S. Kierkegaard

1
S. Kierkegaard

• Early Existentialism

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Religious Practices in Denmark

• Kierkegaards critique on Hegels Philosophy
  concerns not only with the theoretical interests,
  but also with the practical and concrete
  situation of his time. In that time Hegelianism
  dominated not only the academic field, but also
  the religious practices of the Christianity in
  Denmark. The religious practices that Kierkegaard
  criticized were religious formalism and
  ritualism. The Christianity became an objective
  religion with detail ritual procedure and
  objective dogmas. And the people dont care of
  their very subjective faith and commitment to
  this Christian faith. Kierkegaard saw Hegels
  abstractionism being responsible for this
  spiritual decadence.

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Critique on HegelAbstractionism

• Kierkegaard argues that with his dialectics of
  spirit Hegel has abstracted all thing and
  despised man as concrete human person. The real
  in Hegels philosophy is not the experience of
  the concrete individual, but the abstract idea.
  Hegel views also the collective (we, our time,
  nation, mass etc.) as higher and more real than
  the individual and particular. Kierkegaard
  criticizes Hegel that he has reduced man as
  individual to be an element of crowd. Man loses
  his authenticity.

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What is Existence?

• The concept of existence can be applied only on
  man as individual. Only I can exist and can not
  be reduced to the other realities like society,
  economy, idea etc. To exist means to live not
  mechanically, but consciously, personally and
  subjectively. In other word to exist means to
  live authentically.
• Existence (that-ness) is not essence (what-ness),
  because essence is abstract and universal.

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Existential Dialectics

• Kierkegaard disagrees with Hegels dialectics of
  idea and proposes his own view of dialectics that
  he called existential dialectics.
• Not like Hegels dialectics, existential
  dialectics runs not automatically or
  mechanistically according to abstract system. Its
  phases are achieved through existential leap,
  i.e. decision.
• Existential leap is based on the
  either-or-decision, not on synthesis of bothand.

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Three existential stages

• 1. Aesthetical stage the individual is confused
  with his sensuality and his thirst on pleasure.
  The hero of this stage is Don Juan. With the
  boredom the individual experiences crisis and is
  challenged to leap into the higher stage.
• 2. Ethical stage the individual obeys the
  universal ethical principle of bad and good. He
  relays himself on his reason. The hero here is
  the tragic hero like Socrates. According to this
  hero the human weakness can be superseded by
  human will. He doesnt know the sin.
• 3. Religious stage the individual believes in
  God as the paradox and hopes on His mercy. He
  makes a commitment to God and enters the
  relationship with the absolute. The hero here is
  Abraham that sacrifices Isaac for God sake. The
  faith of Abraham is the true commitment to the
  paradox of life.