Kierkegaard

by Michael Watts

A lucid and understandable guide to Soren Kierkegaard, the nineteenth-century Danish philosopher and founding father of Existentialism.

Genres: Philosophy, Biography

192 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2003

Reviews

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma boa introdução à filosofia de Kierkgaard, e às raízes do existencialismo contemporâneo. A visão de Kierkgaard, exalta a posição do homem na sua absoluta singularidade, mas sublinha a solidão do homem perante Deus - misterioso e inacessível na sua infinitude transcendente. A tudo isto, acresce a angústia humana. Um bom livro para compreender este magnífico filósofo.

[Maan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My relationship with Kierkegaard has been on and of throughout the last two years but its no doubt that I ever questioned his genius and groundbreaking writing style. It was the first biography of Kierkegaard and was very simple to comprehend his ideas and especially chapters on how to read his works. In all essence, Michael Watts’ words that ’whoever reads Kierkegaard, gets in direct contact with the subjects to their lives’

In India, this version is 9 times cheap than the ones sold in Europe and the US. So go for it.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of Kierkegaard. I would like to read some of the primary texts now.
It seems to me that Kierkegaard was basically saying that the end of reason is the beginning of faith. Faith is irrational, but a "leap of faith" is the highest thing that an individual can do. Faith connects humans to the absolute while reason connects them to the material, finite world. Since the absolute is the highest arena a person can aspire to, a leap of faith is necessary. Interesting philosophy.

[Arjun Ravichandran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great and readable introduction to this fascinating thinker. The middle section on Hegel could be skipped, since it is not of any interest to a beginner ; but otherwise, this is a good introduction to the father of existentialist thought.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply the best biography of "that individual" around. A heady mix of biography and philosophy in context. The best Dane ever!

[Gage Hoefer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great introduction to the majority of Kierkegaard's work, and I was even able to pick up some basic knowledge on Hegel's thought with it; I plan on going back and rereading several of Kierkegaard's works with the basic analysis Watts provides in mind.

[Achaab Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly and simply written. This book is gold easily accessible to all and sundry.

[Geoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great, readable and extremely helpful introduction to Kierkegaard and his writings.

[Toonbe2000 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear and concise on a challenging subject.