The uniqueness of the ethical system put forward by Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) becomes clear when we compare it with other philosophies. I regard it as particularly enlightening to compare Schopenhauer’s ethics with Taoism and Stoicism. Taoism was created in ancient China. It predicates harmony with nature, spontaneity, modesty, simplicity and steering away from violence. Lao-Tzu (6th century BC) preceded Plato by a century. After his death, his disciples put his teachings in writing. For Taoists, the higher values are inner balance and tranquillity. They view those as more important than justice and self-fulfilment. A commonality between Taoism and Schopenhauer’s ethics is that both of them regard compassion as a cardinal virtue. For Taoists, compassion rests on the belief that all living creatures are interconnected, and that it’s good to help alleviate suffering in others. Nonetheless, Schopenhauer’s ethics call for self-awareness, foresight, and taking initiative against impending danger. This is not the case of Taoism. Its emphasis on aligning oneself with the world and living in harmony with events is not compatible with determined action. Taoists call for Wu Wei, that is, “non-action” or “effortless action” as their main tool for achieving balance and tranquillity but such a tool is doomed to failure. Schopenhauer understood this problem perfectly well. If you want to do the right thing, it is not sufficient to go with the flow. If you devote yourself to Wu Wei, you might find harmony, naturalness and spontaneity, but you will also find catastrophes and suffering. Passivity and effortless action are insufficient to solve severe problems. Wu Wei can easily turn your life into hell. Schopenhauer rejected passivity in his book “The world as will and representation” (1818). It is naive to expect Wu Wei to lead to effectiveness and happiness. If you follow “the natural flow of life,” chances are that the will (“life force”) drives you to harmful action because of its extreme short-term orientation. In daily life, Schopenhauer adopted many habits that match the Taoist paradigm; especially after settling down in Frankfurt in 1830, he led a lifestyle of frugality, moderation, simplicity, and self-reliance. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/analysis-of-schopenhauers-views-on-ethics/