Despair Philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard

is despair merit or defect? purely dialectically both. if 1 think of despair in abstract, without reference particular despairer, 1 have enormous merit. possibility of sickness man’s advantage on beast, , advantage characterizes him quite otherwise upright posture, bespeaks infinite erectness or loftiness of being spirit. possibility of sickness man’s advantage on beast; aware of sickness christian’s advantage on natural man; cured of sickness christian’s blessedness.

most emphatically in sickness unto death, kierkegaard s author argues human self composition of various aspects must brought conscious balance: finite, infinite, consciousness of relationship of 2 itself, , consciousness of power posited self. finite (limitations such imposed 1 s body or 1 s concrete circumstances) , infinite (those capacities free limitations such imagination) exist in state of tension. tension between 2 aspects of self must brought balance. when self out of balance, i.e., has wrong understanding of because conceives in terms of own limiting circumstances (and fails recognize own freedom determine be) or in terms of be, (thus ignoring own circumstances), person in state of despair. notably, anti-climacus says 1 can in despair if 1 feels happy. despair not emotion, in deeper sense loss of self, i.e., describes state when 1 has wrong conception of oneself. in either/or, , judge william each has 1 epistolary novel in 2 volumes. aesthete aware can use power of interpretation define , takes valuable. knows can shape , reshape own self-identity. nothing binds him relationships. nothing binds him past actions. in end though, knows lacks consistent understanding of is. lacks self resists own power of reinterpretation. older friend judge william, argues deeper concept of selfhood discovered 1 commits 1 s actions, , takes ownership of past , present. concept of oneself, particular human being, begins take form in 1 s own consciousness. perspective, 1 in individual can find measure of freedom despair, available person religious faith. attunes individual or can recognize has been there: self realized within circumstances finds right now, i.e., inner attunement brings sort of synthesis between infinite , finite. in fear , trembling, johannes de silentio argues choice of abraham obey private, unethical, commandment of god sacrifice son reveals faith entails: directs consciousness absolutely toward absolute rather merely ethical, i.e., practices inner spirituality seeks before god rather seeking understand himself ethically upright person. god requires more being good, demands seek out inner commitment him. if abraham blithely obey, actions have no meaning. when acts fear , trembling demonstrates full awareness murdering son absolutely wrong, ethically speaking.

despair has several specific levels person can find themselves, each 1 further in despair last laid out in sickness unto death.

the first level despair ignorant of being despair or despairing ignorance of having self , eternal self. level 1 has wrong conception of self is, i.e., ignorant of how realize self 1 potentially is. in sense, person not recognize own despair because measures success of life based on whether himself judges himself happy. regardless of whether know in despair or not, kierkegaard asserts, can still in state. notes common in world.

the next level of despair despair conscious of being despair , therefore conscious of having self in there eternal , either in despair not or in despair wills itself. becomes further subdivided 3 categories: despair not or want oneself, despair not self, , lowest, despair wish new self. these 3 divisions self-worth person has , amount understand own despair. despair not oneself pretty straightforward. person sees themself unworthy , such not see themself worthy before not understand. despair not self deeper, because not wish self wish not have relation god or @ least see 1 s relation god unworthy, , shrink it. lowest form of group, however, desire new self. logically deepest form assumes deepest understanding of 1 s despair. once in despair, without complete relation god 1 in despair, in level 1 understands permanence of despair. despair in group arises nature of sensate things , physical desires. these 3 sub groups grouped under heading despair on earthly.

the second level of conscious despair under heading despair on eternal. in level views themself in light of own weakness. unlike in upper level, weakness understood , such, instead of turning faith , humbling oneself before god, despair in own weakness , unworthiness. in sense, despair on eternal , refuse comforted light of god.

the last , lowest form of despair desire in despair oneself. last form of despair referred kierkegaard demonic despair (note term demonic used in classical greek sense, not modern sense). in form of despair, individual finds him or herself in despair, understands in despair, seeks way alleviate it, , yet no forthcoming. result, self becomes hardened against form of , if god in heaven , angels offered him aid, not want it. @ level of despair individual revels in own despair , sees own pain lifting them above base nature of other humans not find in state. least common form of despair , kierkegaard claims found in true poets. despair can called despair of defiance, despair strikes out against eternal. 1 last note 1 travels further down forms of despair, number of people in each group becomes fewer.