Unit 2: Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813–1855) was a Danish Christian philosopher, theologian, and social critic, widely considered a founding figure in existentialism. Convinced that the Christian faith, as it was generally practiced, had lost its way, Kierkegaard was a fierce critic of religious dogma. Kierkegaard believed that a human being's relationship with God must be hard-won, a matter of devotion and suffering. According to Kierkegaard, a person becomes a committed, responsible human being by making difficult decisions and sacrifices. The force of Kierkegaard's philosophy rests in the notion that human life is paradoxical and absurd and that to confront this absurdity is to become truly human (a theme that is taken up again by Albert Camus, as discussed in Unit 8 of this course). This unit will introduce you to Kierkegaard's life and religious philosophy, as well as provide you with an overview of themes in Kierkegaard's writings that serve as cornerstones for what would be called existentialism by later philosophers discussed in this course – particularly Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. These key existentialist themes include the notions of commitment and responsibility, absurdity, anxiety, and authenticity.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 6 hours.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- identify key developments in Kierkegaard's philosophical thinking;
- summarize Kierkegaard's analysis of faith in his work Fear and Trembling;
- describe Kierkegaard's philosophical critique of rationalism in philosophy;
- define Kierkegaard's notion of despair; and
- explain Kierkegaard's idea that truth is subjectivity.
2.1: On Kierkegaard and the Pseudonyms
Click on the audio player to play "Kierkegaard Part One" and then "Kierkegaard Part Two". After listening to this lecture, answer the following questions: What is the problem with the way in which Christianity is practiced in contemporary society, according to Kierkegaard? Is it even possible to be a Christian in the radical sense suggested by Kierkegaard? What does Kierkegaard mean when he says that Christianity is founded on a paradox? How does Kierkegaard formulate his view that individual existence is a category?
2.2: Kierkegaard's "Fear and Trembling"
Read Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling. As you read and take notes, answer the following questions, focusing on Chapters 3 through 5: What is the distinction that Kierkegaard draws between the aesthetic and the ethical? What does Kierkegaard mean when he says "for religion is the only power which can deliver the aesthetical out of its conflict with the ethical"? What is the religious?
Also do the following: Think about Abraham's decision to sacrifice his son. Answer the following questions: Why is Abraham so willing to do this? How does Kierkegaard justify Abraham's behavior? Jot down your thoughts about what Kierkegaard means by the "teleological suspension of the ethical". What makes Abraham a "knight of faith", according to Kierkegaard? Write down definitions for Kierkegaard's notions of "the aesthetical", "the ethical", and "the religious" as they are used in Chapters 3 through 5. Be sure to include the differences among these concepts in your notes. When is the leap of faith necessary, according to Kierkegaard? Could you, or would you, make such a leap? Is there a place for reason and reasoned argument within Kierkegaard's view of life?
2.3: Kierkegaard's Idea of the Sickness unto Death
Listen to this discussion of Kierkegaard's The Sickness unto Death. As you listen to the lecture, consider answering the following questions: What is Kierkegaard's "three-step system", as discussed in the lecture? How is this system relevant to you as an existing human being? What does Kierkegaard mean when he says that "the sickness is not unto death"? Consider the distinction between authentic and inauthentic despair, according to Kierkegaard. How is despair related to the tension, in human existence, between the finite and the infinite?
2.4: Kierkegaard's Concepts of Subjectivity and Becoming
Read this article on Kierkegaard. As you read, jot down the different stages of life's way, according to Kierkegaard. Then, list examples that illustrate a person's being in any one of these stages. Consider whether or not you have ever been in Kierkegaard's aesthetic stage. If you have, what was that like? If you have not, would you want to be? Why or why not? Consider whether or not you are now in Kierkegaard's ethical stage. If you are, what does being in this stage involve for you? If you are not, would you want to be in this stage? Why or why not? Consider whether or not Kierkegaard's religious stage is a possibility for you. If it is not, consider your reasons. What does Kierkegaard mean when he says that "truth is subjectivity"?
2.5: The Crowd Is Untruth
Read this short excerpt. As you read, consider what it means to "flee for refuge into the crowd", according to Kierkegaard. Then, extend Kierkegaard's discussion by considering other ways in which might we flee into the crowd. Be sure to list and explain your examples.
Unit 2 Assessment
- Receive a grade
Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.
- This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
- You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
- You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.
