Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) was a Danish philosopher, theologian, and cultural critic who is widely recognized as the founder of existentialism. His work focuses on individual existence, freedom, despair, and faith, addressing the individual’s subjective experience as the starting point for philosophical inquiry.
Kierkegaard was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. He studied theology at the University of Copenhagen but was more interested in philosophy and literature. His philosophical work is highly individualistic and often pseudonymous, spanning genres such as novel, sermon, dialogue, literary critique, and aphorism.
His first major work, “Either/Or” (1843), presents a contrast between aesthetic and ethical ways of life, represented by two characters, aesthete “A” and ethicist Judge Wilhelm. Kierkegaard suggested that neither aesthetic nor ethical nor any philosophical system could capture the complexity of human existence.
In “Fear and Trembling” (1843), Kierkegaard interpreted the biblical story of Abraham’s sacrifice of his son Isaac. He used it as an example of faith as a paradox that cannot be understood by human reason or ethics.
“Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments” (1846), is perhaps his most significant pseudonymous work, where he argued that subjectivity is truth, emphasizing the importance of personal experience and decision-making in religious faith.
Throughout his work, Kierkegaard critiqued the Danish Lutheran Church for what he perceived as its complacency and intellectualizing of Christian faith. He argued for a Christianity of paradox and personal commitment, over mere social convention.
Kierkegaard’s thought has influenced a broad range of philosophers, theologians, and artists, from Friedrich Nietzsche to Jean-Paul Sartre, from Karl Barth to contemporary existential therapists. Despite a life marked by personal tragedy and a relatively early death, his philosophical and theological insights continue to resonate, solidifying his status as one of the most significant figures in Western philosophy.