Index

INDEX

Note: Page numbers in italic type indicate illustrations.

Abel,

Abraham,

–

Abraham a St. Clara,

absolute, the,

–

abstraction,

absurd, the,

–

. See also irony; paradox

action: and accomplishment,

; choice and,

; criteria for judging,

; excuses for not taking,

; lack/absence of,

; observations on,

–

; significance of,

; speech vs.,

actuality: abstraction vs.,

; engagement in,

; genius’s relationship to,

; God and,

; inattention to,

; irony and,

; knowledge about,

; love and,

; philosophers on,

; recollection vs.,

; self in relation to,

; wretchedness in,

Adam,

Adler, Alfred,

admiration,

aesthetic, the. See esthetic, the

aging,

aloneness,

Andersen, Hans Christian,

anthropomorphisms,

anti-Semitism,

anxiety,

–

; Abraham and,

; about being alone,

; the demonic and,

; freedom and, –; as fundamentally human,

; about the future,

–

; K’s,

; meaning of, –; about the past,

; possibility and,

–

; and sorrow,

; spirit in relation to, ,

; value of,

aphorisms and observations, –,

–

Aristides,

Aristotle, ,

arrogance,

art,

artists,

Atlas,

atonement,

Augustine, Saint, ,

authority,

–

autobiographical passages,

–

awakening, ,

. See also sleep

beginning,

belief: deception and,

; doubt vs.,

; freedom in relation to,

; observations on,

; in the unseen,

; will in relation to,

. See also faith

body. See health and the body

Boesen, Emil,

boredom,

Brandes, Georges,

Brorson, Hans Adolf, –

Buddha,

Buddhism,

busyness,

. See also haste

Cain,

Carus, Carl Gustav,

certainty,

change,

childrearing,

children and childhood: adulthood compared to,

; and God,

; nature of,

; rationality of,

; religious beliefs in,

; wishing in,

choice/decision, ,

–

; act of,

; despair and,

; failure to exercise,

; and faith,

; and personality,

; and the self,

; significance of,

–

Christ. See Jesus Christ

Christianity,

–

; commandments of,

; criticisms of contemporary,

; and despair,

; encounter with,

–

; and faith,

; and human nature,

; judgment in,

; K and, –,

; and love, –,

; non-doctrinal character of,

; paradoxical character of,

; philosophy in relation to,

; and the poet,

; practice of,

–

; and sin,

; and suffering,

; theatrical/public conduct of,

; and the will,

; and worldly existence,

–

. See also religion

clergy: authority claimed by,

; criticisms of,

coffee,

–

comedy. See laughter/humor/the comic

commandments, Christian,

communication. See writing/communication

compassion,

–

concepts,

concern,

confession,

conscience,

consciousness, ,

–

–

contradiction,

conversation and speech: action vs.,

; criticisms of,

–

; observations on,

–

; silence in relation to,

–

; writing vs.,

. See also language; silence; writing/communication

Copenhagen, map of,

Copenhagen School of Civic Virtue,

corruption,

The Corsair (magazine), –,

courage,

criminality,

danger: encounter with,

–

; natural sciences as,

; of the poet,

; of recollection,

–

; religion as,

; the self and,

–

; the soul and,

; of worldly greatness,

death,

–

; and earnestness,

–

; experience of,

; and joy,

; K on,

; life in relation to, –,

–

–

–

; meaning of,

; recollection of the dead,

–

; suicide,

; as teacher,

; thinking about, –,

–

; and time,

deception and self-deception,

–

; belief and,

; desire for,

; forgiveness and,

; God and, ; life and existence,

; love and, –,

; nature of,

–

; observations on,

; power of, ; predilection for,

; truth and, , ,

–

; the unconscious and, . See also self-knowledge and self-examination

decisions. See choice/decision

deeds. See action

defense, negative valuation of, ,

degrees of existence (”to a certain degree”),

demonic, the,

–

depression/melancholy,

–

