In Schopenhauer’s “The World As Will and Representation”, he discusses how a transition is needed for a person to achieve a “pure will-less subject of knowledge” which is important reaching knowledge of “the idea”. The will is impacted by one’s desires and therefore one must negate the will to gain objective knowledge about the world as an idea.
Clip From Interstellar:
The film “Interstellar” represents Schopenhauer’s concept of coming to know “The Idea” through it’s examination of the universe and deeper truths, the protagonist’s self sacrifice of giving up his ability to raise his daughter to save humanity, the transcendence of space and time, and the stunning visuals alongside the film’s musical composition that assists in conveying the film’s message to the audience. The protagonist’s pursuit of higher truths relates to Schopenhauer’s concept of the “transition” where they maintain a “fixed contemplation” on the object which in this case is the Universe. Additionally, the protagonist’s willingness to sacrifice his personal desires is an important part of coming to know “the idea”. Schopenhauer believes that “genius is the power of leaving one’s own interests, wishes, and aims entirely out of sight, thus of entirely renouncing one’s own personality for a time, so as to remain pure knowing subject, clear vision of the world” (The World As Idea, §§36). This is what the protagonists must do to obtain higher truths. He essentially must give up his desire to raise his daughter to embark on this journey. This also relates to Schopenhauer’s idea of “negating” the will. This makes sacrifice of personal desires a central part of coming to know “the idea”.
Furthermore, Schopenhauer states that a man “gives the whole power of his mind to perception, sinks himself entirely in this, and lets his whole consciousness be filled with the quiet contemplation of the natural object actually present” (The World As Idea, §§34). This is what happens when we as audience members are “absorbed” by a film. Many people have those moments where they get so into a show or a movie that they lose track of time and become immersed in the world of the characters. People let go of their personalities and their own interest to “experience” a character’s world. This is why binging shows on Netflix has become such a popular hobby. Every time we interact with something that removes us momentarily from our minds, where we are so consumed by the “perception”of an object, we are coming to know “The Idea”.