Learning from kierkegaards three godly discourses on the. The essay is ostensibly an analysis of mozarts opera don giovanni, yet it is the platitudinous introduction to the essayan introduction which is as long as the entire rest of. Thanks to that, there is the english edition of either or, which consists solely of volume 2. Kierkegaard was neither a philosopher nor the author of a doctrine both of whom he openly despised. Kierkegaards discourse or sermon on job has quite a different feel from the discussion of job that appears in constantine constantiuss repetition published on the same october day as the discourse and fear and trembling. One of these is aesthetic, whereas another is ethical. In this article kierkegaard begins by stating that there is no consensus as to the authorship of the work. While i do think the sickness unto death is one of kierkegaards greatest works, i wouldnt recommend it for someone unfamiliar. What if everything in the world were a misunderstanding, what if laught.
The same thing happened to me that, according to legend, happened to parmeniscus, who in the trophonean cave lost the ability to laugh but acquired it again on the island of delos upon seeing a shapeless block that was said to be the image of the goddess leto. Oct 28, 2009 kierkegaard was neither a philosopher nor the author of a doctrine both of whom he openly despised. Kierkegaard wrote the book under a series of false names, or pseudonyms. Kierkegaard definition of kierkegaard by the free dictionary. Kierkegaard s magnum opus either or was published 20 february 1843.
He was also a theologian, and much of his work centered on faith in god, christian love, and the christian church, but he approached these subjects from a philosophical rather than a biblical. A fragment of life public library, which also gave us his abiding wisdom on our greatest source of unhappiness and the only true cure for our existential emptiness. Keeping two strands in motion also allowed him to approach a single conundrum simultaneously from two perspectives. Kierkegaardian synonyms, kierkegaardian pronunciation, kierkegaardian translation, english dictionary definition of kierkegaardian. Id rather be a swineherd than a misunderstood poet. Kierkegaard made the actual eitheror a choice between the human esthetic and ethical on the one hand, and the religious on the other hand.
Explore some of soren kierkegaard, either or best quotations and sayings on such as if you marry you will regret it. In eitheror, using the voices of two characters the aesthetic young man of part one, called simply a, and the ethical judge vilhelm of the second section kierkegaard reflects upon the search for a meaningful existence, contemplating subjects as diverse as mozart, drama, boredom, and, in the famous seducers diary, the cynical seduction and ultimate rejection of a. May 05, 2016 transcending the trap of eitheror, kierkegaard suggests, is an immense expansion of possibility, which is in turn lifes greatest reward. Soren kierkegaard, 1843 either or enten eller personality is only ripe when a man has made the truth his own. In eitheror, soren kierkegaard seeks to elucidate the contrasts and interrelationships between what kierkegaard called the aesthetical and the ethical modes of existence. Squashed philosophers complete text kierkegaard either or. Although he wrote extensively, kierkegaard employed the rhetorical device of irony so successfully that it is difficult to be sure what views he would have defended seriously. Jul 01, 2004 in eitheror, using the voices of two characters the aesthetic young man of part one, called simply a, and the ethical judge vilhelm of the second section kierkegaard reflects upon the search for a meaningful existence, contemplating subjects as diverse as mozart, drama, boredom, and, in the famous seducers diary, the cynical seduction and ultimate rejection of a young, beautiful woman. Kierkegaard begins with this common conundrum and extrapolates from it the. Either or is both a search for lost time and the meditations.
Concluding unscientific postscript summary supersummary. In eitheror, using the voices of two charactersthe aesthetic young man of part one, called simply a, and the ethical judge vilhelm of the second sectionkierkegaard reflects upon the search for a meaningful existence, contemplating subjects as diverse as mozart, drama, boredom, and, in the famous seducers diary, the cynical seduction and ultimate rejection of a young. Approaching the work through some of his selfconscious reflections upon. There is something bracing about kierkegaards courageous insistence on dramatic, lifedefining decisions. Its at times cynical, at times sorrowful, at times nihilistic, at times optimistic, and very often it is comedic to the degree that i burst out laughing we laugh because a mirror has been held up to our eyes. Appearing in two volumes in 1843 under the pseudonymous editorship of victor eremita latin for victorious hermit, it outlines a theory of human existence, marked by the distinction between an essentially hedonistic, aesthetic mode of life and the ethical life, which is predicated. The question of clarification arises from the kierkegaardian frame of eitheror, which jaarsma tends to read through the postmodern magic of the verge. The irony of kierkegaards juxtaposition of the two opposing voices provides a thick layer of indirection that cannot be ignored. Enten eller is the first published work of the danish philosopher soren kierkegaard. Laugh at the stupidities of the world or weep over them, you will regret it either way. His writings can not therefore be taught or categorized. Either or paperback november 21, 1971 by soren kierkegaard author. Eitheror discussion chapter 1 ah, i have been waiting for this.
