Usefulness and uselessness of history: History, memory and the contemporaneity of faith according to S. Kierkegaard (DOI: 10.2436/20.3000.02.1)

Authors

  • Gabriel Amengual i Coll Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB)

Keywords:

history, Kierkegaard, Christianity, memory, Socrates, Lessing

Abstract

According to Kierkegaard, history can be considered in two ways: On the one hand, it is useless in its pure objectivity of data and dates, casual deeds and events; on the other hand, it is essential if we consider the fact that the eternal has become present in it, hence that God has become part of it. Thus, Kierkegaard differs from both Socrates and Lessing by thinking about reason, truth and the eternal as present in history. The instant is the category with which Kierkegaard tries to think about this historical convergence of the historical and the eternal.

Key words: History, Kierkegaard, Christianity, memory, Socrates, Lessing

Original source: Comprendre. Revista Catalana de Filosofia, 10(1-2): 103-122 (2008)

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Published

2012-02-17

Issue

No. 1 (2012)

Section

Philosophy

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