Positing the paradox
by chuckofish
Today is Soren Kierkegaard’s birthday (May 5, 1813 – November 11, 1855). Old Soren has always been a favorite of mine.
It is the duty of the human understanding to understand that there are things which it cannot understand, and what those things are. Human understanding has vulgarly occupied itself with nothing but understanding, but if it would only take the trouble to understand itself at the same time it would simply have to posit the paradox.
–Journals, 1847
Kierkegaard is like Thoreau or Emerson in that people take quotes out of context and think he is great (and that they are great for thinking so).
I have no doubt that he would hate that. Let’s try reading one of his books–the whole thing.
“Then faith’s paradox is this: that the single individual is higher than the universal, that the single individual determines his relation to the universal through his relation to God, not his relation to God through his relation through the universal…Unless this is how it is, faith has no place in existence; and faith is then a temptation.”
Well, at the very least I will toast him tonight. Join me, won’t you?
P.S. Why is Kierkegaard not listed on the Episcopal calendar of saints? If it were up to me, he would be.
dual personalities 
Awesome! Sadly, I have not read much (any??) Kierkegaard, but I think you’re right about quoting out of context…
I’ve got a great link for my Friday post related to tumblr posts like the one above…
Wonderful! You introduced me to Kierkegaard before I read him in college — that always impressed me about you. 🙂
He has been one of my favorites as well, since college days Philosophy and refreshed by a terrific Great Thinkers course at LLI. I recall something to the effect that faith is a strong belief in something we don’t understand and really weren’t meant to, and that is why it is called faith. I probably butchered this but maybe you get the gist.
Reblogged this on Sweetzerl Cabaya.