Chapter 14: The Existentialist: Soren Kierkegaard Flashcards
Existentialism began as a reaction to what phenomena?
a. Increased respect for the individual
b. Subjective approaches to life
c. Loss of respect for the individual
d. Capitalism
c. Loss of respect for the individual
What is the best definition of the existentialist archetype?
a. The existentialist resists being turned into an archetype!
b. The existentialist is concerned solely with authenticity.
c. The existentialists, wearing all black, suffer from depression and assert that life is devoid of meaning.
d. The archetype of an existentialist is the brooding type.
a. The existentialist resists being turned into an archetype!
What type of philosophy is existentialism?
a. It is a philosophy that explores real-life existence. Some questions explored are about inauthenticity, mortality, choice, identity, freedom, despair, and alienation.
b. It is a type of philosophy that assesses the truth of a belief or theory based on its practical effects and usefulness. If a concept or idea works well in practice and leads to successful outcomes, it is considered true.
c. It’s a type of philosophy that posits that material conditions and economic factors are the primary drivers of historical development. According to existentialism, the mode of production shapes the social, political, and ideological aspects of society.
d. It’s a type of philosophy that relies heavily on inductive reasoning, which involves drawing general conclusions from specific observations. Through repeated observations and experiments, empirical evidence accumulates, leading to broader generalizations and theories.
a. It is a philosophy that explores real-life existence. Some questions explored are about inauthenticity, mortality, choice, identity, freedom, despair, and alienation.
What about Søren Kierkegaard made him an existentialist?
a. His dedication to empirical research in natural sciences marked a turning point in the philosophy of metaphysics.
b. It was his study for the proof of God’s existence through deductive reasoning and logic.
c. It was his focus on psychoanalytic theories, viewing them from a philosophical rather than clinical perspective.
d. He rebelled against the system. He rejected objectivity. His method was unsystematic and unorthodox in the history of philosophy.
d. He rebelled against the system. He rejected objectivity. His method was unsystematic and unorthodox in the history of philosophy.
What was Kierkegaard’s relationship with his father like?
a. He had daddy issues. Kierkegaard’s father discouraged him from pursuing intellectual endeavors and preferred him to focus on manual labor.
b. Kierkegaard’s father was an atheist, which deeply influenced Søren’s rejection of religious themes in his work. It also accounted for his unsystematic attacks on religious dogma, science, and other normative ideologies of the time.
c. Kierkegaard greatly admired his father and considered him an intellectual mentor. Michael Kierkegaard was a deeply religious and introspective man, and his influence shaped Søren’s philosophical and theological outlook.
d. Kierkegaard’s father was largely absent from his life, leaving Søren to be raised by his mother and other relatives.
c. Kierkegaard greatly admired his father and considered him an intellectual mentor. Michael Kierkegaard was a deeply religious and introspective man, and his influence shaped Søren’s philosophical and theological outlook.
What was Kierkegaard known for in college?
a. Kierkegaard was a prominent political activist who led numerous protests and rallies advocating for social and political reforms.
b. Kierkegaard was celebrated for his innovative engineering projects, including the design and construction of advanced mechanical devices.
c. Kierkegaard was well known for his talent in composing classical music, and several of his symphonies were performed by college orchestras.
d. Kierkegaard was known for drinking, attending theater, his good taste in food and clothes, and other aesthetic delights.
d. Kierkegaard was known for drinking, attending theater, his good taste in food and clothes, and other aesthetic delights.
How did religion impact Kiergegaard’s relationship with Regine Olsen?
a. She was too young to marry, so he broke up with her in hopes of having a physical relationship with someone his own age.
b. He broke up with her because he did not feel the same way about her as she felt about him, until it was too late.
c. He thought he had to choose between being a minister and having a life with Regine, so he sacrificed Regine in hopes he could have both, just as Abraham offered Isaac in the Old Testament story.
d. He had to end his relationship with Regine Olsen because of her age, statutory rape laws, and how their relationship was viewed in the eyes of the church.
c. He thought he had to choose between being a minister and having a life with Regine, so he sacrificed Regine in hopes he could have both, just as Abraham offered Isaac in the Old Testament story.
Who did Kiergegaard leave all of his belongings to when he died?
a. Regine Olsen
b. The University of Copenhagen
c. To a stranger he met on the trolly
d. His six siblings, to be split evenly
a. Regine Olsen
When the nature and needs of the individual are sacrificed for institutions, abstractions, or groups, what does Kierkegaard say results?
a. Forlornness
b. Anxiety
c. Despair
d. Inauthenticity
d. Inauthenticity
In what ways was using a pseudonym an existential act?
a. The pseudonyms were created solely for the purpose of satire. Kierkegaard used these false identities to mock the intellectual pretensions of his contemporaries, particularly those in academia and the church. Each pseudonymous work was intended to be a humorous critique, using exaggerated and absurd arguments to highlight the flaws in popular philosophical and theological positions of his time.
b. Each pseudonymous author embodies a particular way of life or existential stance. By creating these distinct voices, Kierkegaard highlighted the diversity of human existence and the importance of individual choice in shaping one’s life.
c. Kierkegaard’s use of pseudonyms was part of a broader scientific experiment on the nature of identity. He collaborated with psychologists of his time to explore how individuals perceive and construct identities. Each pseudonym was designed to embody specific psychological traits, and Kierkegaard meticulously recorded the reactions of his readers to contribute data to emerging theories of personality and identity formation.
d. It allowed Kierkegaard a way to hide his authenticity in the bustling metropolis that was Copenhagen. There were severe consequences for speaking against the church or against other societal norms, so using a pseudonym was a way to avoid penalty.
b. Each pseudonymous author embodies a particular way of life or existential stance. By creating these distinct voices, Kierkegaard highlighted the diversity of human existence and the importance of individual choice in shaping one’s life.
