Table of Contents
Kierkegaard in 90 Minutes is a book written by Paul Strathern. It is a part of the Philosophers in 90 Minutes series and it was published in 1998. The book is about Soren Kierkegaard, who was a Danish philosopher and social critic, who was considered to be the first existentialist philosopher. Kierkegaard was born in 1813 and he died in 1855.
The book overviews, in a short amount of pages, the life and works of one of history’s most prolific philosophers. While it cannot be expected to go into great detail about Kierkegaard’s work in such a short amount of pages, Kierkegaard in 90 Minutes provides a concise introduction to the philosopher, his life and his ideas. This book is perfect for those who want to familiarize themselves with Kierkegaard, but do not have the time to read through all of his works. The book is divided into three sections: Kierkegaard’s Life, Kierkegaard’s Thought, and Kierkegaard’s Influence.
The first section offers a brief biography of Kierkegaard, including information about his family, his education, and his relationships. The second section provides an overview of Kierkegaard’s philosophical ideas, including his concept of the “leap of faith” and his idea of the “aesthetic stage” of life. The third section discusses Kierkegaard’s influence on existentialism and existentialist thinkers such as Jean-Paul Sartre.
Kierkegaard’s Life
The life of Kierkegaard begins with his family. Kierkegaard’s father, Michael Pedersen Kierkegaard, was a very religious man who believed that God had called him to be a minister. Kierkegaard’s mother, Ane Kierkegaard, was a deeply religious woman who also believed in predestination. Kierkegaard had six siblings, but only two of them survived to adulthood
Kierkegaard’s father, Michael Pedersen Kierkegaard, was a onetime Citizen of the Year and later a wool merchant who had gone bankrupt twice. Kierkegaard’s mother, Ane Sorenson Kierkegaard, was a deeply religious woman who had eight children, of which Kierkegaard was the youngest. Kierkegaard’s upbringing was deeply influenced by his mother’s religious convictions, and he would later explore similar themes in his philosophical works. Kierkegaard was educated at the University of Copenhagen, where he studied theology and philosophy. Kierkegaard’s relationships were also a significant part of his life.
He was engaged to Regine Olsen, but he ultimately broke off the engagement. Kierkegaard was also close friends with Johannes Climacus, who was a pseudonym for Kierkegaard’s friend, Peter Christian Kierkegaard. Johannes Climacus was the author of Concluding Unscientific Postscript, which was one of Kierkegaard’s most important works. Kierkegaard was also close friends with Niels Tausen, who was a Danish Lutheran bishop. Kierkegaard’s relationships with his friends and family deeply influenced his philosophical works.
Kierkegaard’s Thought
Kierkegaard’s philosophical ideas are complex and often difficult to understand. However, at the heart of Kierkegaard’s philosophy is the idea of the “leap of faith.” Kierkegaard believed that faith is not something that can be reasoned or argued for. Rather, faith is a leap that one must take in order to believe in something. This idea is best illustrated by Kierkegaard’s story of the knight of faith. In this story, the knight of faith is a man who believes in something even though there is no evidence for it. The knight of faith is willing to take the leap of faith and believe in something even though it cannot be proven. Kierkegaard believed that faith is a leap that one must take in order to believe in something.
Kierkegaard believed that this leap of faith is what makes us human. without faith, we would be no different from animals. Kierkegaard’s idea of the leap of faith is a central aspect of his philosophical thought. Another important part of Kierkegaard’s philosophical thought is his idea of sin. Kierkegaard believed that sin is a part of human nature and that it is necessary for us to be able to have faith. Kierkegaard believed that without sin, we would not be able to have faith because we would not need it. Kierkegaard’s idea of sin is closely related to his idea of the leap of faith. Kierkegaard believed that the leap of faith is only possible because of our sinful nature.Kierkegaard believed that sin is not simply a matter of doing something bad. Rather, sin is a matter of not living up to our potential. Kierkegaard believed that we are all sinners because we all fall short of what we could be. For instance, we could be more loving, more compassionate, or more patient. Kierkegaard believed that it is our human nature to sin because we are not perfect.
Another idea that Kierkegaard has is the idea of the double standard. For example, the Christian church seems to be hypocritical when it comes to teaching about the importance of family values. On one hand, the church teaches that family is the foundation of society, but on the other hand, the church allows for divorce and contraception. Kierkegaard argued that the Christian church is a double standard because it seems to be hypocritical and judgmental when it comes to issues such as contraception and abortion. Kierkegaard believed that the double standard is a result of the church’s fear of sin. The church is afraid of sin because it is a reminder of our own human nature. Kierkegaard believed that the church’s fear of sin is what leads to the double standard. Kierkegaard’s ideas about sin, faith, and the double standard are all closely related. Kierkegaard was highly critical of the Christian church. In some works he has argued that the Christian church is a necessary evil and that it has contributed to the decline of Western Civilization. Kierkegaard’s criticism of the Christian church is not limited to philosophical works. He also wrote a number of religious works in which he attacked the Christian beliefs of his time. One of the most famous of these religious works is called The Concept of Dread.
Kierkegaard’s Influence
Kierkegaard’s ideas have had a profound influence on 20th century philosophy, theology, and literature. His ideas about the leap of faith, sin, and the double standard have been extremely influential. Kierkegaard’s ideas have also been influential in the development of existentialism and postmodernism. His influence can be seen in the work of many different thinkers, including Jean-Paul Sartre, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Martin Heidegger.
For example, Sartre used Kierkegaard’s ideas to argue for the existence of sin and evil. He wrote, ‘Kierkegaard’s philosophy of sin is one of the most important contributions to the development of existentialism. In the next few paragraphs, I will show how Sartre uses Kierkegaard’s ideas to argue for the existence of evil. Sartre believes that evil is a necessary part of the world and that it is impossible to exist without it. Sartre argues that evil is necessary because it is a result of the human condition. He writes, ‘Evil is neither an accident, nor the product of bad circumstances, but the very fiber and texture of human existence.’ Sartre believes that evil is a necessary part of the world because it is a result of our obligations and responsibilities as humans.
Nietzsche was influenced by Kierkegaard, and many of Nietzsche’s ideas are similar to Kierkegaard’s. There’s no evidence that Nietzsche read Kierkegaard directly; the latter had not been translated into German. However, there is strong evidence that Nietzsche knew of Kierkegaard through the secondary literature.
Nietzsche believed that man had a responsibility to make sense of the world, and that people had to find a way to be happy. He wrote, ‘The task is, by all means, to become happy; but man cannot become happy by being told that he ought to become so.’ Kierkegaard believed that each person had to find his or her own way to happiness.
Kierkegaard’s ideas about happiness, however, are not limited to individuals. He also believed that society as a whole had a responsibility to create the conditions for happiness.It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well.’ Kierkegaard believed that man was responsible for his own happiness. He wrote, ‘Happiness is not a matter of chance, but of choice.’ Kierkegaard believed that man had to choose to be happy.
Kierkegaard believed that people should not blindly follow the teachings of the church, but should instead use their own reason to decide what is right and wrong.