David Bather Woods
@davidbatherwoods.bsky.social
friendly neighbourhood Schopenhauerian
• part time Proustian • associate professor @philoswarwick.bsky.social • author @uchicagopress.bsky.social
• part time Proustian • associate professor @philoswarwick.bsky.social • author @uchicagopress.bsky.social
Pinned
It’s publication day! Spread the word. The perfect Christmas gift for the pessimist in your life.
Reposted by David Bather Woods
"If we can learn to see every person as a ‘fellow sufferer’, and thus extend our compassion without discrimination, then there are, even in these hard times, genuine grounds for hope."
A new biography shows how Schopenhauer’s philosophy of universal suffering might offer surprising grounds for hope.
Schopenhauer’s philosophy of hope | Charlotte Stroud
engelsbergideas.com/reviews/scho...
Schopenhauer’s philosophy of hope | Charlotte Stroud
engelsbergideas.com/reviews/scho...
Schopenhauer's philosophy of hope
A new biography shows how Schopenhauer’s philosophy of universal suffering might offer surprising grounds for hope.
engelsbergideas.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:53 PM
"If we can learn to see every person as a ‘fellow sufferer’, and thus extend our compassion without discrimination, then there are, even in these hard times, genuine grounds for hope."
Reposted by David Bather Woods
This is a wonderfully thoughtful book review by Stroud. Well worth taking the time to read the review. David Bather Woods' biography is going to be put on my reading list through interlibrary loan tomorrow.
A new biography shows how Schopenhauer’s philosophy of universal suffering might offer surprising grounds for hope.
Schopenhauer’s philosophy of hope | Charlotte Stroud
engelsbergideas.com/reviews/scho...
Schopenhauer’s philosophy of hope | Charlotte Stroud
engelsbergideas.com/reviews/scho...
Schopenhauer's philosophy of hope
A new biography shows how Schopenhauer’s philosophy of universal suffering might offer surprising grounds for hope.
engelsbergideas.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:47 AM
This is a wonderfully thoughtful book review by Stroud. Well worth taking the time to read the review. David Bather Woods' biography is going to be put on my reading list through interlibrary loan tomorrow.
Chicago is having a sale! Get 30% off my new book until 12/3/2025 when you use code HOLIDAY25. @uchicagopress.bsky.social
Arthur Schopenhauer
An engaging biography of one of the most influential Western philosophers and a thought-provoking exploration of how to live with Arthur Schopenhauer’s pessimism. Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) almos...
press.uchicago.edu
November 26, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Chicago is having a sale! Get 30% off my new book until 12/3/2025 when you use code HOLIDAY25. @uchicagopress.bsky.social
Reposted by David Bather Woods
Want to hold a major academic conference in the humanities and social sciences? We offer up to £20k (and sometimes £25k) for a conference on any topic to be held between April 27/March 28. Apply by 29 Jan 2026.
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
British Academy Conferences funding for UK-based researchers
An exceptional opportunity for UK-based scholars to run a landmark event featuring leading-edge research as part of the British Academy’s events programme.
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
November 26, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Want to hold a major academic conference in the humanities and social sciences? We offer up to £20k (and sometimes £25k) for a conference on any topic to be held between April 27/March 28. Apply by 29 Jan 2026.
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
Terry Eagleton has reviewed my book for @lrb.co.uk. I quite like the epithet ‘deliberately non-intimidating’. It’s kind of how I live as well as how I write.
Terry Eagleton · Pregnant with Monsters: Schopenhauer makes a stir
Schopenhauer has long held the title of gloomiest philosopher in history. He sees human existence not as grand tragedy...
www.lrb.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Terry Eagleton has reviewed my book for @lrb.co.uk. I quite like the epithet ‘deliberately non-intimidating’. It’s kind of how I live as well as how I write.
Another lovely review! @uchicagopress.bsky.social
A Clearer, Kinder Schopenhauer
Reviewing Woods’ New Biography of The Great Pessimist
brockcovington.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Another lovely review! @uchicagopress.bsky.social
Reposted by David Bather Woods
A new biography shows how Schopenhauer’s philosophy of universal suffering might offer surprising grounds for hope.
