Cliff’s Comments (group member since Sep 28, 2013)

Cliff’s comments from the Kierkegaard group.

Do you have any recommendations of books, philosophers, and/or authors that readers might like if they like Kierkegaard? Below are my recommendations.

Firstly : The rationalists, specifically René Descartes and Baruch Spinoza, were highly influential to Kierkegaard not only by forcing him to think more rigorously, but also by being representatives of a worldview to which Kierkegaard was diametrically opposed. I would recommend reading Key Philosophical Writings by Descartes and On the Improvement of the Understanding by Spinoza.

Secondly : Kierkegaard was also fascinated by Socrates, whose words and deeds are known almost solely through the writings of Plato. As Plato goes, I would start with Symposium And The Death Of Socrates, as it contains many of his best dialogues; most notably Symposium (which divulges the concept of Platonic love) and Apology (wherein Socrates is put on trial for corrupting the young).

Lastly : The philosophical movement known as existentialism is definitely beholden to Kierkegaard. In fact he is often referred to as 'the father of existentialism'. Because existentialism is by its nature hard-to-classify I would recommend an anthology to start with, specifically Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre. For existentialist philosophers I would recommend José Ortega y Gasset (specifically History as a System and other Essays Toward a Philosophy of History), Friedrich Nietzsche, and Martin Heidegger. On the other hand if you would rather fiction than nonfiction I would try Franz Kafka and Albert Camus.

Kierkegaard was not only a brilliant thinker, but also an amazing writer. In fact he often fancied himself a poet rather than a philosopher. What are your favorite Kierkegaard quotes?

Here is one of mine:

When the question of truth is raised in an objective manner, reflection is directed objectively to the truth, as an object to which the knower is related. Reflection is not focused upon the relationship, however, but upon the question of whether it is the truth to which the knower is related. If only the object to which he is related is the truth, the subject is accounted to be in the truth. When the question of the truth is raised subjectively, reflection is directed subjectively to the nature of the individual's relationship: if only the mode of this relationship is in the truth, the individual is in the truth, even he should happen to be thus related to what is not true.

- from Concluding Unscientific Postscript to "Philosophical Fragments"

The Kierkegaard library is a pretty daunting one, especially for newcomers. What book(s) would you recommend someone start with if they are interested in reading Kierkegaard?

Firstly I would recommend A Kierkegaard Anthology, which is a well-translated collection of thoughtfully-chosen excerpts from nearly all of Kierkegaard's major works. Reading it will help you to figure out which of his books you would like to investigate further. Do not feel like you have to read it from start to finish. Instead, browse the table of contents and read whatever sections strike your interest.

Next I would recommend The Concept of Anxiety: A Simple Psychologically Orienting Deliberation on the Dogmatic Issue of Hereditary Sin; not just because it is one of the notable works excluded from the anthology, but also because of its highly original perspective on the crucially existential concept angst [oftentimes translated as 'dread' or 'anxiety']. Fascinating also is this book's profound influence on Heidegger's Being and Time. I would go so far as to say that Being and Time would never have been what it is if wasn't for The Concept of Anxiety.

What are your favorite books by Kierkegaard? Mine are The Concept of Anxiety, Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments, and Practice in Christianity.