Full text of soren kierkegaard, eitheror 1843 wiki see other formats either or for other uses, see either or disambiguation. As with most of kierkegaards writing eitheror is a dense text. Soren kierkegaard was born on 5 th may, 18 in an affluent family in copenhagen. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Eitheror 59 precluding the possibility that a more re. Among the pieces which comprise this book is the essay entitled the immediate erotic stages or the musical erotic. He seems to have suffered some sort of trauma early on, associated with his breakingoff an engagement to his beloved regine olsen he never married, or perhaps because of his sternly religious father, or the fact that his mother, and all but one of his six siblings, died young. Enten eller is the first published work of the danish philosopher s0ren kierkegaard. But such praise would ring hollow to this philosopherpoet. Humanity, nature, and the moral status of animals darren c. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of concluding unscientific postscript by soren kierkegaard. Become subjective is the highest task that he assigned to men.
A fragment of life public library, which also gave us his abiding wisdom on our greatest source of unhappiness and the only true cure. In eitheror, using the voices of two charactersthe aesthetic young man of part one, called simply a, and the ethical judge vilhelm of the second sectionkierkegaard reflects upon the search for a meaningful existence, contemplating subjects as diverse as mozart, drama, boredom, and, in the famous seducers diary, the cynical seduction and ultimate rejection of a young, beautiful woman. Kierkegaard turns to faith in god as a path of redemption from meaninglessness while camus rejects faith as a form of intellectual suicide and cowardice. It took some restraint on my part not to read beyond the first chapter, so that we can discover this wonderful book together. Yet, especially because of his either or approach, kierkegaard forces the individual to confront the truth on an individual level. On the final page of eitheror, kierkegaard wrote, only the truth that builds up is the truth for thee. Soren kierkegaard, eitheror 1843 wiki internet archive. Either or includes essays of literary and music criticism and a set of romanticlikeaphorisms, as part of his larger theme of examining the reflective and. Kierkegaard s discourse or sermon on job has quite a different feel from the discussion of job that appears in constantine constantiuss repetition published on the same october day as the discourse and fear and trembling. Here, to begin, are three quotes from the aesthetic man, the either of our either or. Still, these texts spoke clearly enough to the european intellectuals of kierkegaards time to gain wide readership.
Generally considered the first relatively modern existentialist if we do not consider existential currents in ancient greek thought, zen, etc. The irony of kierkegaard s juxtaposition of the two opposing voices provides a thick layer of indirection that cannot be ignored. Eitheror kierkegaards writings book 3 soren kierkegaard. Zook the moral significance of the relationship between human and non human species has long remained an unresolved conundrum that has perplexed and beguiled many a philosopher. As with most of kierkegaard s writing either or is a dense text. Kierkegaard contrasts the philosophical system because he asserts the truth of individual existence and subjectivity. The philosophical era into which he was bom and grew up was the golden age of gelman idealism. Contrary to what one might think, it is not a latin word, and is described in my dictionary as ety.
Kierkegaards closest literary and philosophical models are plato, j. He was also a theologian, and much of his work centered on faith in god, christian love, and the christian church, but he approached these subjects from a philosophical rather than a biblical viewpoint. Kierkegaard 4 kierkegaard and the freedom of the will soren kierkegaard is one of the most misunderstood and controversial thinkers in modern history. Kierkegaards message in his three godly discourses is rooted in the objective reality of the gospel. Kierkegaards early works and eitheror, fear and trembling and stages on lifes way were all written under pseudonyms. Subjectivity is thruth is one of the most famous quotes by kierkegaard. This is uploaded as creative commons share and share alike. Soren kierkegaard biography childhood, life achievements.
His mother, ane sorensdatter lund kierkegaard was a quiet, plain lady with no formal education. Mar 19, 2009 keeping two strands in motion also allowed him to approach a single conundrum simultaneously from two perspectives. Thanks to that, there is the english edition of eitheror, which consists solely of volume 2. Like a sermon,he must be read aloud by a living soul preferably in the company of fellow travellers at the same stage on the lifes way. Trust a girl or do not trust her, you will regret it either way.