Schopenhauer’s philosophy of hope | Charlotte Stroud
engelsbergideas.com/reviews/scho...
Schopenhauer’s philosophy of hope | Charlotte Stroud
engelsbergideas.com/reviews/scho...
Schopenhauer's philosophy of hope
A new biography shows how Schopenhauer’s philosophy of universal suffering might offer surprising grounds for hope.
engelsbergideas.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:56 AM
A new biography shows how Schopenhauer’s philosophy of universal suffering might offer surprising grounds for hope.
Schopenhauer’s philosophy of hope | Charlotte Stroud
engelsbergideas.com/reviews/scho...
Schopenhauer’s philosophy of hope | Charlotte Stroud
engelsbergideas.com/reviews/scho...
Lovely review of my new book @engelsbergideas.bsky.social
Schopenhauer's philosophy of hope
A new biography shows how Schopenhauer’s philosophy of universal suffering might offer surprising grounds for hope.
engelsbergideas.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Lovely review of my new book @engelsbergideas.bsky.social
Reposted by David Bather Woods
Vandaag maar even bij @boekhandelkooyker.bsky.social langsgegaan om twee bestelde boeken op te halen en natuurlijk kwam ik met vier thuis 😁
#boeken, #books
#boeken, #books
November 25, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Vandaag maar even bij @boekhandelkooyker.bsky.social langsgegaan om twee bestelde boeken op te halen en natuurlijk kwam ik met vier thuis 😁
#boeken, #books
#boeken, #books
Reposted by David Bather Woods
Once again starting to write a book in the only sensible way, viz, by thinking up a title and then working backwards from there to design the cover, construct the page layout, and make some key choices about the typography. Eventually I will begin to fill in the content. I am a very rational person.
November 22, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Once again starting to write a book in the only sensible way, viz, by thinking up a title and then working backwards from there to design the cover, construct the page layout, and make some key choices about the typography. Eventually I will begin to fill in the content. I am a very rational person.
Reposted by David Bather Woods
I published a new blog post introducing early 19th century German Romantic writer Karoline von Günderrode's notes on the history of religion - she had surprisingly good access to European research on the topic for the time: acezekiel.com/2025/11/20/k...
Karoline von Günderrode’s Notes on History of Religion
The notes translated here are taken from Günderrode’s manuscripts held at the Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg in Frankfurt, which are in the public domain.[1] German transcripti…
acezekiel.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:31 PM
I published a new blog post introducing early 19th century German Romantic writer Karoline von Günderrode's notes on the history of religion - she had surprisingly good access to European research on the topic for the time: acezekiel.com/2025/11/20/k...
Reposted by David Bather Woods
New books! The latest Proust of the new OUP translation , and by friends @davidbatherwoods.bsky.social and @lukebrunning.bsky.social
November 21, 2025 at 11:41 AM
New books! The latest Proust of the new OUP translation , and by friends @davidbatherwoods.bsky.social and @lukebrunning.bsky.social
Reposted by David Bather Woods
I appeared on the Philosopher’s Zone for ABC National Radio (Australia) to discuss my new book.
Love, compassion and gloom: the contradictions of Arthur Schopenhauer - ABC listen
It's been said that the work of the 19th century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer should come with a health warning, so stark and pessimistic was his outlook on life. And the man was no less con...
www.abc.net.au
November 20, 2025 at 8:57 AM
I appeared on the Philosopher’s Zone for ABC National Radio (Australia) to discuss my new book.
I appeared on the Philosopher’s Zone for ABC National Radio (Australia) to discuss my new book.
Love, compassion and gloom: the contradictions of Arthur Schopenhauer - ABC listen
It's been said that the work of the 19th century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer should come with a health warning, so stark and pessimistic was his outlook on life. And the man was no less con...
www.abc.net.au
November 20, 2025 at 8:57 AM
I appeared on the Philosopher’s Zone for ABC National Radio (Australia) to discuss my new book.
Reposted by David Bather Woods
I talked to @newyorker.com about four books that inspired my writing about dignity.
www.newyorker.com/books/book-c...
www.newyorker.com/books/book-c...
