Will-primacy doctrine, not pessimism, is Schopenhauer’s most influential legacy.

Evidence

More important than pessimism was the doctrine of the primacy of the will. It is obvious that this doctrine has no necessary logical connection with pessimism, and those who held it after Schopenhauer frequently found in it a basis for optimism. In one form or another, the doctrine that will is paramount has been held by many modern philosophers, notably Nietzsche, Bergson, James, and Dewey. It has, moreover, acquired a vogue outside the circles of professional philosophers. And in proportion as will has gone up in the scale, knowledge has gone down. This is, I think, the most notable change that has come over the temper of philosophy in our age. It was prepared by Rousseau and Kant, but was first proclaimed in its purity by Schopenhauer. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2752

Categorization

• XREF: Directly links to Nietzsche, Bergson, James, Dewey — key figures for tracing the will’s primacy through 19th-20th century philosophy. — connects to: Schopenhauer derived body-as-will doctrine from Kant’s moral law view. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2737; Schopenhauer held that will is the source of all suffering. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2739; Rousseau and Kant prepared the doctrine Schopenhauer first proclaimed pure. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2752 (+2 more)
• SEED: Angle: ‘When will displaced reason’ — tracing the anti-rationalist turn from Rousseau through Schopenhauer into pragmatism and existentialism.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2752

Broader Connections

• Schopenhauer derived body-as-will doctrine from Kant’s moral law view. #expands (0.70) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2737
• Schopenhauer held that will is the source of all suffering. #qualifies (0.60) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2739
• Rousseau and Kant prepared the doctrine Schopenhauer first proclaimed pure. #expands (0.50) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2752