Peter Wessel Zapffe (December 18, 1899-October 12, 1990) was a Norwegian author and philosopher. He was born in Tromsø and was well known for his somewhat pessimistic view of human existence. His basic thoughts about the error of human existence are presented in the essay, The Last Messiah (original: Den sidste Messias 1933). This essay is a shorter version of his best-known work, the philosophical treatise, On the Tragic (original: Om det tragiske 1941). December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1899 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... County Troms Landscape Municipality NO-1902 Administrative centre Tromsø Mayor (2004) Herman Kristoffersen (Ap) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 18 2,566 km² 2,519 km² 0. ... Den sidste Messias is one of Peter Wessel Zapffes most significant essays, which sums up his own thoughts from his longer essay, On the Tragic. ... 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Zapffe's theory, is that humans are born with an overdeveloped skill (understanding, self-knowledge) which does not fit into nature's design. The human craving for justification on matters such as life and death cannot be satisfied, hence humanity has a need that nature cannot provide satisfaction for. The tragedy, following this theory, is that humans spend all their time trying not to be human. The human being, therefore, is a paradox. The word theory has a number distinct meanings depending on the context. ... Human beings are defined variously in biological, spiritual, and cultural terms, or in combinations thereof. ... Robert Boyles self-flowing flask fills itself in this diagram, but perpetual motion machines do not exist. ...

Zapffe described four principal defense mechanisms that humankind uses to avoid facing this paradox:

• Isolation. One hides from the truth. The individual simply does not talk or think about it.
• The anchoring mechanism. This mechanism is based on all things humans take for granted.
• Distraction. The most popular defense mechanism; the individual simply focusses their attention on external impressions.
• Sublimation. The least popular defense mechanism; the individual outdistances him / herself and looks at their existence from an aesthetic point of view (eg, writers, poets, painters.) Zapffe pointed out the fact that he himself used this method combined with a sense of humor concerning the nature of life.

Zappfe was a prolific mountain climber and author of many humorous short stories about climbing and other adventures in nature, taking a very early interest in environmentalism. Environmentalism is the support or involvement with the environmental movement by environmentalists. ...

Greater works

• Om det tragiske (en. On the tragic), Oslo 1941 og 1983.
• Vett og uvett. Stubber fra Troms og Nordland (en. Wits and witless) by Einar K. Aas and P.W Zapffe, Trondheim 1942.
• Den fortapte sønn, En dramatisk gjenfortælling (en. The lost son, a dramatic renarration), Oslo 1951.
• Indføring i litterær dramaturgi (en. Introduction to literary dramaturgy), Oslo 1961.
• Den logiske sandkasse (en. The logical sandpit), Oslo 1965.
• Essays og epistler, 1967
• Barske gleder, 1969
• Lyksalig pinsefest (en. Blissful Pentecost), Oslo 1972.
• Hos doktor Wangel (en. With dr. Wangel), by Ib Henriksen (pseudonym.), Oslo 1974. Play.
• Rikets hemmelighet (en. The secret of the kingdom), Oslo 1985.
• Hvordan jeg blev så flink, 1986

County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1983 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... County Sør-Trøndelag Landscape Municipality NO-1601 Administrative centre Trondheim Mayor (2005) Rita Ottervik (A) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 258 342 km² 322 km² 0. ... 1942 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Den Fortapte sønn (en. ... Den Fortapte sønn (en. ... County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... 1961 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1969 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... 1985 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Biosophy
• Philosophy
• Existentialism
• Nihilism

Biosophy, meaning wisdom of life or worldly wisdom, is a term probably first used by Ignaz Paul Vitalis Troxler, a Swiss philosopher, in 1806. ... The term philosophy derives from a combination of the Greek words philos meaning love and sophia meaning wisdom. ... Existentialism is a philosophical movement that views the individual, the self, the individuals experience, and the uniqueness therein as the basis for understanding the nature of human existence. ... Gods death or nonexistence is a quintessential nihilistic concern. ...

External links

• "Philosopher of tragedy" by Thomas Hylland Eriksen (http://folk.uio.no/geirthe/Zapffe.html)
• "The View from Mount Zapffe" by Gisle Tangenes (http://www.philosophynow.org/issue45/45tangenes.htm)
• NORLA on On The Tragic (http://www.norla.no/nonfiction/philosophy.htm#tragic)