Philosophy Now Forum

Daphne Hampson on the man many consider to be the father of existentialism.

http://philosophynow.org/issues/99/Sore ... _1813-1855

In this article there is a picture of Kierkegaard with a caption underneath saying he begat existentialism. I was taken by the fact that he was pictured wearing a hat with a large brim that significantly extended over his face. Then I thought, that extension of the brim was a good example of existentialism. The outwardness of the brim suggested that Kierkegaard was preceded by himself, which I think is the nature of existentialism, being preceded by oneself (existence precedes essence). There is nothing meek about existentialists, as the hat suggested.

There is a certain projection that envelopes existentialism. The brim of Kierkegaard's hat certainly projected itself in an existentialist manner. There is also an affectation that is embodied in existentialism. The imposing nature of Kierkegaard's hat exuded a measure of affectation and flamboyance, like here I am.

What just came to mind is Winston Churchill. He was a true existentialist. He spoke and behaved in an affected, flamboyant manner.

Kirkegaard is outdated, as his works doesn't account for basic psychology concepts such as groupthink, suggestion, etc, all of which forms the individual, and not the individual that forms self, only in exceedingly rare cases can the indivudual form self, else with age can the individual cut the bonds of society and be indivudualistic.

The objective truth as he was obsessed with is in itself helplessly nonsens. It's nigh impossible to define objective truth, it requires immense knowledge, cognitive abilities, lack of compulsions, etc, which only about 1% have.

blast from the past...

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4342

-Imp

Kierkegaard’s pervasive influence has thus been through the use of literary writing to convey philosophical truths pertaining to human living. He showed astutely (perhaps in this influenced by ancient Greece) that fundamental questions of life and values might best be illuminated not in the abstract but through consideration of the concrete nature of human living in its everydayness. His writing is witty, imaginative, versatile and always highly perceptive as, through the many characters of his creation, he depicts the foibles of humanity and the frequent tragedy of life, if also the greatness of human beings and sublimity of the human condition. If constrained necessarily by our contingency, the world is yet wide-open. Kierkegaard invites us to choose, in the first place, ourselves.

The fascination of studying a past writer of Kierkegaard’s magnitude and perspicacity is that one may chart in history the progress of the human spirit. One is brought to recognise the crucial nature of the material and scientific context within which our thinking occurs

© Daphne Hampson 2013

Impenitent wrote:blast from the past...

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4342

M: discussion of K's 'Either/Or' (PN Book Club, June, 2010)

-Imp

days of enthusiasm
momentary flashes
existing in apparently persisting selves...