Søren Kierkegaard

Søren Kierkegaard's family2

Kierkegaard influences

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Regine Olsen (Emil Bærentzen)

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Kierkegaard's works

Frygt og Bæven

Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments

Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (5 May 1813 – 11 November 1855) was a Danish philosopher, theologian, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher. He wrote critical texts on organized religion, Christendom, morality, ethics, psychology, and the philosophy of religion, displaying a fondness for metaphor, irony, and parables. Much of his philosophical work deals with the issues of how one lives as a "single individual," giving priority to concrete human reality over abstract thinking and highlighting the importance of personal choice and commitment.

Biography

Søren Kierkegaard was born into an affluent family in Copenhagen. His father, Michael Pedersen Kierkegaard, was a deeply melancholic man who influenced Kierkegaard's outlook on life and philosophy. Kierkegaard was educated at the University of Copenhagen, where he studied theology, but his studies also included literature and philosophy, reflecting his broad range of interests.

Philosophical Work

Kierkegaard's philosophical work spans a wide array of subjects, from the concept of anxiety, despair, and freedom to the critique of rationalism and the importance of subjective experience and decision-making. His major philosophical texts include Either/Or, Fear and Trembling, The Concept of Anxiety, The Sickness Unto Death, and Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments.

Existentialism

Kierkegaard is often cited as the precursor to the existentialist movement, though he did not use the term "existentialism" himself. His focus on the individual's subjective experience and responsibility in the face of an absurd world laid the groundwork for later existentialist thinkers, such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, and Martin Heidegger.

Critique of Hegelianism

Kierkegaard was a vocal critic of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel's philosophy, which he believed overstated the role of reason and neglected the individual's subjective experience. He argued that life cannot be understood through abstract philosophical systems but must be lived and experienced directly.

Influence and Legacy

Kierkegaard's influence extends beyond philosophy into theology, literature, psychology, and cultural studies. His ideas on individuality, ethics, and the nature of existence have inspired a wide range of thinkers and writers. Despite being relatively unknown during his lifetime, Kierkegaard's work gained significant attention in the 20th century and continues to be studied and admired.

Selected Works

• Either/Or (1843)
• Fear and Trembling (1843)
• The Concept of Anxiety (1844)
• The Sickness Unto Death (1849)
• Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments (1846)

See Also

• Existentialism
• Philosophy of Religion
• Ethics in philosophy
• Psychology