; cause/meaning of,

–

; experience of,

; K on his own,

–

–

; and sin,

. See also sadness; tears and weeping

desire: longings of the soul,

–

; for money,

; understanding in relation to, –; will in relation to,

despair,

–

; choice and,

; and Christianity,

; deception of,

; doubt and,

; experience of,

–

–

; faith in relation to,

; happiness in relation to, ,

; nature and meaning of,

–

–

; possibility as remedy for,

; and the self, –, ,

–

–

; sin and,

; and spirit,

devotion, ,

dialectic,

dignity,

dizziness,

dogs,

–

Dostoyevsky, Fyodor,

doubt,

dreams and dreaming,

. See also sleep

duty,

earnestness/seriousness,

–

; death and,

–

; definition as foreign to,

; and the ethical,

; importance of, ; and moods, ; worldly view of,

–

Eden,

education,

–

Either/Or,

emotions, . See also moods

enemy, love of,

enjoyment,

. See also joy; pleasure

enlightenment,

enthusiasm,

–

envy,

–

. See also belief

Epicureans,

erotic love,

. See also love; sexuality

esthetic, the,

eternity and the eternal,

–

; denial,

; despair in relation to,

; earnestness and,

–

; fear of,

–

; human nature and,

; the individual in relation to,

–

; life in relation to,

–

; and love,

; poetry and art as anticipation of,

; resolution and,

; time in relation to,

. See also infinity

ethical, the,

–

; difficulties of,

–

; and duty,

; earnestness and,

; the esthetic vs.,

; and having a calling,

; and the ideal,

; the individual and,

; religious existence vs.,

; science and,

–

; and the self,

; and sin,

; value of,

–

. See also good, the; morality

evasion,

evil: boredom as root of,

; God and,

–

; good vs., ,

; Kant’s theory of,

; knowledge of,

; repentance and,

excuses,

existence. See life and existence

existentialism, . See also life and existence: task or calling of individuals

experience,

fairy tales,

faith,

–

; attainment of,

–

; challenges to,

; characterization of, ; choice/decision and,

; Christian,

; as contradiction,

; despair in relation to,

; experience of,

; explanation for, -, ; and the individual,

; inwardness and, ; and Jesus Christ,

; K on,

–

; and offense,

; paradox of,

; as passion,

; philosophy and,

; sin as opposite of,

; and spirit,

; understanding in relation to,

; in the unseen,

; worldly existence in relation to,

. See also belief

fate,

father-son relationship,

fear,

fictional finalism,

folk tales,

forgetting,

forgiveness. See repentance/forgiveness

fortune,

freedom,

–

; anxiety and,

; belief in relation to,

; change and,

; consciousness of, ; dialectical dangers of,

; God and,

; irony and,

; love and,

; morality and,

; and possibility,

; and the self,

; of thought vs. speech,

; truth in relation to,

–

; value of,

–

; will and,

Freud, Sigmund, , , ; Civilization and Its Discontents,

friendship,

Furies,

future, the,

–

Gammeltorv,

Gandhi, Mohandas,

geese,

generations, uniqueness of,

genius,

–

God,

–

; and the absurd,

; attributes of,

; authority of,

; concern shown by,

–

; devotion to, ,

; and evil,

–

; existence of,

; forgiveness of,

; and freedom,

; and the good,

; hints from, ; and the individual,

–

; knowledge of,

; and love, ,

; and nature,

; observations on,

–

; philosophy and,

; and prayer,

–

; relationship with, , ,

–

–

–

–

; and religious practice,

; self-deception and, ; and silence,

; thinking about,

; as the unseen, , ,

; Word or voice of,

. See also Providence

Goldschmidt, Meir,

good, the: absence of,

; the demonic and,

; evil vs., ,

; God and,

; knowledge of,

; time and,

; as unity,

; willing the,

. See also ethical, the; morality

grace,

greatness, worldly,

Grib Forest,
grief,

guilt,

–

Hamilton, Robert,

