consider that humanity should achieve any goal beyond the happiness of the individual. Schopenhauer believed that an eternal life force (“the will”) drives all creatures towards self-preservation and reproduction, but the influence of the will doesn’t mean that society must go in a particular direction. According to Schopenhauer, the events in the world are a perpetual manifestation of the will, but the results are not easy to foresee. The will can lead to pleasure and happiness, but also to conflict, suffering, and pointless pursuit of power. For this reason, Schopenhauer rejected the notion of linear progress in history. History can meander from good to worse, and then back to excellent. It is not leading to a particular goal, destination or achievement. It’s the result of the actions of large numbers of people, each pursuing his own happiness. https://johnvespasian.com/schopenhauer-and-the-philosophy-of-history/

  5. 11h ago

    Schopenhauer and the philosophy of time

    The reflections of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) are to be found in his work “The world as will and representation.” I consider equally interesting the observations contained in his “Aphorisms on the art of living,” published in 1851. In contrast to Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), Schopenhauer is not a philosopher of history. He didn’t develop an all-inclusive vision of history nor theorised about the end of times. He did not regard the course of history as one unequivocal path pointing into a single direction. There is no single destiny where humanity is headed. History is made by people’s choices every single day. The will (which I translate as “life force”) influences how a man or woman makes decisions; however, the will is not pushing people right or left. It is not exercising overwhelming power to the extent that each person can say “I could not help it.” Schopenhauer declines presenting history as an imposition of destiny. Conversely, he underlines the importance of how a human being behaves over time. Life is essentially temporary. Every success and possession is naturally limited. https://johnvespasian.com/schopenhauer-and-the-philosophy-of-time/

  6. 2d ago

    The Taoist approach to happiness

    Happy people do not waste their time telling the world how happy they are, and Taoists are not an exception. Neither Lao-Tzu, Yang-Tzu or Chuang-Tzu made any effort to gain adepts to their philosophy. They simply wrote down or dictated their insights, making them available. If you want to adopt their ideas, or some of them, great; and if you don’t, it is also great. Taoists don’t fundamentally care if the rest of humanity goes another way. They acknowledge each person’s freedom to choose his own path, and they respect it. Why is the Taoist approach to happiness so intriguing? Why are people curious about the Tao Te Ching, considering that it was written in the 6th century BC? Because of the serenity that Taoists exude. Because they are able to stay calm in situations where everybody else is falling prey to panic. Because people want to learn to stay effective in the face of setbacks and social pressure. Taoist happiness is based on effective energy utilisation. For other cultures, this concept is difficult to understand because of their emphasis on doing something at all costs. When they pick up a goal, they assume that continued action is the best method for achieving it. In contrast, Taoists consider doing and not doing equally important. https://johnvespasian.com/the-taoist-approach-to-happiness/

  7. 2d ago

    The Taoist path to happiness

    It was not long ago that universal history used to be part of the curriculum in secondary schools. A solid understanding of the key historical periods, their ideas and leading figures was a precondition for graduation. Students were required to grasp the historical sequence that began with Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and so forth. On the one hand, the study of history helps us place things in perspective, and on the other hand, it enables us to prevent repeating the mistakes made in the past. I regard it as naive to want to grasp the lessons from history without having gained a solid overview of the timeline. Without historical perspective, nobody can understand the events taking place today, and without understanding, it is not possible to choose the correct course of action; no wonder that, in view of the diminishing knowledge of history, people keep repeating the same mistakes. Each historical period is dominated by a particular doctrine or philosophy. It also encompasses a concept of happiness that drives people to act in a certain way. That explains why people in Ancient Greece undertook bold commercial expeditions, and people in the Middle Ages rarely ventured out of their village. https://johnvespasian.com/the-taoist-path-to-happiness/

  8. 2d ago

    Warnings about the Taoist idea of happiness

    The desire to get something for nothing is a constant in all cultures and historical periods. To a large extent, mythology is derived from this desire. People make themselves believe that, if they perform a magical ritual, some divinity will assist them in getting something for nothing. When approaching Taoism for the first time, beginners are in danger of falling prey to the delusion of getting something for nothing. Why? Because, although Lao-Tzu emphasised not doing as a key element of his philosophy, Taoists seem to lead remarkably effective lifestyles. To prevent misunderstandings, this paradox requires strong warnings from my side. I do not want readers to regard Taoism as a form of magic that can deliver magnificent results without any thinking, learning or action. Chapter 48 of the Tao Te Ching stands at the root of all false hopes created by Taoism. It calls for reducing the scope of our action, day by day, until very little or nothing is left. Similarly, it praises non-action as the supreme form of action and ends by saying that we can achieve our goals by doing nothing. No wonder that, if beginners take those words literally, they feel entitled to expect wonders without effort. Did Lao-Tzu not promise that we can get whatever we want without having to study, make plans, and implement every step carefully? In fact, that’s not what the Tao Te Ching means. Lao-Tzu’s words need to be interpreted by placing them in context. They should not be taken literally, as thought they were prophesies. I cannot warn people enough against taking Taoist quotes out of context. https://johnvespasian.com/warnings-about-the-taoist-idea-of-happiness/

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About

JOHN VESPASIAN is the author of sixteen books, including “When everything fails, try this” (2009), “Rationality is the way to happiness” (2009), “The philosophy of builders” (2010), “The 10 principles of rational living” (2012), “Rational living, rational working” (2013), “Consistency: The key to permanent stress relief” (2014), “On becoming unbreakable” (2015), “Thriving in difficult times” (2016), “Causality: Aristotle’s life and ideas” (2024), “Foresight: Schopenhauer’s life and ideas” (2024), and "Constancy: Michel de Montaigne's life and ideas" (2025).

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  • Creator
    John Vespasian
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    547
  • Rating
    Clean
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    John Vespasian