CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Philosophers such as Hegel, Fichte and Schelling development of
metaphysical idealism were take n to be a great fault by Jacob Friedrich
Fries. Fries opinion was that philosophical trend ought to have
continued in the Kantian tradition. His simple reason for this according
to Coqueston (248) remains that “we must investigate the nature and
laws and scope of knowledge before we can tackle problems about the
object of knowledge”. What Fires means have in that, the question
regarding the Corkinty of object of knowledge can be approached by
investigating the nature, laws and scope of knowledge. In this point,
Fries shares affinity with the attitude of the father of British
empiricism, John Locke.
Thus, Fries and his co-believers became the earlier opponents and
critics of metaphysical idealism. Another philosopher who joined in the
criticism was Christian Hermann Weisse, who opined that Hegel had
exaggerated the role of logic for trying to deduce reality from the
abstract forms of being. On his own, Immanuel Herman Fichte, son of the
famous idealist emphasized the individual human personality. Fichte was
strongly in opposition to what he regarded as Hegel’s tendency to
submerge the individual in the universal where personality, the end of
creation that was assored of immortality, was presented as a moment in
the life of universal spirit. So, the chain of reaction against idealism
continued and reached screen Kierkegaard. This Dane was described by
Ludwig Wittgenstein (cited in Pattison, 1) to be “by far the most
profound Thinkers of the last cemtury”.
Soren Kierkegaard, the father of contemporary existentialism
In Omorveghs (39) words, this is a loose system of philosophy that
deals “win, concrete existence as opposed essence”. The emergence of
this system shifted the attention of philosophy from the study of
metaphysical realities as obtainable in traditional philosophy of
ancient and medieval periods to the study of the being of man and the
tangible or concrete realities of existence.
Kierkegaard’s task was to refute Hegskanism or speculation philosophy
as misrepresented by absolute idealism. Philosophy of Hegelianism,
according to Copleston (335) misrepresented human existence such “
that man realizes his true self or essence in proportion as he
transcends his particularity and becomes a spectator of all time and
existence as a moment in the life of universal thought”.
The above approach purged the diet experience of existeritialism rise
to his oars to react with scant sympathy for this radiculity. In his
reaction, Kierkegaard built his philosophical thoughts in such a manner
that, it fended to become “a clarification of issues and an appeal to
choose, an attempt to get new to see their existential situation and the
great alternatives with which they are faced” according to copleste
(336). This clarification is necessary because the important problems of
any human being is never resolved by sheer thought or speculation, “but
by this act of choice, on the level of existence rather than on that of
detached, objectives reflection” as Copestone (338) puts it.
Ordinarily, Kierkegaard posits that philosophy should concern itself
not merely with abstract theories rather with questions such that
confront individuals as existing beings. Citing Etim (1) question such
as “who am I? what is the meaning of life? How can I live a meaningful
and useful life? How can I remain there to myself and to others? What is
the meaning of freedom for me? How can I use my freedom?” Kierkegaard
want on to assert that human existence is not merely an existence but an
authentic human existence with paschal relationship with his creator.
The authenticity of this individual existences made Kierkegaard to raise
questions such as “How should one live authentically as a Christian?
How does one live in a personal relationship with God, and respond
authentically to the demands of that relationships as …… did? What is
the meaning of having a faithful relationship with God?
In this light, it is agreed that existential philosophy concern
itself with the ultimate question of the meaning of human existence. By
and large, existentialists approach where to discover the meaning and
authenticity of …… existence. This work, therefore, seek to examine
Soren Kierkegaard’s approach to the question of the meaning of human
existence and the question concerning the question: what does it really
mean to exist as a human person?
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The question of human existence has attracted so many considerations.
There are some who approached it from the point of view of its
absurdity and meaninglessness. Most of such people are atheists like
Martin Heidegger, with Albert Camus and Jean Paul Sartre who played down
very much, the essence of human existence as Hegel also did. However,
there is the other group of existentialists who discussed human
existence as a worthwhile venture. Such include the chief founder of
contemporary existentialism in the person of Soren Kierkegaard. These
philosophers expounded certain existential tenets which according to
Lescoe (9) are geared towards “analyzing the basic structures of human
existence and to call individuals to an awareness of their existence in
its essential freedom”.
The problem of human existence is related wholly to this concept of
freedom. Its use and abuse makes and mars man respectively. This is
because freedom remains the pivot upon which man asserts himself. It is
his relationship to this that categorizes him either as authentic or
inauthentic individual. Thus, the measure of the meaningfulness or
meaninglessness of life is highly subjective but whichever way it is
determined by the degree of commitment which one puts in as he tries to
assert himself by the exercise of freedom.
Another question to be examined here remains whether one can live
authentically when one has no authentic relation to the community which
Kierkegaard regard as the crowd? And man existential approaches to the
natural phenomenon such as death, dread, or anxiety, despair, and
suffering. It also takes into consideration the question of freedom and
choice, man’s quest for existential meaning and Kierkegaard’s analysis
of man’s stages on life way.
It is therefore in a bid to clarify some of these mind-bogging issues
that the researcher is out to expose what Kierkegaard considers to be
the gauge or the standard of meaningful human existence. With this in
view, the work is a confrontation of man with the naked facts of his
freedom and duty through which he makes the best out of his life as an
individual.
1.3 AIM OF THE STUDY
It is a major tragedy of human existence that many people goes
through life failing to express their individual potentialities to an
appreciable extent. On the other hand, Fred Baver observes that there
are those who concentrate so hard on making a living that they tend to
forget to live.
