Philosophy of tragedy: Kierkegaard on the authentic self

What does it mean to exist as an authentic individual? Søren Kierkegaard, the father of existentialism, defines the authentic self by its relation to the absurd. A person achieves full existence by leaping beyond reason and finding the Absolute in time.

In this meet-up we’ll explore several of Kierkegaard’s key ideas, including the three stages of life, the leap of faith, the paradox of existence and his views on tragedy. To illustrate our discussion, we'll contrast Oedipus, the tragic hero with Abraham, the biblical knight of faith.

OVERVIEW
“What matters is to find a purpose, to see what it really is that God wills that I shall do; the crucial thing is to find a truth which is truth for me, to find the idea for which I am willing to live and die.” (from Kierkegaard's Journals)

Kierkegaard develops his thought in reaction to the rationalism of Hegel. He agrees with the philosopher that truth is Absolute and Infinite, and that it is essential to human freedom. But he rejects the conceptual objectivity of philosophical systems, turning instead to the irony of Socrates and the suffering of Christ. Truth is subjective, Kierkegaard claims. Each individual must establish a personal relationship with the truth through the life choices that he or she makes. The modern age, however, is objective and reflective. It lacks such a relationship and is thus plagued by the emotions of despair and anxiety. Despair is a sign of a meaningless and apathetic life in isolation from the Absolute. Anxiety opens the door to authenticity and brings a person to the threshold of a leap of faith.

The path to full existence begins with the aesthetic stage, moves on to the ethical and culminates in the religious. The aesthete pursues sensuality and the arts but is beset by boredom. In ethical life pleasure gives way to social commitments, including marriage, career, parenthood and politics. Yet this stage is prone to despair, as a person is defined by society and lacks an authentic self. One becomes an individual only in the religious stage. A “teleological suspension of the ethical” brings one into a personal relationship with God, inevitably marked by anxiety. Existence for Kierkegaard is an ethical paradox that cannot be understood through reason but must be lived.

Some questions we'll address: What is the difference between tragedy and faith? Why is Abraham not a tragic hero for whom one can weep? Can we agree with Kierkegaard that truth is absurd and paradoxical? Does a person's life evolve gradually or does it move through leaps? Is society necessarily what Kierkegaard calls "the crowd", or is there an authentic way to relate to others? Does our age suffer from the same malaise that Kierkegaard diagnosed in his own? Can one separate Kierkegaard's religion from his existential thought, as some 20th-century thinkers tried to do?

Breaking off his engagement at age 28, Kierkegaard immersed himself in writing psychological and theological texts, often in literary style. He aimed to further the spirit of Lutheran Christianity and was sharply critical of the Church of his time. He was often ridiculed by his contemporaries. Though obscure in his short lifetime, his works gained popularity in the 20th century. He influenced such diverse thinkers as Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, William James and Karl Barth and has had a foundational impact on existential psychology.

READINGS AND FILMS
A. We'll read several excerpts from Kierkegaard:
http://bit.ly/Kierk_excerpts

B. The story of Abraham
The biblical text from the Book of Gensis: http://bit.ly/Abr_Gen
Summary: http://bit.ly/Abr_story
A film about Abraham: http://bit.ly/Abr_YT

C. Oedipus
Summary: http://bit.ly/Oed_sum

Film versions:
http://bit.ly/2PIw7p7 (Hollywood)
http://bit.ly/2ZfgaKi (Pasolini art film)
http://bit.ly/2ZcJVeM (BBC)
http://bit.ly/2PIojn9 (masked classical drama)

Text of the play: http://bit.ly/Oed_Rex

You can buy the books here:
https://amzn.to/2GxBRg3
https://amzn.to/2ObxpHM