happiness and unhappiness: despair in relation to, ,

; K on his own,

; love and,

; observations on,

; of the poet,

haste, , ,

. See also busyness

health and the body: conception of,

–

; K on his own,

; mind-body relationship,

; moods and,

; walking,

. See also worldly existence

heart,

Hegel, G.W.F., , ,

Heiberg, J. L.,

helping,

history and the present age: authority and obedience absent from,

; Christianity and,

; contingency of,

; envy and leveling in,

; existence in,

; faith in,

; God and,

–

; individual’s place in,

–

–

; Jesus Christ and,

; morality in,

–

; observations on,

; passion in,

; publicity in,

; writing in,

homesickness,

–

hope,

humanity and human nature: anxiety as essential to,

; childhood,

; Christianity and,

; the demonic in,

–

; dignity of,

; of generations,

; guilt of,

–

; of Jesus Christ,

; love and,

–

; manhood,

; nature in relation to,

; observations on, –,

–

–

–

; religion and,

; self-centeredness of,

; speech as characteristic of,

; and time,

. See also public, the

humility,

humor. See laughter/humor/the comic

hurrying. See haste

hypocrisy, ,

ideality and the ideal,

ideas,

ignorance, ,

imagination,

imitation,

immediacy,

immortality, –,

–

independence. See freedom

indifference, ,

indirect

communication, –

individuality and the individual,

–

; accountability of,

–

; character of,

–

; and the demonic,

; eternity in relation to,

–

; and the ethical,

; faith and,

; God and,

–

; life course of,

; place/role of, in history and the present age,

–

–

; sin and,

; spiritual development of,

; task or calling of,

–

–

; the universal in relation to,

. See also self, the

infinity,

. See also eternity and the eternal

interpersonal relationships: arrogance and,

; Christianity and,

; deception in,

; individual differences, –,

. See also erotic love; friendship; love; neighbor

interpretation,

intoxication,

–

invisibility. See unseen, the

inwardness: abandonment of,

; Christianity and,

–

; dialectical character of, ; focus on, , ; and God,

; and immortality,

; K on his own,

; love and,

; lunacy and,

; revelation of,

; spirit and, . See also self, the; spirit and the spiritual world; subjectivity

irony, , ,

–

Isaac,

jealousy,

Jesus Christ: as atoner and judge,

; as criterion,

–

; as exemplar,

; faith and,

; history and,

; as human,

; and laughter,

; and the Law,

; and paralyzed man,

; portrait of,

; relationship with,

; and Scriptures,

; and suffering,

; and the tragic,

; writing eschewed by,

Job, ,

journal entry,

joy,

judgment, Christian,

justice,

Kant, Immanuel, ,

Kierkegaard, Michael Pedersen (father), , –, ,

Kierkegaard, Peter (brother), ,

Kierkegaard, Søren: birth of, –; caricature of,

; character and personality of, , –; criticisms of, –; death of, –; engagement of, –; family of, –,
,
; financial circumstances of, , , , , , ,

; gravestone of family of,
; on himself,

–

; on his body,

; on his life,

–

; on his reputation and the meaning of his work,

–

; home of,
; images of,
,
,
,
,
,
,
; life of, –; Lutheranism of, ; and the ministry, ,

; religious background of, ; sociohistorical role of,

–

;

student years of, –; as a writer, –,

–

Kierkegaard, Søren, works by: “At the Graveside,” xxvi–; composition of, –; The Concept of Anxiety, , , , , ; The Concept of Irony with Constant Reference to Socrates, ; The Concluding Unscientific Postscript, ; Either / Or, , ; Fear and Trembling, , , , , –,

,
; journals, , , ,
; Philosophical Fragments, , ; The Point of View of My Work as an Author, ; Repetition, , –, ; The Sickness Unto Death, , , –, ; Stages on Life’s Way, ; Three Discourses on Imagined Situations, ; Two Upbuilding Discourses, ; Works of Love, , ,

