Response for 9-19-11

Schopenhauer's view of the world as two parts: object, the physical presence in space and time, and subject, the immaterial aspect of reality that encompasses the world. According to Schopenhauer, a person's mind and will are the subject that interprets the rest of the world, which is composed of the objects (including the person's own body). Each person has their own "subject" that cannot be seen by others. It's all in representation and interpretation. A person might walk across and trip over the rug and think, "Oh, that rug wasn't flat on the ground and it tripped me," while an observer might think, "Wow, that person is really clumsy to trip over the rug." The objects would be the rug and the person that tripped over it and the subjects would be the differing points of view.