Saturday, December 17, 2005
Cozy Saturdays...
Most of you might know me as an overly busy person who is always on the go. But, contrary to popular opinion, I have been known to slow down once in a while. Rather than heading out last night or today, I have stayed tucked in my house today, cozied up under a blanket - situated in a (barely comfortable and somewhat squeaky) chair in my office, listening to meditation and reading Kierkegaard. For fun. OK - even I find that last bit shocking!
So it is somewhat fitting I got the email posted below this morning. I have been reading "Fear and Trembling" by Soren Kierkegaard. I (as always since starting graduate studies) started with the introduction, which, without having read the book, actually went a little over my head. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the ease with which I've been able to follow his thoughts. My impression after reading the introduction was that it would be a very heavy read. It isn't. Which isn't to say it doesn't require deep reading, because it does. You must pay attention.
Anyways - the book is a philosophical meditation on the story of God's command to Abraham that he must sacrifice Isaac. Kierkegaard makes a lot of reference to his philosophical contemporaries drive to "go further." From what I can make out, is that when it comes to the (extraordinary) story of Abraham and Isaac, there is no need to go further. Faith is all there is. I think, from the impression I had before starting the book, that many philosophers use "Fear and Trembling" to argue that Kierkegaard supported an ethic of the command of law. But, after reading his own pseudonymous preface, I am not sure that will be the outcome (granted I still have 80 pages left to read).
One quotation that struck me, and which I find fitting given the scenario described in the "Science and God" posting below:
So it is somewhat fitting I got the email posted below this morning. I have been reading "Fear and Trembling" by Soren Kierkegaard. I (as always since starting graduate studies) started with the introduction, which, without having read the book, actually went a little over my head. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the ease with which I've been able to follow his thoughts. My impression after reading the introduction was that it would be a very heavy read. It isn't. Which isn't to say it doesn't require deep reading, because it does. You must pay attention.
Anyways - the book is a philosophical meditation on the story of God's command to Abraham that he must sacrifice Isaac. Kierkegaard makes a lot of reference to his philosophical contemporaries drive to "go further." From what I can make out, is that when it comes to the (extraordinary) story of Abraham and Isaac, there is no need to go further. Faith is all there is. I think, from the impression I had before starting the book, that many philosophers use "Fear and Trembling" to argue that Kierkegaard supported an ethic of the command of law. But, after reading his own pseudonymous preface, I am not sure that will be the outcome (granted I still have 80 pages left to read).
One quotation that struck me, and which I find fitting given the scenario described in the "Science and God" posting below:
"Philosophy cannot and should not give us an account of faith, but should
understand itself and know just what indeed it has to offer, without taking
anything away, least of all cheating people out of something by making them
think it is nothing."-Soren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling
