The will to life (Wille zum Leben) is that around which the whole thought and philosophy of Schopenhauer revolves. It defines, forms, and confirms his pessimism; it is that in which he grounds human suffering and the pain and sorrow pertaining to human existence.
The Will To Life and Striving
For Schopenhauer, there is a relation between the will to life, striving, and existing in the world. Striving belongs in existence, which means that to exist is to be continuously striving toward a certain goal in a still undecided future, a goal in a present yet to come. That is to say, existing means being turned, in hoping, thinking, imagining, acting, and working, toward a specific end and a multiplicity of ends.
This constant turning toward and heading to a destination means that directionality resides in existence and belongs together with striving. The direction preceding, forming, and establishing all directionality and every direction is the preservation and bringing forth of life, that is, the safeguarding and multiplying of life.
This is where the will to life is to be glimpsed and understood, according to Schopenhauer: “The fundamental theme of all the many different acts of will is the satisfaction of the needs inseparable from the body’s existence in health; they have their expression in it, and can be reduced to the maintenance of the individual and the propagation of the species.”
The will to life expresses a relation between willing and life and indicates that willing belongs in living in the sense of being inseparable from each other. That is to say, as long as there is life and living, there is willing and striving. This means that the fulfilling of a specific willing only leads to the arising of another will, a new wishing, and a different striving; inevitably, constantly, and repeatedly, which means that willing itself never ends and that the will to life exceeds all willing and every fulfilling. Schopenhauer says that “its desires are unlimited, its claims inexhaustible, and every satisfied desire gives birth to a new one. No possible satisfaction in the world could suffice to still its craving, set a final goal to its demands, and fill the bottomless pit of its heart”.
The Endlessness of Craving
Schopenhauer says that the will to life is neither conscious nor rational, although it shapes and dominates all conscious and rational life. It is blind and dominates blindly. Neither is there thinking pertaining to it, nor does rationality belong to it. It only dwells in everything that exists and drives it toward life, toward the sustaining of life, and toward any possible additional bringing forth of life.
Life thus constitutes the highest yet unchosen wishing and striving. Life is that toward which all striving and every wishing are directed; it justifies them but is itself left unjustified. That is to say, all striving is toward life even before any happening of thinking or understanding concerning why life should be that toward which all attempts should be directed: We are decided and determined by that which precedes any understanding of what deciding and determining mean.
The will to life precedes understanding itself and knows no finality concerning striving. Its striving is without any end. Schopenhauer says that “the will dispenses entirely with an ultimate aim and object. It always strives, because striving is its sole nature, to which no attained goal can put an end. Such striving is therefore incapable of final satisfaction; it can be checked only by hindrance, but in itself it goes on forever”.
That the will has no ultimate aim means that there is no final, absolute, or total good. That which is good is only what fulfills a certain wishing or satisfies a specific willing; that which is good is merely a striving finding and holding within itself what it is turned toward. But willing itself is constant and striving is perpetual: “The will can just as little through some satisfaction cease to will always afresh, as time can end or begin; for the will there is no permanent fulfillment which completely and forever satisfies its craving”.