What We Talk About When We Talk About Dignity
The political philosopher Lea Ypi discusses four books about the inviolable quality of dignity.
www.newyorker.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:31 PM
I talked to @newyorker.com about four books that inspired my writing about dignity.
www.newyorker.com/books/book-c...
www.newyorker.com/books/book-c...
I talked Schop’ on the Hermitix podcast 👇
The Life and Philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer with David Bather Woods
Spotify video
open.spotify.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:13 PM
I talked Schop’ on the Hermitix podcast 👇
Reposted by David Bather Woods
My latest paper has reached 1000 views 🎉 Find out why Schopenhauer’s argument for the worst of all possible worlds isn’t as bad as everyone says👇
📣 New publication! 📣
My article, ‘Schopenhauer’s Worst of All Possible Worlds’, is open access in BJHP 🔓
@philoswarwick.bsky.social @thebshp.bsky.social
My article, ‘Schopenhauer’s Worst of All Possible Worlds’, is open access in BJHP 🔓
@philoswarwick.bsky.social @thebshp.bsky.social
Schopenhauer’s worst of all possible worlds
Few are persuaded by Schopenhauer’s argument that ours is the worst of all possible worlds. In this paper, I propose and defend an alternative reading of Schopenhauer’s argument. According to my re...
www.tandfonline.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:58 PM
My latest paper has reached 1000 views 🎉 Find out why Schopenhauer’s argument for the worst of all possible worlds isn’t as bad as everyone says👇
Reposted by David Bather Woods
It’s publication day! Spread the word. The perfect Christmas gift for the pessimist in your life.
November 18, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Reposted by David Bather Woods
Get out there and grab yourself a copy! For any folks in Oxford, David's going to be here in early December for a book release in Blackwells: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/philosophy...
November 18, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Get out there and grab yourself a copy! For any folks in Oxford, David's going to be here in early December for a book release in Blackwells: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/philosophy...
Reposted by David Bather Woods
Is your life blighted by the insufferable optimists around you? Get them this for Christmas, to make their new year less joyful.
It’s publication day! Spread the word. The perfect Christmas gift for the pessimist in your life.
November 18, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Is your life blighted by the insufferable optimists around you? Get them this for Christmas, to make their new year less joyful.
Reposted by David Bather Woods
Delighted to see this and can’t wait to read!
It’s publication day! Spread the word. The perfect Christmas gift for the pessimist in your life.
November 18, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Delighted to see this and can’t wait to read!
It’s publication day! Spread the word. The perfect Christmas gift for the pessimist in your life.
November 18, 2025 at 9:24 AM
It’s publication day! Spread the word. The perfect Christmas gift for the pessimist in your life.
It’s true, Schopenhauer played the flute - I’ve seen them!
November 17, 2025 at 11:54 PM
It’s true, Schopenhauer played the flute - I’ve seen them!
Reposted by David Bather Woods
This from @davidbatherwoods.bsky.social's biography of Schopenhauer is sending me
November 17, 2025 at 9:15 PM
This from @davidbatherwoods.bsky.social's biography of Schopenhauer is sending me
Reposted by David Bather Woods
She's monetising, baby!
Essays coming on why “gender critical” feminism serves the far right (duh), David Bather Woods’ bio of Schopenhauer, Pluribus, and how quitting academia helped me rediscover the joys of research
Subscribe, or don't, I'm not a cop
wellreadherring.substack.com/p/a-quick-no...
Essays coming on why “gender critical” feminism serves the far right (duh), David Bather Woods’ bio of Schopenhauer, Pluribus, and how quitting academia helped me rediscover the joys of research
Subscribe, or don't, I'm not a cop
wellreadherring.substack.com/p/a-quick-no...
November 14, 2025 at 10:57 AM
She's monetising, baby!
Essays coming on why “gender critical” feminism serves the far right (duh), David Bather Woods’ bio of Schopenhauer, Pluribus, and how quitting academia helped me rediscover the joys of research
Subscribe, or don't, I'm not a cop
wellreadherring.substack.com/p/a-quick-no...
Essays coming on why “gender critical” feminism serves the far right (duh), David Bather Woods’ bio of Schopenhauer, Pluribus, and how quitting academia helped me rediscover the joys of research
Subscribe, or don't, I'm not a cop
wellreadherring.substack.com/p/a-quick-no...