Peter Wessel Zapffe Philosopher

Peter Wessel Zapffe (December 18, 1899 – October 12, 1990) was a Norwegian metaphysician, author and mountaineer. He is often noted for his philosophically pessimistic and fatalistic view of human existence—his system of philosophy in line with the work of the earlier philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, by whom he was inspired—as well as his firm advocacy of antinatalism. His thoughts regarding the error of human life are presented in the essay "The Last Messiah" (Norwegian: Den sidste Messias, 1933). This essay is a shorter version of his best-known work, the philosophical treatise On the Tragic (Om det tragiske, 1941).

Personal facts

Birth dateDecember 18, 1899
Birth place
Tromsø
Date of deathOctober 12, 1990
Place of death
Asker
Era
20th-century philosophy
Main interest
Metaphysics

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