Kierkegaard: Great Thinkers on Modern Life

Great Thinkers

by Robert Ferguson

Widely regarded as the first existentialist philosopher, Kierkegaard's philosophical priority of human reality over idealism and his emphasis on personal choice make him an astoundingly relevant thinker today

Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher, theologian, literary stylist and social critic. Born in 1813 in Copenhagen, his philosophical work addressed living as a single individual and the importance of personal choice. A famously fierce critic of the idealist thinkers of his time, including Hegel, Goethe, and Hans Christian Anderson, he is regarded as the first existentialist philosopher, and his Fear and Trembling is one of the classics of modern philosophy. Here you will find insights from his greatest works, in the Great Thinkers on Modern Life series, which highlights ideas most relevant to ordinary, everyday dilemmas.

Genres: Philosophy

120 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2015

About the author

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Parker Friesen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little introduction to Kierkegaard. Anytime you take thoughts from a context different than your own, and try to apply them to your own, you might miss what the original author was trying to say. I think Ferguson does a decent job of rooting Kierkegaard's thoughts in Kierkegaard's context, and applying concepts for us today.

Short and sweet read. Helpful if you're not reading for a deep dive on philosophy, but want to know more about Kierkegaard.

[Harry Allagree · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is essentially an essay or summary of the thought of Søren Kierkegaard on some of life's heavy-duty questions. Ferguson whets the reader's appetite with ample quotes from the philosopher's own works. I admire the author's candor in declaring his own position towards Kierkegaard's convictions, which differs significantly on some questions. His "Homework" section at the end of the book is a thoughtful way of encouraging readers to pursue further the life-questions which Kierkegaard raises. All in all, a short but useful read.

[Professordoug Lauffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Ferguson, did an homage to a person whom HEAVILY influenced me as a young theologian, Søren Aabye Kierkegaard. Kierkegaard's thinking inspired me to live, to feel, to appreciate personal freedom when some around me said I was of form enslaved to my own whims and that I was not free to choose, except that which would not be the righteous choice... AWAKE from the "sleepwalk" and live; feel; be! ☺ Thank you Robert Ferguson!