<p>Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) was a German philosopher and a proponent of pessimistic philosophy. Deeply cynical of love and the want for children, he believed humans are all mere animals ¿ just far more unhappy, because of our self-awareness.<br><br>The porcupine dilemma is a metaphor about the challenges of human intimacy. Schopenhauer believed that, despite our good intentions, human intimacy cannot occur without substantial harm.<br><br>By adapting famous animal parables, the Pocket Philosophy series seeks to introduce inquisitive readers of all ages ¿ from 1 to 100! ¿ to the biggest names in philosophy.</p>