As its name states, existentialism is the philosophy that seeks to understand human existence and the meaning of it. For that reason, one of the main concerns of existentialists is the individual, the subject, and its relation to the world and the truth. As the “Father of
Existentialism”, one of Kierkegaard’s main themes is subjectivity and so, the way people relate themselves to the earthly truths. In his Concluding Unscientific Postscript, Kierkegaard states that “Truth is subjectivity” and that “faith” is the most profound form of subjectivity, and hence the highest truth of the individual. The purpose of this essay would be then to elucidate what he means by that.
The above statement may seem paradoxical if we consider our common …show more content…
Opposed to that, we have objectivity that is based on observable phenomena and is not influenced by personal opinions or beliefs. Hence, according to these definitions an objective truth would be to say that everyone possesses their own subjective truth.
We can’t deny that anything that is true is true for a subject. Thus, another way to interpret subjectivity is by the unique relationship between the subject and the object. Indeed, that is what Kierkegaard means when he says that “Truth is subjectivity”: to find the truth, the most important is to find how one relates to objective facts (realities) rather than noticing those facts. Notice that he is not disregarding the importance of objective knowledge but nay putting it on a second plane with respect to one’s relationship to it. Subjectivity is then proper to the individual, it is what he—but no one else—has. Everyone possesses their own and unique subjectivity. Each individual is different. We have a past, a present and a future that determine our existence and its meaning. Socrates said that the goal of life is to know oneself, i.e. being aware of who one is. Kierkegaard re-uses in his Journals where he says that he needs to “find a …show more content…
For him, faith is the most important truth and hence the most profound form of subjectivity; it is not open to objective thinking because it involves a relationship with God and thus a relationship with the infinite constituted by inwardness and subjectivity.
“Only in subjectivity is there decision, to seek objectivity is to be in error. It is the passion of the infinite that is the decisive factor and not its content, for its content is precisely itself. In this manner subjectivity and the subjective “how” constitute the truth.” (KA, p.214)
I believe that for Kierkegaard, there are two options when it comes to try to attain knowledge of God: we can either try to understand him through objective reflection or subjectively decide to believe in Him no matter what. For him, the correct way is the latter one.
To find oneself, one needs to find God because He is the creator without God life is meaningless
(“To understand myself, to see what God really wishes me to do” Journals). The only way one can do it is through subjectivity. We can’t try to understand God in an objective manner
Existentialism”, one of Kierkegaard’s main themes is subjectivity and so, the way people relate themselves to the earthly truths. In his Concluding Unscientific Postscript, Kierkegaard states that “Truth is subjectivity” and that “faith” is the most profound form of subjectivity, and hence the highest truth of the individual. The purpose of this essay would be then to elucidate what he means by that.
The above statement may seem paradoxical if we consider our common …show more content…
Opposed to that, we have objectivity that is based on observable phenomena and is not influenced by personal opinions or beliefs. Hence, according to these definitions an objective truth would be to say that everyone possesses their own subjective truth.
We can’t deny that anything that is true is true for a subject. Thus, another way to interpret subjectivity is by the unique relationship between the subject and the object. Indeed, that is what Kierkegaard means when he says that “Truth is subjectivity”: to find the truth, the most important is to find how one relates to objective facts (realities) rather than noticing those facts. Notice that he is not disregarding the importance of objective knowledge but nay putting it on a second plane with respect to one’s relationship to it. Subjectivity is then proper to the individual, it is what he—but no one else—has. Everyone possesses their own and unique subjectivity. Each individual is different. We have a past, a present and a future that determine our existence and its meaning. Socrates said that the goal of life is to know oneself, i.e. being aware of who one is. Kierkegaard re-uses in his Journals where he says that he needs to “find a …show more content…
For him, faith is the most important truth and hence the most profound form of subjectivity; it is not open to objective thinking because it involves a relationship with God and thus a relationship with the infinite constituted by inwardness and subjectivity.
“Only in subjectivity is there decision, to seek objectivity is to be in error. It is the passion of the infinite that is the decisive factor and not its content, for its content is precisely itself. In this manner subjectivity and the subjective “how” constitute the truth.” (KA, p.214)
I believe that for Kierkegaard, there are two options when it comes to try to attain knowledge of God: we can either try to understand him through objective reflection or subjectively decide to believe in Him no matter what. For him, the correct way is the latter one.
To find oneself, one needs to find God because He is the creator without God life is meaningless
(“To understand myself, to see what God really wishes me to do” Journals). The only way one can do it is through subjectivity. We can’t try to understand God in an objective manner