Living Poetically in the Modern Age : The Situational - Helda

657 Pages·2009·3.9 MB·English

by  Janne Kylliäinen

Janne Kylli�inen

Living Poetically
in the Modern Age

The Situational Aspects of
Kierkegaard�s Thought

Philosophical Studies from the University of Helsinki 24
Filosofisia tutkimuksia Helsingin yliopistosta
Filosofiska studier fr�n Helsingfors universitet
Philosophical Studies from the University of Helsinki

Publishers:
Department of Philosophy
Department of Social and Moral Philosophy
P.O. Box 9 (Siltavuorenpenger 20 A)
00014 University of Helsinki
Finland

Editors:
Marjaana Kopperi
Panu Raatikainen
Petri Ylikoski
Bernt �sterman
Janne Kylli�inen

Living Poetically
in the Modern Age

The Situational Aspects of
Kierkegaard�s Thought
ISBN 978-952-10-5521-8 (paperback)
ISBN 978-952-10-5522-5 (PDF)
ISSN 1458-8331
Helsinki 2009
Kopio Niini Oy
Contents

Acknowledgements ........................................................................................... 9

Introduction ...................................................................................................... 11
Background ................................................................................................... 11
Objectives, Methods, and Structure of the Work .............................. 17
�Situation� and �Living Poetically� ........................................................ 24

1 The Concept of Irony ................................................................................. 39
1.1 Irony and Immediacy .......................................................................... 40
1.2 Living Poetically and Mastered Irony ............................................ 59
1.3 Variants of Living Poetically ............................................................ 84

2 The Immediate, Commonsense, and Ironic Spheres of
Existence ........................................................................................................ 90

3 Either/Or, Part II ....................................................................................... 120
3.1 The Ethical Redemption of the Aesthetic .................................... 124
3.1.1 Love, Reflection, and Marriage ............................................ 124
3.1.2 Choice, Repentance, and the Universal ............................ 140
3.2 The Irrationality of Living Ethically? ............................................ 164
3.2.1 Freedom of the Ethical Choice ............................................ 164
3.2.2 Reflection in Ethical-Religious Life .................................... 169
3.2.3 Subjectivity of the Truth ....................................................... 175
3.3 The Ethical Way of Living Poetically ............................................ 184

4 The Ethical, Religious, and Humorous Spheres of
Existence ....................................................................................................... 189

5 The Concept of Anxiety and Philosophical Fragments ................. 237
5.1 The Dramatic Experiences that Form the Basis of
Dogmatics............................................................................................... 243
6 Contents

5.1.1 Becoming Situated through Sin ........................................... 243
5.1.2 Becoming Situated through Faith ....................................... 285
5.2 The Irrationality of Basic Christian Dogmas? ............................ 310
5.2.1 I maginative Understanding and Passionate
Transitions ................................................................................. 310
5.2.2 Subjectivity as Untruth .......................................................... 320
5.2.3 P aradoxes of Faith .................................................................... 329
5.3 Inevitable, Blessed Suffering ............................................................. 344

6 The Christian Sphere of Existence .................................................... 364

7 The Sickness unto Death and Practice in Christianity ................. 420
7.1 Through Despair and Offense ......................................................... 421
7.1.1 The Poetical Equilibrium ...................................................... 422
7.1.2 The Immanent Development in Relation to Its
Context ....................................................................................... 426
7.1.3 The Possibility of Offense and the Actuality of Sin ...... 436
7.1.4 Life in Faith ............................................................................... 455
7.2 The Test of Christian Life ................................................................ 461
7.2.1 Contemporaneity with Christ ............................................. 463
7.2.2 Following of Christ in Christendom ................................. 470
7.3 Infinite Enjoyment�Suffering until the End ............................ 493

8 Kierkegaard on His Work and Life as an Author ........................ 502
8.1 Becoming Brought up while Fulfilling a Calling ........................ 503
8.1.1 Fulfilling a Calling ................................................................... 505
8.1.2 Becoming Brought up ............................................................. 517
8.2 The Category through Which the Age Must Go ....................... 524
8.3 Acting under the Direction of Governance ................................. 548
8.4 Living Poetically in the Age of Reflection .................................... 558

9 �Living Poetically� and Kierkegaard Research .................................. 565
9.1 Systematic Analysis of Living Poetically ....................................... 565
9.1.1 A Synthesis Sustained by Spirit ........................................... 566
9.1.2 Elements of Subjectivity ........................................................ 572
9.1.3 Life-Views .................................................................................. 578
Contents 7

9.1.4 Historical and Social Actuality ............................................ 587
9.1.5 (Anti)politics ............................................................................. 594
9.1.6 Life as a Drama ......................................................................... 597
9.2 A Glance at Kierkegaard Research .................................................. 602
9.2.1 History as a Context of the Ethical-Religious
Subject ......................................................................................... 603
9.2.2 Kierkegaard�s Social and Political Thought ..................... 608
9.2.3 Kierkegaard as a Religious Thinker .................................... 614
9.2.4 Living Poetically�Living Reasonably ............................... 623

Bibliography ....................................................................................................... 642
Sources ........................................................................................................ 642
Kierkegaard�s Writings ...................................................................... 642
Hegel�s Writings .................................................................................. 645
Other Sources Possibly Used by Kierkegaard ............................. 646
Research Literature ..................................................................................... 646
Acknowledgements

My oldest and deepest gratitude is to Heikki Kannisto and Hannu
Sivenius for their extracurricular teaching. By taking my questions
seriously, they encouraged me to continue with my studies.
For this dissertation I owe thanks above all to the staff and
fellows at Słren Kierkegaard Research Center in Copenhagen. I
would especially like to thank Jon Stewart and Ettore Rocca for
their steady support, and director Niels Jłrgen Cappelłrn for in-
viting me to return to the center time and again. With fellow stu-
dents and scholars of Kierkegaard from all over the world, it is
impossible to imagine a more inspiring place for studying his
thought.
I also owe thanks to the employees of Hong Kierkegaard Li-
brary at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota. The example of
Gordon Marino helped me to recollect what the art of Socrates
and Kierkegaard was really about. The hospitality and helpfulness
of Cynthia Lund kept not only me, but our whole family going
during our long visit on the other side of the Atlantic.
Back at the University of Helsinki, I wish to express my grati-
tude to my supervisors, Professor Heikki Kirjavainen and Profes-
sor Reijo Ty�rinoja for their help and support. I also wish to thank
Professor Timo Airaksinen for his help. Last but not least, I wish
to thank the department coordinator Tuula Pietil�. Without her
coordination nothing would perhaps have taken place either at the
beginning, in the middle, or at the end of this long project.
My most personal thanks are to my wife Elina for her support
and endurance. I hope my more difficult days will be forgiven by
her and our children. To my parents I owe thanks for their sup-
port throughout my life. I would also like to thank my friend Topi
10 Acknowledgements

Heikker� with whom I have discussed so many philosophical and
religious issues during our years as students and research students.
For financial support, the Oskar �flund Foundation, the Fin-
nish Academy, Nordic Research Council, and the University of
Helsinki are gratefully acknowledged. The Alfred Kordelin Foun-
dation provided major support for the checking of the English
language. The text was proofread by Nicholas Barlow, a philoso-
pher and a teacher of English. Neither he nor anyone else is to be
blamed for mistakes that may be found in the text. Sometimes it is
hard to follow even the best of advice.