The Philosophy of Soren Kierkegaard

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The Philosophy of Soren Kierkegaard
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Background

• The way to truth is not through the great
  systems, such as Hegels, but through the embrace
  of ambiguity and paradox, self-study and
  self-inquiry.

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Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)

• Soren often lamented that he had never had a
  childhood of carefree spontaneity, but he had
  been born old.

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Kierkegaards Philosophy

• Kierkegaard was concerned that a socialization of
  Christianity had made it safe and tame. It was no
  longer a risk, and above all, he wanted
  Christianity to be a huge risk.

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Kierkegaards Philosophy

• And interestingly enough, the first truth to be
  faced is very often that we simply do not know.
  For Kierkegaard, faith is that force, or energy,
  which allows one to bear to stand in front of
  that unknowing.

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Kierkegaards Philosophy

• Questioning opens us to the experience of truth,
  while imagining we already know the truth
  prevents us from having the experience.

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Kierkegaards Philosophy

• Kierkegaard was quick to point out that we are
  all guilty of idolatry every time we place the
  values of the crowd above our own conscience.

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Summary

• Kierkegaard was antagonistic, not toward the use
  of reason, but to its abuse and presumptuousness.

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Summary

• Burning questions, when listened to attentively,
  bring us to that silence where, perhaps, we can
  hope to hear as if for the first time.