Søren Kierkegaard and the First Explosion of Individualism

A philosopher who encouraged people to reflect on who they are and change their way of being

Danish philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard (The proper Danish pronunciation of his name is “sorn KEER-ke-go.”) rebelled against the dominant view that people are nothing more than a part of a historical process. Kierkegaard chose to reject much of what his society taught him, especially the Hegelian system. Hegelianism taught that humans are nothing more than a part of a historical process — an idea adopted by Karl Marx. That assumption rankled Kierkegaard. It went against every fiber of his being. The question of being — who he was and who he should be — was central to Kierkegaard’s life, and by extension, to his expression of what philosophy should be. Unlike most philosophers, he tried to reach nonacademic people and encourage them to to reflect on who they are and change their way of being.

We Are Beings Who Must Choose and Act

Primary to Kierkegaard’s philosophy is the place of the individual. Kierkegaard saw some value in Hegel’s philosophy, but he brought Hegel’s philosophy of progress in consciousness from the level of nations down to the level of the individual. We do inherit the value system of the society into…