back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 7579

[from 'Concluding Unscientific Postscript' by Søren Kierkegaard, in 23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 1. Existentialism ]

Full Idea

While the Hegelian philosophy goes on and is finished without having an Ethics, the more simple philosophy which is propounded by an existing individual for existing individuals, will more especially emphasis the ethical.

Gist of Idea

While big metaphysics is complete without ethics, personal philosophy emphasises ethics

Source

Søren Kierkegaard (Concluding Unscientific Postscript [1846], 'Lessing')

Book Reference

Kierkegaard,Søren: 'A Kierkegaard Anthology', ed/tr. Bretall,Robert [Princeton 1946], p.203


A Reaction

This is reminiscent of the Socratic revolution, which shifted philosophy from the study of nature to the study of personal virtue. However, if we look for ethical teachings in existentialism, there often seems to be a black hole in the middle.