Yet, especially because of his eitheror approach, kierkegaard forces the individual to confront the truth on an individual level. Eitheror is discredited by its principle reliance on the necessity to choose between an aesthetic or ethical life. Kierkegaard makes the point that we have to choose between these if we want to have purpose to life because of the inherent contradiction between the two. Still, these texts spoke clearly enough to the european intellectuals of kierkegaard s time to gain wide readership. Appearing in two volumes in 1843 under the pseudonymous editorship of victor eremita, it outlines a theory of human existence, marked by the distinction between an essentially hedonistic, aesthetic mode of life and the ethical life, which is predicated upon commitment. Kierkegaardian definition of kierkegaardian by the free. His father, michael pedersen kierkegaard was a stern man with an ardent imagination. In ks view, truth is found through subjectivity, through our individual, unique apprehension of things. Heres an early quote from kierkegaards journals there is a world of difference between proud courage which dares to fear the worst and the humble courage which dares to hope for the best. I argue that an analysis of key terms of contestfaith and lucidity, revolt and suicide, abraham and sisyphus, despair. Kierkegaard explores and theorizes regarding this social custom. Kierkegaard was born in 18 to a prosperous family in copenhagen. Years later he would reflect on his authorship and its purpose.
Eitheror is his first major work and remains one of his most widely read. The author has made an effort to formulate a sophisticated look at marriage. Soren kierkegaards eitheror was first published in copenhagen in 1843. Were i to wish for anything i would not wish for wealth and power, but for the passion of the possible, that eye which everywhere, ever young, ever burning, sees possibility. Soren aabye kierkegaard 181855 was a prolific author and philosopher who lived in nineteenthcentury denmark. Kierkegaard tried to keep us from such acts of repression. Kierkegaard considered eitheror to have a plan from the first word to the last. Either or is the first published work of the danish philosopher soren kierkegaard. Explore some of soren kierkegaard, eitheror best quotations and sayings on such as if you marry you will regret it. In this sense, he weds the objective and subjective in a helpful way. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext.
People are vapid, unreasonable, life is a trouble, i feel trapped, and bored. Kierkegaard is one of a small cadre of philosophers who can be read for the sheer delight of their words. Kierkegaard wanted to enter into different ways of seeing the world in order to help people see their own situations more clearly, and in order that they might be able to come to their own conclusions. Nov 21, 2018 heres an early quote from kierkegaard s journals there is a world of difference between proud courage which dares to fear the worst and the humble courage which dares to hope for the best. Kierkegaard pen name victor eremita in 2 volumes in 1843. Kierkegaard considered either or to have a plan from the first word to the last.
He posits various theories on the authorship based on. It was published in two volumes amounting to over 800 pages. Jul 18, 2008 a far more difficult issue is the time of receipt of communication since estonian contract law does not adhere to either the dispatch theory or the receipt principle. Soren kierkegaard is useful to us because of the intensity of his despair at the compromises and cruelties of daily life. Kierkegaard s message in his three godly discourses is rooted in the objective reality of the gospel. Hong this is based on an ocr scan, it has been partly edited, but still contaions significant errors.
Here, to begin, are three quotes from the aesthetic man, the either of our eitheror. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Agreed, either or is the closest you will come to a full picture of kierkegaard s philosophy. I argue that an analysis of key terms of contestfaith and lucidity, revolt and.
But kierkegaard posited three stages or spheres of existence. Each life view is written and represented by a fictional pseudonymous author, with the prose of the work. A far more difficult issue is the time of receipt of communication since estonian contract law does not adhere to either the dispatch theory or the receipt principle. This is a wikipedia article about soren kierkegaards 1843 book eitheror as it was 01172015. Whether you laugh at the stupidities of the world or you weep over them, you will regret it either way. It took some restraint on my part not to read beyond the first chapter, so. Although the estonian law of obligation draws a distinction between oral and other written communications, the latter reaches the addressee or are deemed to be received only. The philosophies of soren kierkegaard and albert camus have typically been considered as inverted images of each other. Nearly two centuries earlier, the influential danish philosopher soren kierkegaard may 5, 18november 11, 1855 explored the abiding metaphysical dimension of this notion in his 1843 masterwork eitheror.
Published in 1846, concluding unscientific postscript to the. Kierkegaard describes this sphere through the famous analysis in fear and trembling of abraham and isaac on mount moriah. I was introduced to kierkegaard through the sickness unto death, and after that i read works of love. In 1830, he attended the school of civic virtue, ostre borgerdyd gymnasium. Secondly, the two parts of the eitheror choice are the two stages of the esthetic and the ethical. Mar 03, 2009 kierkegaard s early works and either or, fear and trembling and stages on lifes way were all written under pseudonyms. Agreed, eitheror is the closest you will come to a full picture of kierkegaards philosophy.
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