It would seem the two books should be read together. Human existence is an unfinished process in which the individual must take responsibility for achieving an identity as self. His father, michael pedersen kierkegaard, a wealthy hosier, was a selfmade man. Fear and trembling emphasizes the contrast between the ethical and the religious. This is where boys grow into young men and girls grow into young women. Kierkegaard and the 3 stages of a full and happy life. Kierkegaard s view of philosophy and beyond by annemarie christensen university of southern denmark abstract. Studies by various persons, compiled, forwarded to the press, and published by hilarius bookbinder. Shifting our orientation toward god, though is often a tricky process, which kierkegaard describes in terms of stages on life s way. In the pseudonymous works of kierkegaard s first literary period, three stages on lifes way, or three spheres of existence, are distinguished. According to kierkegaard, many people 1 spend most or all of their lives in. Stages on lifes way, the sequel toeitheror, is an intensely poetic example of kierkegaards vision of the three stages, or spheres, of existence. The universality of this sickness despair a mans life is wasted when he lives on, so deceived by the joys of life. Read the fulltext online edition of stages on life s way 1940.
Kierkegaard s apologetic is one of the best exemplifications of negative apologetics. In eitheror, using the voices of two characters the aesthetic young man of part one, called simply a, and the ethical judge vilhelm of the second section kierkegaard reflects upon the search for a meaningful. Kierkegaard s stages fundamentally, kierkegaard suggested that there are two ways we can live our life the aesthetic and the ethical. With characteristic love for mystification, he presents the work as a bundle of documents fallen by chance into the hands of hilarius bookbinder, who prepared them for printing. Soren kierkegaard biography childhood, life achievements. Anthony storms commentary on kierkegaard second period. The book was written as a continuation of kierkegaards masterpiece eitheror. This video was an assignment for my ap literature class. Kierkegaards concern was to present the various stages of existence in one work if possible. A married man, various observations about marriage first half feb. His first marriage to kirstine nielsdatter was childless. In fact, after reading the gita he could conceivably have added a fourth stage to his three stages of life. That despair is the sickness unto death the three forms of despair. Three discourses on imagined occasions soren kierkegaard.
The gita explains goodness, the highest mode, in about the same way that kierkegaard explains his religious stage. The day before april 29, 1845 kierkegaard published his book three discourses on imagined occasions under his own name. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise cambridge core to connect with your account. It will influence readers to become enthusiastic students of his christcentered thought. In fear and trembling, kierkegaard only discusses 2 lives. The intensity and passion is rehearsed and blocked out with a professional stage crew, photographers, and media experts. Adolescence 1018 physical development this is the stage which we move from childhood to adulthood. Eitheror focuses on the contrast between the aesthetic and the ethical. His father, michael pedersen kierkegaard was a stern man with an ardent imagination. Studies by various persons 1845 by hilarius bookbinder concluding unscientific postscript to philosophical fragments. Soren aaby kierkegaard had three discourses on imagined occasions published april 29, 1845 and stages on life s way april 30, 1845. The aesthete seeks to defeat boredom by maximizing pleasure.
With characteristic love for mystification, he presents the work as a bundle of documents fallen by chance into the hands of hilarius bookbinder, who. It is also known as a sphere of existence where life is engaged in a sensual way, and it is solely lived for shortterm pleasure. The third stage, the religious stage, is the synthesis of the two. Stages on lifes way, the sequel to eitheror, is an intensely poetic example of kierkegaards vision of the three stages, or spheres, of existence.
Lesson 7 reflection explain kierkegaard s stages of life to three to five friends and colleagues. Development through the life stages p1 describe physical, intellectual, emotional and social development for each of the life stages of an individual. According to kierkegaard, this is the first stage of life experience whereby a person can be a hedonist searching for pleasure, romance, or intellectual. Kierkegaard on the aesthetic and ethical stages stockerblog. Imagined occasions both complements and stands in contrast to kierkegaard s pseudonymously published stages on life s way. These are not developmental stages in a biological or psychological sensea natural and allbutautomatic unfolding according to some dna of the spirit. He disliked people who tried to make christianity political and people who tried to limit the single individual in favour of groups of.
This interpretation is the dominant lens through which many scholars view kierkegaard, and it also shapes the way kierkegaard s thought has. These three stages were termed the aesthetic stage, the ethical stage and the religious stage aesthetic stage. In kierkegaard s pseudonymous works, his pseudonyms discuss and embody these three views. Meditations from kierkegaard, by thomas henry croxall 1955 p. In this paper, i do not want to contest this interpretation, but i will argue that it often overlooks how the concept of. The first stage on life s way, according to kierkegaard, is the aesthetic. For kierkegaard, the highest stage of life that humans can hope to be is what he calls the religious stage. Kierkegaard s point is that our modern world is thoroughly rationalized. Kierkegaard discusses the aesthetic stage according to which the ethical stage is emergent in the aesthetic attitude as a way of living, and is only complete when developed in the universality of the ethical stage and then the absoluteness of the religious stage, though not in a way which leads to the destruction of the aesthetic stage. This book is an outstanding addition to kierkegaard publications.
Interpersonal relationships and community in kierkegaard s thought kierkegaard is generally regarded as a quintessential individualist who leaves no room for social or political engagement. I explain soren kierkegaard s three stages of life, and how a person can achieve a meaningful life meaningful according to kierkegaard. Just as kierkegaard suggests, it is a cool, reflective, planned, vision of selfdestruction. Ask them what stage they think they are in at this time and note any insights they may have to offer about the stage they are in now.
Three discourses on imagined occasions was the last of seven works signed by kierkegaard and published simultaneously with an anonymously authored companion piece. But the religious stage does not essentially involve any particular deity or belief system. In 1830, he attended the school of civic virtue, ostre borgerdyd gymnasium. His mother, ane sorensdatter lund kierkegaard was a quiet, plain lady with no formal education. While eitheror is about the aesthetic and ethical realms, stages continues onward to the consideration of the religious realms. But apart from these few pages which deal expressly with the stages there is of course in my voluminous account of s. The first part of stages is in vino veritas, the second reflections on marriage, and the third guilty notguilty. The three discourses are on the occasion of a confession, on the occasion of a wedding, and at a graveside.
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