© Roger M Tagg 2010-2011
Welcome to FROLIO – a new attempt to merge philosophy and the "semantic web" . This website is under continuing development.
This is in the very readable Icon "Introducing" series, with lots of cartoons. A likely gut reaction is that Kirkegaard was a bit of a nutter - but is notable as the "first genuine existentialist". A characteristic of his approach was his habit of publishing under a number of different pseudonyms, each taking a slightly different view. He remained a committed Christian, although he felt that most Christians just "went along with the crowd". He refused last rites and funeral oration from any pastor of the official Danish church.
| Chapter | Page | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Hegel - the individual must be subordinated to society, state etc. One is not a real person unless related to others. | |
| 31 | Hegel - has nothing on how to live a good life. | |
| 33 | Mainstream philosophers concentrate on humanity and ignore fears, desires, thoughts, dispositions, neuroses and commitments. | |
| 39 | "The crowd" lack any real personal freedom, because they have allowed others to decide how they should live. | |
| 54 | "Choose despair" - or rather, face up to what causes it. | |
| 66 | Being "present to oneself" - overdo nostalgia for the past and dreams for the future. | |
| 79 | Incompatibilists - may believe religion because it is absurd and non-rational. Compatibilists hope to reconcile religion and rationality. | |
| 112 | "Dread" - if one chooses the path of freedom - more like dizziness. Trying to escape only means inauthenticity. | |
| 122 | Will - need to exercise some for the immediate challenges. | |
| 146 | Influence on Existentialism - what gives life meaning? K - it's God; Nietzsche - Art; Sartre - political commitment; Heidegger - Dasein. | |
| 147 | Western philosophy - seems to consist of becoming a professor of the fact that another suffered - not oneself. | |
| 159 | Are we really free? Maybe it just seems that way. | |
| 160 | We are to some extent determined by our genes, and it may be harder than we think to "kick against the pricks". | |
| 161 | Compare with Freud - we are only dimly aware of our mental processes | |
| 163 | We can't totally ignore the social dimension - we are a social animal. | |
Index to more highlights of interesting books
Some of these links may be under construction – or re-construction.
This version updated on 13th January 2011
If you have constructive suggestions or comments, please contact the author rogertag@tpg.com.au .