Philipp Mainländer was born on October 23, 1841, in Worms, Grand Duchy of Hesse (now in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany). He studied philosophy in Berlin and Heidelberg, where he became deeply interested in the works of Arthur Schopenhauer, whose pessimistic philosophy would leave a lasting impact on his thoughts.
Mainländer argued that the fundamental force of the universe is not a Will to Life, but a . Life is merely a temporary, regrettable detour on the path to non-existence. The "Will to Life" is an illusion that covers over the deeper, more fundamental drive toward cessation. philip mainlander