Kierkegaard was born in 1813 to a Danish family that adored the ways of Christianity in Copenhagen. He was the last born in a family of seven children. Kierkegaard ever lamented his old age birth that led to his suffering while young. His surname has its deriving from priesthood activity. He had seven children. During his lifetime, he disregarded the presence of God leading to his conviction of the probability of death of his children at an early age. As he had predicted, only Soren and Christian escaped the death.
Michael, Sorens father involved himself in business at the age of twelve and gathered a lot of wealth from his uncle. At the age of twenty-four, Michael became an insightful businessperson in society. However, he dropped the business activity for the study of philosophy, religion, and journalism at an early age. As a good father, he bestowed to his surviving children Peter and Soren not only materialistically but also developed them mentally. Although his father was sound rich, Soren’s development was complete of strangeness. He kept cool while in school to avoid teasing from other students.
Soren studied religious studies at Copenhagen University. He later broadened his study by including journalism and way of life. He had the aspiration of becoming a member of the clergy in his life; however, the quest to feel affection for marriage led to him marrying Olsen in 1840. They did not live for long when Soren decided to separate himself from his wife Soren.
Characteristics of Soren Kierkegaard
Kierkegaard’s way of life was completely uncertain; this was due to either his suffering from mental problems or his normality of hiding from the actuality. He was an unsteady man who tried his fate in writing journals and stories to upkeep himself. Due to the high demand for money, Kierkegaard embarked on writing unplanned materials, an act that led to self-contradictions. Although Kierkegaard was a religious person, many times he failed to clarify his beliefs. For instance, he opposed the existence of God while at the same time dedicated his life to Christianity. (Wartenberg 107)
Kierkegaard throughout his life guaranteed of hiding his personality from the people. He claimed that his many distinctiveness aided him to guard his coverts. He further argued that he adored writing in seclusion to safeguard his secrets in life. However, his journals displayed tips of information on his mind affiliation with God despite his denunciation of the existence of God. (Marino ix, 9)
Kierkegaard believed in being a maker and respected Christianity. However, he found out that he was faithful by predilection and not out of cause. In his writings, Kierkegaard argued on how meeting the creator advocated for death. He argued that only the correct passage of death grants an individual a chance to come across God. In his writing, he also described how freedom is a chastisement yet appreciated by humankind. Kierkegaard expresses his religious views in paradoxical form, for instance, he outlined how Adam had ended up eating the prohibited fruit only after the caution from the Creator. He argued that Adams choice of eating the forbidden fruit was due to the need for ways to conquer the temptation given by God. However, he inclines human maturity to Adams fail of the test given by the Creator, by saying that it is the responsibility of human beings to choose what is right. (Wartenberg 167)
Kierkegaard contributes greatly to philosophy through his theory that life is of three diverse stages. The three stages according to Kierkegaard are visual, sacred, and moral. The three stages reflect the spiritual development of an individual in a real-life situation. He defined visual life as nonfigurative life enjoyed on earth with disregard of the forthcoming upshots. According to his views, visual life is materially and sexually oriented. He addresses this as the life adopted by the majority of the people. (Bahuguna 46)
Kierkegaard in addition outlines how ethical individuals disregard artistic with inputs of efforts towards finding the meaning of life. Moral systems according to Kierkegaard, endows individuals’ aptitudes of making correct decisions in life. They also build self-awareness in individuals.
According to Kierkegaard, religious individuals experience misery and belief at the same time. He argues that it is only at this point that individuals comprehend themselves. According to Kierkegaard, hopelessness leads to individual distraction from moving from one phase of development to the next.
Kierkegaard remained focused on his religious convictions about the existence of the creator. He argued that religion is irrational, and that is why he based his faith on inconsistency. According to him, the center of his faith, the absurdity was Christ. He supports his argument by explaining how Christ had taken a bodily shape and underwent awful death. In addition, Kierkegaard claimed that the trinity was a contradiction. He supported his views by explaining how Jesus had undergone the process of reproduction just like any person. (Bahuguna 47)
Kierkegaards existentialism entails three steps. His life trails from the continuation to pursuit of enjoyment, the quest of kindness from bliss, and finally quest for religious conviction from communal life. In other words, existence heralds the awareness of self; this is the same case with phenomenology. Kierkegaard therefore must have contributed very much towards future existentialism by putting a basis.
Works cited
Bahuguna, Bikrama. Layman’s Introduction to Philosophy and Life, Delhi: Mittal Publications, 2009. Print.
Marino, Gordon. Basic Writings of Existentialism, New York: Random House Publisher, 2004. Print.
Wartenberg, Thomas. Existentialism (A Beginners Guide), Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2008. Print.