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Schopenhauer, Arthur - The World as Will and Idea - Form and function
Identifier
003995
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Form is a reflection of function - that is what Schopenhauer is saying here
A description of the experience
The World as Will and Idea – Arthur Schopenhauer
The objectification of the will
This is the basis for the perfect conformity overall of the human and animal body to the human and animal will, a conformity resembling, though far surpassing, that between a purpose made tool and the will of its maker, and on this account appearing as appropriateness ie the assumption that the body can be interpreted teleologically.
So the parts of the body must perfectly correspond to the principal desires through which the will manifests itself; they must be the visible expression of these desires. Teeth, throat and intestines are objectified hunger; the genitals are objectified sexual desire; the grasping hands, the swift feet, correspond to the strivings of the will which they represent at a grade later and more indirect.
As the human form generally corresponds to the human will generally, so the individual physique corresponds to the individually modified will – the character of the individual – and hence it is entirely and in every detail indicative and expressive of the individual character.