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Kierkegaard and Belief James Joseph Dagenais Loyola University Chicago

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Kierkegaard and Belief James Joseph Dagenais Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Master's Theses Theses and Dissertations 1957 Kierkegaard and Belief James Joseph Dagenais Loyola University Chicago Recommended Citation Dagenais, James Joseph, "Kierkegaard and Belief " (1957). Master's Theses. Paper 1380. http://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_theses/1380 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Loyola eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of Loyola eCommons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. Copyright © 1957 James Joseph Dagenais lCIERIEGAA.RD AND BRLIEF by Jame8 Joeeph Dagena18~ S.J. A. Thesis Submitted to the Faculty at the Graduate School at Loyola University in Partial Fultillment of the Requ:1rements tor the Degree at Muter at Arts February 19S7 LIFE JaJIles Joseph Dagenais was bom in Blue Island, illinois, June 12, 1928. He was graduated from St. Ignatius High School, Chicago, Illinois, June, 1946, and entered the Society of Jesus at. Milf'ord, Ohio, in September of the aame year. Atter two ,..arst Iovitiate and two ,..ars spent. in the studT of the Human.­ ities at Milford, Ohio, he was transferred, in August, 19SO, to West Baden College, West Baden Springs, Indiana, where he studied Philosophy ter three ",ars. He reee1Ted his Bachelor ot Arts Degree trom Loyo~ UniTersitr, Chicago, D.linois, in June, 1951, and began his graduate studies in Loyola University in September, 1952. Fran 1953 to 19S6 the author taught English am Latin at the University of of Detroit High School, Detroit, Michigan, where he also assisted in the De- partment of Speech. At present, the writer 18 pursuing the stud1' of theology at West Baden College in preparation tor the priesthood. ill PREFA.CE Several years of association with the subjoct-matter of the thesis has taught the author that he is presenting only a brief introduction to ICiarke­ gaardts Phi1080Ph;y or Religion. In spite of this llrd.tation, however, the th sis may ~pear to the reader to be too 1en.gtb.y'. It was thought best, therefor to omit an expanded treatment of Kierlcegaard's.llf'e and the background of the times in which be l1yed. The interested reader I'IIIA7 find this information in the following works. E. L. Allen, Existentialism From Within, (London, 1953), pp. 3-7; Walter Lowrie, !. Short ~ £'!. K1erkegaard (Princeton, New Jcosey, 1944), pp. 1-16J H. V. Martin, Kierkegaard, !h!. Melanchol;r l?!!!! (London, 1950), pp. 24-33. Denail Patrick, Pascal !!!.2 Kicokegaard (London, 1941), pp. 1-40; Reidar Thomte, Kierkegaard.'s Philosophy .2! Religion (Princeton, New Jersey, 1948), pp. 3-1. The word "Bellef" is used in the title to signify that the prima.ry occu­ patlon of the thesis is with the psychological and ontological character of human belief', and not wi til Supernatural Fa!th. Very special thanks are due to the ReY'erend Robert F. HarV'cu, S.J., ot West Baden College and to the ReYermd Robert W. Mulligan, S.J., of 1o)"Ola University for their ldn&Iness and helptulnes8, and to Mrs. C. P. Culhane, of Detroit, Michigan. t«> undertaking the task ot typing the final copies. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODtXTION A. Kierkegaard'. Lite. 1. The elder K1erkegaard • • • • • • • • • • • 1 2. Relationship between father and BOn, a. Inheritance or imag1na tion .. • • .. • • .. 2 b. Inheritance of dialectic • • • .. .. • • 3 i c. Inheritance of convictions • • • .. .. .. • 3 3. Karkegeard's University Lite. a. From 1830 to the moral regeneration of 1837 .. • • .. .. .. • .. .. .. .. • • .. • • • 4 b. From 1837 to the lPiritual· regeneration or 1838 • • • • • • • .. • .. .. • • .. .. .. 4 4. Eng~nt to Regine Olsen • • • • • • .. • , ,.. The Corsair Incident .. .. • .. • .. ·.. • • • • .. 6 6. Att&dC upon the Established Church • .. • • .. 7 7.. Death ani Burial • • .. • • • • • • • .. • • 8 B. Kierkegaard t s Workst 1. The pseudonymous works • • .. .. • • .. .. • .. • 9 2. The polemical works • • .. • .. • .. • • .. .. • • 10 3. The devotional works .. • .. .. .. • • • .. • .. 10 4.. The pseudonJlRlls • .. .. • • .. • 11 • • • • • • • of C. The object or the thesis .. • • .. .. .. .. .. • • • .. 13 II. SOURCES OF KIERK'EG.URDtS OONCEPT OF BELIEF A. Introduction ............... • • • • • • 14 B. Catholic Doctrine or Supernatural Faith • • • • .. 14 C. The Theological scuree. of Kierkegaard t s concept or belief, Martin Luther ............... .. 16 1. Sources or Luther's doctrines ......... .. 17 2. Luther's teachings on man and Faith • .. .. • .. 18 3. Luther t s voluntarism md emotionalism • .. • • 19 D. The Philosophical sources or K1erkegaard's concept of beliefs Locke, Hunte, and Kant ........... .. 20 1. I.oek:. