Soren Kierkegaard

In the world of the existentialist there are many questions that need answering. Why do we exist? What is right and what is wrong? Who decides what is right and what is wrong?

Throughout his life, existentialist,tried to answer these and many other perplexing questions. Kierkegaard was a devout Christian who felt that it should be the goal of all humans to become a Christian just as he had.

Human life in general does not r Soren Kierkegaard eally concern the existentialist, however the choices that the human makes throughout their life, do. "The primary goal of the existentialist writer is to make all humans aware that they are living individuals who in their freedom make decisions and are responsible for them." (Oaklander 3) Numerous themes abound in the existentialist's world that they deal with and discuss in their writings. Examples would be: primacy of the individual, critique of reason, inauthentic vs. authentic, the boundary situation, alienation, encounter with nothingness, dread, community, freedom and commitment.

In his works, Soren Kierkegaard attempted to answer the question of what exactly the goal of the human person was. His primary question was one of a religious nature. He believed that it was the goal of all persons to become close with God, accept him and become a Christian. "Kierkegaard's writings enable the individual to come to grips with his or her own Ð''subjectivity'." (Oaklander 2)

"Kierkegaard was one of the first existential thinkers to believe that truth is found only in one's own individual, not in psychological experience, science, philosophy or the sciences of the world. These things are just objects with no truth value." (Oaklander 2)

In his book "Fear and Trembling", Kierkegaard deals with three of the eight afore mentioned themes of existentialism. He discusses the inauthentic versus the authentic and alienation. The primary focus of the text is the story of Abraham and Isaac. The story is also Kierkegaard's explanation of why he called off his engagement to his long time love, Regine Olsen. It is said that upon figuring out what he truly wanted in life, which was to become a Christian, Kierkegaard realized that it was not possible to become one with God while trying to maintain a marriage. So, he broke off his engagement to Miss Olsen in order to achieve his priority of becoming a Christian.

"According to Kierkegaard there are three stages of human existence. The most immature being the aesthetic stage." (Jansen 1) During this stage humans are dominated by their desires, be them physical, emotional or intellectual. The goal of these people is simply to gain pleasure however satisfaction is non-existent. This is when an existentialist would say that the person is living inauthentically, living without coming to terms with one's existence. Stage two shows people beginning to be overcome by a sense of right and wrong. Humans are now facing ethical situations.

"Choices are often ambiguous, though, and sometimes people must choose between equally evil options, so those in the ethical stage remain as unfulfilled as those in the aesthetic stage." (Jansen 1)

By the end of this stage the ethical person becomes a person of morality and morality becomes their chief principle. The third and final stage of Kierkegaard's stages of faith is the religious stage, which is primarily what "Fear and Trembling" deals with. It is in this stage that the move to an authentic level of being is made. These people however can be put into two groups. Group 1, are those bound by guilt, while Group 2 is made up of those who live in total response to God.

In Kierkegaard's novel, "Fear and Trembling", the story of Abraham and Isaac is used to illustrate not only the themes of alienation and the inauthentic vs. the authentic, but in some ways it tells the story of Kierkegaard's life. Throughout the course of the text Abraham makes the move from stage to stage to stage encountering each of the two afore mentioned themes. God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, all-starting with the birth of a son. Up to and during this point in his life it could be said that Abraham was an aesthetic. So, just as God had promised a son, Isaac, was born to Abraham and his wife Sarah. Abraham's life long wish had been granted and he was content. However, Abraham's happiness was short lived as God now commanded him to sacrifice his most prized possession, his son. This put Abraham in quite a position. On one hand was his son, how could he sacrifice his son? And on the other hand was God, his creator and provider. Abraham would never question his Lord. Abraham now had to make a decision, a choice, just as the existentialist writers speak of. Ironically, this event in the life of Abraham coincides with a major life choice Soren Kierkegaard had to make. Kierkegaard who had been engaged to his love, Regine Olsen, found himself pondering what it was that