kings,

–

knowledge. See understanding/reason/knowledge

language, ,

laughter/humor/the comic,

–

; contradiction as essence of,

; existence and,

; fear of,

; the gods and, –,

; Jesus Christ and,

; K and, ; and maturity,

; prayer and,

–

; suffering and,

; superficial,

; and the tragic,

. See also irony

leveling,

life and existence,

–

; action as central to,

; challenges in,

; choice and,

; contemporary, ; daily, , ,

; death in relation to, –,

–

–

; the eternal in relation to,

–

; first-person perspective on, –; fortune in,

; forward direction of,

; irony and,

; K on his own,

–

; meaning in,

–

–

; nature of,

; observations on,

–

; passion and,

; pronouncements on, –, ; spheres or levels of,

–

; striving as characteristic of,

; system as antithetical to,

; task or calling of individuals,

–

–

; thinking in relation to,

; truth in relation to, –; understanding of, –; wasting of,

life-view,

limitation, value of,

love,

–

; Christianity and, –,

; commanded, –; and duty,

; of an enemy,

; eternity and,

; freedom and,

; Freud on, ; God and, ,

; of humans,

–

; and inwardness,

; and jealousy,

; K’s conception of, ; K’s examination of, ; K’s experience of, ,

; language and,

; maternal,

; mysteries of,

; necessity of,

; of neighbor as oneself, ,

–

; self-deception and, –; self-love and, –,

–

; and spirit,

; unhappiness in,

; of the unseen, ; value of,

; and worldly existence,

. See also erotic love

Lund, Anne Sørensdatter (mother), –

Lund, Henrik,

Luther, Martin,

magnanimity,

manhood,

marriage,

Martensen, Hans, –

martyrs,

maturity,

–

meaning, in life, ,

–

melancholy. See depression/melancholy

memory,

–

. See also recollection

mercy,

metaphor, ,

mind-body relationship,

mirrors,

modesty,

Molbech, Christian,

Møller, P. L., –,

moment, the,

monasticism,

–

money and wealth,

–

moods, –,

. See also emotions

morality: intentions and,

; observations on,

; the press and,

; science and,

–

; will in relation to, . See also ethical, the; good, the

Moravians,

Mynster, Jacob, –

nationalism,

nature: God and,

; humanity in relation to,

; observations on,

; time and,

negativity,

neighbor, ,

–

Nietzsche, Friedrich, , –

nothingness,

obedience,

objectivity, ,

observations. See aphorisms and observations

ocean,

offense,

Olsen, Regine, , –, , ,

orthodoxy,

Orwell, George,

paradox,

–

. See also absurd, the; irony

Pascal, Blaise, , ,

passion,

–

; belief as,

; doubt as,

; expression of,

; faith as,

; of great souls,

; of inwardness,

; lack/absence of,

; nature of,

; of possibility,

; in the present age,

; and understanding,

; universality of,

; wonder as,

past, the,

pathos,

people. See humanity and human nature

perfection,

personality, choice and,

Phalaris,

philosophy,

–

; and authority,

; Christianity in relation to,

; communication of, –; criticisms of,

; and faith,

; and God,

; K’s relationship with, ; observations on,

–

phrasemongers,

physical existence. See health and the body; worldly existence

Plato, , ,

pleasure,

. See also enjoyment

poet, the,

–

politics,

. See also nationalism

possibility: actuality in relation to,

; anxiety and,

–

; attraction of,

; dangers of,

; despair remedied by,

; the esthetic and,

; freedom and,

; nature of,

; thought and,

postponement,

prayer,

–

preference,

presentiment,

press and publishers, ,

–

pride,

priests. See clergy

primitivity,

–

principles,

probability and improbability,

professors. See scholarship and professors

promises,

Providence,

pseudonymous authorship, –

psychology: of great individuals,

–

; of K’s conception of the self, –; observations on,

public, the: authority claimed by,

; opinions held by/judgments made by,

; and truth,

. See also humanity and human nature

publishers. See press and publishers

punctuation,

punishment,

purity of heart,

Quixote, Don,

rainseers,

reading,

reason. See understanding/reason/knowledge

recollection: danger of,

–

; of the dead,

–

; memory vs.,

–

; poetry as,

; and repetition,

; significance of,

; and time,

. See also memory

reflection,

regret,

religion: ethics vs.,

; God and,

; human nature and,

; and joy,

; K on significance of,

; meaning of,

; observations on,

. See also Christianity

remorse,

repentance/forgiveness,

–

repetition,

–

resignation, ,

resolution,

. See also choice/decision

risk, ,

Rorty, Richard,

sadness,

Scheherazade,

Schelling, Friedrich,

Schlegel, Johan Frederik,

scholarship and professors,

science: criticisms of,

; enthusiasm of,

–

; and ethics,

–

; limits of,

; self-reflection lacking in,

–

Scriptures,

seasons,

secrets,

secular world. See worldly existence

self, the,

–

; aspirations of,

; and choice,

; criterion of,

–

; dangers to,

; despair and, –, ,

–

–

; development of,

–

; dreams of fulfilling, –; education and,

–

; and the ethical,

; ethical existence of,

–

; explanation of, ,

; freedom and,

; God in relation to, ,

; individual differences, –,

; joy and,

; K’s conception of, –; lack/absence of,

; observations on,

–

; principles of,

; psychology of, –,

–

; relationality of, –,

; and sin,

; and spirit,

–

; task or calling of,

; time and, –; tripartite model of, –; truth and,

; will and,

self-deception. See deception and self-deception

self-knowledge and self-examination: difficulty of,

; as essential human activity, –; fear of,

; knowledge in relation to,

; lack/absence of,

; nature of,

; objectivity in,

self-love, –,

–

self-reliance,

self-willfulness,

seriousness. See earnestness/seriousness

serpent,

sexuality,

. See also erotic love

sheep,

shrewdness,

sickness,

–

–

–

significance/insignificance of life events,

silence,

–

simplicity,

sin,

–

; Christianity and,

;

