Kierkegaard’s
first book, Either/Or (1843), was a dialectical, and poetic discussion in which
he sought to justify his break with Regine, and in which set forth a basic
tenet of his philosophy: each individual must choose—consciously and
responsibly—among the alternatives life presents. Kierkegaard
followed this up with other philosophical works: Fear and Trembling (1843),
Philosophical Fragments (1844), The Concept of Dread (1844), Concluding Unscientific Postscript to the Philosophical Fragment (1846) and Sickness unto Death.
Kierkegaard’s target was the “system,”
as he mockingly put it, of G.W.F. Hegel, the great philosopher of idealism. Kierkegaard
attacked Hegel’s attempt to systematize all of reality; Hegel, he said, left
out the most important element of human experience: existence itself. ]He
went so far as to argue that Hegel’s idealism is a “vehicle capable of
destroying the individual.” Kierkegaard
felt that no philosophical system could explain the human condition. The
experience of reality—the loss of a loved one, the feelings of guilt and
dread—was what mattered, not the “idea” of it.
Hegel emphasized universals--Kierkegaard argued for decision
and commitment. Hegel sought an objective theory of knowledge upon which
everyone could agree; Kierkegaard believed in the subjectivity of truth—meaning
that truth is understood and experienced individually.
Existence, Kierkegaard believed, is
actual, painful, and more important than “essence” or “idea.” The authentic
person wrestles with fundamental questions that cannot be answered rationally.
The only way to live in this painful existence is through
faith. But to Kierkegaard, faith is not a mental conviction about doctrine, nor
positive religious feelings, but a passionate commitment to God in the face of
uncertainty. Faith is a risk--the “leap of faith”--an adventure that requires
the denial of oneself. To choose faith is what brings authentic human
existence. This is the “existentialism” that Kierkegaard is considered the
founder of—though later existentialists had significantly different agendas
than his.
In
his later writings—Works of Love
(1847), Christian Discourses (1848),
and Training in Christianity (1850)—
Kierkegaard tried to clarify the true nature of Christianity. The greatest enemy of Christianity, he
argued, was “Christendom”—the cultured and respectable Christianity of his day.
The tragedy of easy Christianity is that existence has ceased to be an
adventure and a constant risk in the presence of God but has become a form of
morality and a doctrinal system. Its purpose is to simplify the matter of
becoming a Christian. This is just paganism, “cheap” Christianity, with neither
cost nor pain, Kierkegaard argued. It is like war games, in which armies move
and there is a great deal of noise, but there is no real risk or pain—and no
real victory. Kierkegaard believed the church of his day was merely playing at
Christianity.
Kierkegaard became increasingly convinced
that his calling was in making Christianity difficult. He was to remind people
of his day that to be truly Christian, one must become aware of the cost of
faith and pay the price. He believed
that only by making things difficult—by helping people become aware of the
pain, guilt, and feelings of dread that accompany even the life of faith—could
he help Christians hear God again.
A few good books on Søren Kierkegaard (from beginner to advanced)
Søren Kierkegaard: A Biography / Joakim Graff
Kierkegaard: An Essential Introduction / Michael Watts
Kierkegaard: An Introduction / C.Stephan Evans
Kierkegaard: A Single Life / Stephan Backhouse