Arthur Schopenhauer was one of the most important European philosophers of the 19th century, a key figure in German Idealism whose work had a profound influence on some of the greatest minds of the last two centuries. Clearly and thematically structured, covering all Schopenhauer's key ideas and focusing particularly on the hugely important The World as Will and Representation, Starting with Schopenhauer leads the reader through a thorough overview of the development of his thought, resulting in a more thorough understanding of the roots of his philosophical concerns. Offering coverage of the full range of Schopenhauer's ideas, the book explains how his thinking was marked at a tender age by the sight of suffering and explores the philosophical implications of his belief that the world is fundamentally evil. Crucially the book introduces the major thinkers and events that proved influential in the development of Schopenhauer's work, including Kant, Hume and Darwin. This is the ideal introduction for anyone coming to the work of this hugely important thinker for the first time.