criminality and,

; depression and,

; despair and,

; and the ethical,

; ethics and,

; faith as opposite of,

; and the individual,

; meaning of, , ,

; mood and, ; of poetry,

; repentance and,

; and the self,

; sexuality and,

; spirit and, ; understanding of,

; will in relation to,

sleep,

. See also awakening; dreams and dreaming

Socrates, , , ,

solitude,

sophistry,

sorrow,

soul: care of,

; dangers of,

; immortality of, –,

; longings of,

–

; world in relation to,

speech. See conversation and speech

spelling,

spirit and the spiritual world,

–

; adequacy of language to, ,

; anxiety in relation to, ,

; aspirations of,

; childhood vs. maturity,

; and despair,

; erotic love foreign to,

; faith and,

; human nature and,

; inwardness and, ; and joy,

; lack/absence of, ,

; and love of neighbor,

; observations on,

; secular world in relation to, –, ,

–

; self and,

–

; sexuality and,

; talent and,

; time and,

; universality of, –; work and practice of,

–

; worldly existence in relation to,

. See also heart; inwardness; life and existence; self, the; soul

statistics,

subjectivity, , –,

. See also inwardness; self, the

submission. See obedience

suffering,

–

; Christian,

; and the comic,

; Jesus Christ and,

; K on his own,

; time and,

suicide,

superstition,

Swift, Jonathan,

system,

talent,

talking. See conversation and speech

Talleyrand, Charles Maurice de,

teaching,

tears and weeping,

–

. See also depression/melancholy; sadness

temptation,

thinking: abstraction and concreteness,

; concepts,

; essential character of,

; existence in relation to,

; goal of,

; harmful/unhealthy,

; ideas,

; objective,

; and paradox,

; possibilities in,

; process of,

; quality of,

; self-reliant,

time,

–

; and the absolute,

; and change,

; death and,

; eternity in relation to,

; and the good,

; human nature and,

; and joy,

; relationship to, ,

–

; the self and, –; spirit and,

; and suffering,

. See also future, the; past, the

“to a certain degree,” 37,

Tolstoy, Leo, The Death of Ivan Ilyich,

tragic, the,

truth,

–

; criteria of, ,

; deception and, , ,

; difficulties of,

; freedom in relation to,

–

; K’s conception of, –; life in relation to, –; and the multitude,

; paradox of,

; and the self,

unconditioned, the,

unconscious, the, ,

–

understanding/reason/knowledge,

–

; absurdity/paradox and,

; of actuality,

; authentic,

; backward approach to,

; desire in relation to, –; difficulties of,

–

; of evil vs. good,

; faith in relation to,

; of God,

; impotence of,

; of life and existence, –; limitations of, ,

; observations on,

; and paradox,

–

; self-knowledge in relation to,

; of sin,

; trust in things beyond, ; and the unknown, ,

; will in relation to, –,

; wonder in relation to,

; worldly,

–

unhappiness. See happiness and unhappiness

universality: of the ethical,

; the ethical and,

; individuality in relation to,

; and necessity,

; of passion,

; of spirit, –

University of Berlin,

University

of Copenhagen, –

unknown, the, ,

unseen, the: belief in,

; faith in,

; God as, , ,

; loving, ; trust in,

villainy,

walking,

water,

weather,

weeping. See tears and weeping

Welding, Frederik,

will: belief in relation to,

; Christianity and,

; desire in relation to,

; and the good,

; knowledge and under standing in relation to, –,

; morality in relation to, ; purity and,

; and the self,

; self-willfulness,

; sin in relation to,

wisdom: attainment of,

; characteristics of,

; consolation of,

; as knowledge of the good,

; philosophy vs.,

wishes,

Wittgenstein, Ludwig,

women, ,

wonder,

woodland,

words. See conversation and speech

work,

worldly existence: Christianity and,

–

; earnestness in,

–

; faith in relation to,

; genius in relation to,

–

; greatness in,

; human characteristics and differences in, –,

; the indifferent as concern of,

; justice and,

; knowledge as judged by,

; love in,

–

; nature of,

; soul in relation to,

; spiritual world in relation to, –, ,

–

; wisdom and knowledge in,

–

worry,

. See also anxiety

writing/communication,

–

; aphorisms and brief utterances, –; difficulties of,

; indirect, ; Jesus Christ and,

; K’s interest in, –, –; levels of,

; speech vs.,

; about spirit,

; of wisdom, –. See also conversation and speech; language

↑ Back to top