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 21 2. HUIle ••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 22 3. Karl' •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2, vi III. KIERKEOAARDtS ATTACK UPON DETERMINISM AND RJMA.NTICISM A. Introduction •••••••••••• • • • • • • 29 B. Kierkegaardts attack upon Hegelian Determinismt 1. Introduction: a. K1erkegaani's relationship to Hegel •• 30 b. K1erkegaard.'s 1n.teUectllal and religious motivation • ••••••••••••• 31 c. Kierkegaard's interest in the individual 32 d. K1erkegaard' s Rom.antic outlook • • • • • 33 2. Three anti-Hegelian theses: a. The first thesis I i. Hegel's world-historical outlook ls . damaging to Eth1 cs •••••••• 3S .\ li. Kierkegaardts thesis of man's tree relationship with God • • • • • • • 37 r- b. The second thesis: , i. "A logical .,stem. is possible: an existential system. is impossible." 37 ii. Kierkegaard on the contingency of existence ••••••••••••• 41 c. The third the Ii•• 1. Hegel cannot justifY change •••• 43 ii. K1erkegaard on "becoming n s' Three proofs • • • • • • • • • 44 Belief as correlative to existential "beeoming" •••• 47 3. S\l1'!PI8.r1' • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .. • • • 48 C. 1Cierkegaard t s attack upon Romantic aestheticism: 1. Introduction, The dialectics a. Hegelian dialectic • • • • • • • • • • • 50 b. Kierkegaard's dialectic •••••••• Sl 2. Doctrine of the Three Stages. a. Characteristics of the Stages ••••• 52 b. The Stages theselvesa i. The aesthetic Stage • • • • • • • • 53 ii. The Ethical Stage •••••••• iii. Transition to Religious Stage • • • ~~ D. S'IllIImB.ry' • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 60 IV. THE ~ OF BELIEP' A. Introduction ................". 62 B. The Third Stage of Exist.ence, the Religious. 1. Kierkegaard' $ problem. I becollling a Christian 64 a. Mants relationship to Christianity cannot be "objective" ...".... 66 b. Mants relationship to Christianity l1lUSt be -subjective". The Subjectivity of Truth. • 68 i. The nature of the Subjective thinker 71 Passion • • • • • • • • • • • 72 Three Expressions • • • • • • 72 ii. The need for a subjective relation­ ship: Repetition • • • • • • • • • 76 iii. The object of the relationship: An Absolute telos which is also a contin­ gent, historical fact • • • • • • • 18 iv. The means of relating: Religiousness A, Religiousness B • • • • • • • • • • • 80 v. The difficulty of rela1dng c Paradoxes ••••••••• • • • • • 82 vi. The aot of relating: The Freedom of Faith • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • 86 vii. The resul.t s of the relatdonab1.p • • • 89 c. Summary . .. .. 90 V. SUMMARY AND EVALUATION A. Summary of the Thesis • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 93 B. Evaluation of Kierkegaards 1. Intelligibility of b1.s doctrines in the light of the history of Philosopny • • • • • • • • • 96 a. Subjectivity before Aquinas • • ~ • • • • 97 b. Subjectivi tT after Aquinas ••••••• 98 c. The subj ectivity of belief in Thom1S1'1l • • 98 d. The subjectivity of belief in Modern Philosophy • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 101 2. Conclusions concerning the subjectivity of belief • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ... 104 3. lUerkegaard and the subjectivitY' of beliet • • lOS 4. Practical assent in belief. a. According to Cardinal Newman ••• • • • 106 b. According to St. Ignatius Loyola • • • • 107 C. CriticieM of Xlerkegaard I 1. Positive contributions of Klerkegaard •••• 108 2. Vitiating elements of Kierkegaard's contribu­ tions a. His denial or the value or reason for faith • . • . • . • • • • • • • 109 b. His denial of the validity or objective tl'Uth ••••••••••••••••• 110 c. His denial of objective certitude ••• ll2 D. conclusion • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 113 BIBLIOGRAPHY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 122 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Sor~ Aabye Kierkegaard was bom in Copenhagen. Denmark. on May 5. 181.3. the seventh and last child of Michael Pedersen Kierkegaard and Ana ~rensdatter Lund Kurkegaard. Ane was Michael Kierkegaard's second wite (his first wife having died childless atter two years of married. life), and had been a maid- servant in his home. The father, Michael K1erkegaard, bad risen .from the sta­ tus of a hungry shepherd boT on the West Jutland heaths to a position of wealth as a hoaier in the city of Copenhagen. At the age of fortT, thirteen years We1"ore the birth of ~ren, he decided that he had 'earned enough money to live the rest or his lite in retirement. He spent his time thereatter reading and pondering religious and phUosophica.l questions.l Michael Kierkegaard was a man of deep and brooding dLsposition,.. given to cea8eles8 introspection. As a boy, he had cursed God for allowing him, a poor and hungry shepherd to suffer so much without coming to his aid. ae looked upon his later prosperitT as God' 8 answer to his
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