Q0117
“Solitude is the lot of all outstanding minds.” — Arthur Schopenhauer (Parerga und Paralipomena (on solitude))
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Parerga und Paralipomena (on solitude). Theme: wisdom.
English
Solitude is the lot of all outstanding minds.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Parerga und Paralipomena (on solitude) and files it under Voluntarism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Arthur Schopenhauer
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) was a German philosopher of pessimism whose The World as Will and Representation fused Kantian phenomena with a blind metaphysical will. Largely ignored while Hegel dominated Berlin, he later won fame influencing artists and psychologists.
How to read this passage
Unlike mere information, wisdom concerns judgment. Ancient schools linked it to virtue, moderation, and the right relation to desire. This passage enters that discussion through wisdom, self.
Concepts in this quote
- Wisdom
- Wisdom is practical insight under uncertainty: knowing what matters, what one does not know, and how to act without false certainty.
- Self
- Philosophy quotes about self explore identity, responsibility, and the examined life—from Socrates’ unexamined life to modern phenomenology and existential authenticity.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Arthur Schopenhauer. (n.d.). Solitude is the lot of all outstanding minds. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0117
MLA: Arthur Schopenhauer. “Solitude is the lot of all outstanding minds..” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0117.
Chicago: Arthur Schopenhauer. “Solitude is the lot of all outstanding minds..” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0117.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Solitude is the lot of all outstanding minds.”?
The passage is attributed to Arthur Schopenhauer, Parerga und Paralipomena (on solitude). The archive attributes this English wording to Parerga und Paralipomena (on solitude) and files it under Voluntarism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Arthur Schopenhauer mean by wisdom?
Unlike mere information, wisdom concerns judgment. Ancient schools linked it to virtue, moderation, and the right relation to desire. This passage enters that discussion through wisdom, self.