The above insights are what inspired this research. The researcher
therefore wishes to awaken from slumber those who are yet to give in or
enjoy the latest possibilities in them while those who have lost hope in
realizing meaning out of human existence as x-rayed by their excessive
obsession or addiction to working so hard are to be reminded that
Kierkegaard was right when he said that “until man actualized his
essential self in God, his life is full of anxiety” (Ibe 43). It is with
confident the belief that this knowledge or wisdom will make all see
the difficulties in life as things designed to make all better and not
bitter. Thus, this work has the intention of making all realize that
human existence is meaningful in so far as it is approached subjectively
through individual’s personal experiences, adequate sense and use of
freedom, solemn and sincere fear of the creator.
1.4 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
Human day to day challenges impact highly at all levels and leaves us
with so many complexities to eventually falling into the disposition of
‘follow the trends’ for existential survival. The weaknesses in human
authenticity in nearly every facet of human life or society cause man to
almost be a blind copy of itself or the other person. Typically, daily
problems of existence sometimes isolate us from engaging in
self-realization to fully understand ourselves and deal with questions
that impugn our very nature so as to realize our purpose in an ever
changing and ever complex world. Man often focuses on thought of others
to the detriment of his unique individuality. Other than being an
authentic individual, who answers the question of freedom, meaning and
faces the existential phenomenon of death, suffering, dread, despair,
absurdity etc, man is otherwise subsumed in the crowd thus losing his
individuality to abstract objective or societal control. Kierkegaard’s
opposition to this trend and his answers to the question “what does it
mean to be existing as a human being?” informs the energetic question
gingering this research on his notion of human existence. Thereby
justifying the rationale behind this research bearing in mind it impact
in awakening the contemporary man to the reality of himself as an
existing being.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Existential philosophy rest on the conception that man must first
exist, then take responsibility of creating meaning or essence for his
existence. This task of creating meaning can be says to be enormous.
Therefore, man must be at its best to be able to exercise such
responsibility. Consequently, questions regarding the human person
arise. Questions such as who is a human being? What does existence like?
Or what is the meaning of man’s existence. Does man have absolute
freedom to make choices? etc. It is in this sense that this research
plays a significant role to man as he hopes to realize himself. Thus,
the significance of this work can be outline as follows:
- It helps man to realize his purpose of existence thereby
fashioning his own life through realization and reflection on himself by
excluding himself from the crowd.
- Kierkegaard proposed three stages on life would benefits
contemporary man to come to the actualization of his essence with the
understanding that to exist is to be an individual who strives, who
considers alternatives, who chooses, who decides and who makes a
commitment more importantly, for ensuring existential commitment, worthy
of making the individual sound, critical focused, brave, courageous and
analytical minded in making decisions for his very life.
- It is also of relevance to contemporary man in re-orienting the
contemporary world on the fact that self-realization and valuation is
possible only if man makes personal decision out of deep personal
reflection and free exercise of his will power while being ready to take
responsibilities for his subjective decisions than objective crowd
following.
- Also, bearing in mind the scope of epistemology which deals with the
nature, scope and criterion of knowledge. The research contributes
epistemologically by revealing such knowledge that qualifies such a
conclusion on human nature. It’s also awakes the slumbering man to take
responsibility and create his essence or meaning even in the face of
existential predicaments.
1.6 METHODOLOGY OF STUDY
In order to give this work its required philosophical grounding, the
researcher made wide consultation of research materials on Kierkegaard.
The outcome of that effort is manifested in the acquisition of deep
knowledge of existentialists’ concept of human existence. However, there
is strict adherence to Kierkegaardian method. Some necessary opinions
or insights of others are employed as and when due as the research
progresses.
The work therefore employs the philosophical methods of analysis,
criticism and prescription. Analytical, as to how it relates the
existential ideas to subjective experiences. Critical, in that it does
not assimilate all Kierkegaard’s assumptions, rather it appraises his
strong points but criticizes the unwholesome aspects of his notion or
teachings in regard to human existence.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
What formed the scope of this work stems eventually from what
Kierkegaard applied in his effort to ascribe meaning to human existence
through authentic individuality. This implies his ideas of the
individual and the mode of the individual’s existence. Also, the scope
of this research covers Kierkegaard’s existential philosophy,
particularly on his notion of human existence and, by extension, his
thought as it affects the contemporary man.
1.8 DEFINITION IF TERMS
Meaning of Human
What is Existentialism?
Existentialism as a philosophical endeavour is seen differently from
the perspective of different philosophers. According to R. C. Solomon,
existentialism “is the explicit conceptual manifestation of an
existential attitude–a spirit of ‘the present age’. It is a
philosophical realization of a self-conscious living in a “broken
world”… a world into which we are “thrown” or “condemned” yet
“abandoned” and “free”…a world which appears to be indifferent or even
“absurd”…” (ix), this definition sees existentialism “as an attitude
which begins with a disoriented individual, facing a confused world that
he cannot accept” (Olawonyin 24). On his part, G. O. Ozumba sees
existentialism as “the philosophy of human existence…concerned with the
individual in the uniqueness of his existence. It therefore renounces
reason, universality, abstraction and objectivity in favour of privacy,
particularity, randomness and subjectivity” (87-88). Supporting this
view, Idang (99) writes that “it would seem, man with his problems, is
the main focus of existentialism. It is a manner of philosophizing, a
way and manner of looking at the world especially of man and his place
in the universe.” For Aqulanna (147) existentialism “is concerned with
the ambiguities and paradoxes that constitute the inner being of man”.
From the foregoing, existentialism, generally, is a philosophical
outlook that stresses man’s predicament, and lay emphasis on man
existence as an individual rather than an abstract being.