The Entanglement of Rationalism and Mysticism:A Comparative Study of Schopenhauer and Early Wittgenstein

There is an entanglement in the philosophy of Schopenhauer and early Wittgenstein.It stems from the tradition of Western empiricism and religion.Schopenhauer and early Wittgenstein want to distinguish rationalism from mysticism by drawing a clear line of demarcation.As a result,they find that rationalism and mysticism reflect the different respects of the same world.The entanglement of rationalism and mysticism is related to solipsism.Only by casting off solipsism and returning to the life-world,can we solve its problem.So Schopenhauer and early Wittgenstein deviate from the tradition of Platonism in Western philosophy,and inspire Nietzsche,Heidegger and later Wittgenstein to re-think what is the significance of philosophy and religion.