In what ways did using a pseudonym help illuminate subjective truth according to Kierkegaard?
a. The use of pseudonyms allowed Kierkegaard to blend in with other philosophers of his time, making his ideas appear more mainstream and less radical.
b. By using pseudonyms, Kierkegaard was able to publish multiple works simultaneously, overwhelming the market and gaining financial success.
c. He believed that existential truth must be personally appropriated rather than passively received. Pseudonyms allowed him to indirectly approach existential issues, which invites readers to self-discover.
d. Using a pseudonym helped Kierkegaard to be able to write his subjective truth without fear of consequence.
c. He believed that existential truth must be personally appropriated rather than passively received. Pseudonyms allowed him to indirectly approach existential issues, which invites readers to self-discover.
Which of the following was one of Kierkegaard’s pseudonyms?
a. Bishop Mynster
b. A. B. C. D. E. F. Godthaab
c. The_Existentialist
d. Lorde Anti-Climactic
b. A. B. C. D. E. F. Godthaab
What did Kierkegaard think about institutionalized Christianity?
a. He believed that the one true place to find God was in an institution, particularly of the Christian faith.
b. He believed that it was authentic, where people take a calculated risk, a “leap of faith.”
c. He believed that it is a commitment to God made each instant that guarantees the transcendent afterlife.
d. He believed that it was inauthentic, full of hypocrisy and mere living.
d. He believed that it was inauthentic, full of hypocrisy and mere living.
Was Bishop Mynster a witness for truth?
a. Yes. Many of Mynster’s followers, including the clergy and general public, rose in his defense, which must be because he was a witness for truth.
b. Yes. Mynster was a minister, and he was as objective as they come.
c. Kierkegaard’s answer was an unequivocal “No!” He argued that the bishop was a witness to an error, a witness to false Christianity.
d. Absolutely. That is why Kierkegaard waited until Mynster’s passing to question institutions of religion, out of respect for his father’s friend.
c. Kierkegaard’s answer was an unequivocal “No!” He argued that the bishop was a witness to an error, a witness to false Christianity.
What was the major existential issue of Kierkegaard’s project?
a. What am I to do?
b. How should we live?
c. Is knowledge possible?
d. What do I really believe?
a. What am I to do?
How can we find truth in our lives according to Kierkegaard?
a. By studying science and technology, through computers and phones
b. Only by studying objective information or facts
c. By realizing that truth is a subjective condition
d. By studying and observing Christians, figuring out what they eat and wear
c. By realizing that truth is a subjective condition
What inhibits personal integration or self-actualization according to Kierkegaard?
a. Understanding the existing individual
b. Institutions, science, and objectivity
c. Living your best life
d. Subjectivity
b. Institutions, science, and objectivity
What does Kierkegaard say about being objective in our relationships?
a. We are after all, a “bundle of perceptions,” so, it is best for us to be as unbiased as possible.
b. It deceives us by obscuring our individual responsibility to one another through abstractions that sound good.
c. Using reason and rationality in our relationships helps us preserve them. Passion can destroy our relationships.
d. He thinks that objectivity is a way of observing life before we make a mistake, therefore, it is necessary.
b. It deceives us by obscuring our individual responsibility to one another through abstractions that sound good.
What would Kierkegaard say about our participation in groups for solidarity (i.e., religious affiliations, LGBTQ+, Latinx, BLM)?
a. The only way to live in passion is to be situated inside of a group. Collective passion is powerful.
b. Self-actualization is dependent on having a peer group who can hold us accountable.
c. We need a group to identify with because we seek peer approval, and so it is best to find our village.
d. The collective identity is always somehow false; in order to fit in, we must betray a part of ourselves.
d. The collective identity is always somehow false; in order to fit in, we must betray a part of ourselves.
What reduces individuals to mediocrity at the expense of authenticity according to Kierkegaard?
a. When we try to discover ourselves through different styles
b. When we move to the beat of our own drum
c. When we are arrogant or confident
d. When we generalize, when we become a collective abstraction, a trope
d. When we generalize, when we become a collective abstraction, a trope
According to Kierkegaard, what is “living in truth”?
a. Becoming a subject
b. Rejecting God
c. By realizing there is no self
d. Being Objective
a. Becoming a subject
What stage does Kierkegaard think most of us live our lives?
a. The ethical stage
b. The social stage
c. The religious stage
d. The aesthetic stage
d. The aesthetic stage
Which stage is the only stage that allows us to be our authentic self?
a. The aesthetic stage
b. The ethical stage
c. The religious stage
d. The social stage
c. The religious stage
Where does Kierkegaard land in relation to a belief in God?
a. You must know that you do not know and take a leap of faith anyway.
b. You should believe in God with fervor because Aquinas proved his existence, and Kierkegaard was greatly influenced by Aquinas.
c. He cannot believe in what he cannot know.
d. As an existentialist, he is by nature an atheist.
a. You must know that you do not know and take a leap of faith anyway.
