Fear and Trembling

Fear and Trembling (original Danish title: Frygt og Bæven) is a philosophical work by Søren Kierkegaard, published in 1843 under the pseudonym Johannes de Silentio. The title is apparently a reference to Philippians 2:12: "...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Image File history File links Fear_Trembling_Cover. ... Image File history File links Fear_Trembling_Cover. ... Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (IPA: ) (May 5, 1813 – November 11, 1855), a 19th century Danish philosopher and theologian, is generally recognized as the first existentialist philosopher. ... 1843 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Epistle to Philippians is a book included in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. ...

The work begins with a meditation on the faith of Abraham when he was commanded by God to sacrifice his son Isaac, as told in Genesis chapter 22. Then follow the "Problemata," which address three specific philosophical questions raised by the story of Abraham's sacrifice: Abraham (אַבְרָהָם Father/Leader of many, (circa 1700 BCE) Standard Hebrew Avraham, Tiberian Hebrew ; Arabic ابراهيم ; Geez አብርሃም ) is regarded as a patriarch of Israelite religion, recognized by Judaism and later Christianity, and a very important prophet in Islam. ... Michelangelos depiction of God in the painting Creation of the Sun and Moon in the Sistine Chapel) This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and derived henotheistic forms. ... An angel prevents Abraham from sacrificing Isaac in this illumation from a 14th century Icelandic manuscript. ... This article is about Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). ...

1. Is there a teleological suspension of the ethical? (That is, can Abraham's intent to sacrifice Isaac be considered "good" even though, ethically, human sacrifice is unacceptable?)
2. Is there an absolute duty to God?
3. Was it ethically defensible for Abraham to have concealed his purpose from Sarah, Eleazar, and Isaac?

In Fear and Trembling, Kierkegaard introduces the "knight of faith" and contrasts him with the "knight of infinite resignation." The latter gives up everything for a great cause and continuously dwells with the pain of his loss. Teleology is the philosophical study of purpose (from the Greek teleos, perfect, complete, which in turn comes from telos, end, result). ... Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the science (study) of morality. In philosophy, ethical behavior is that which is good or right. ... // Ethics Duty is a term loosely applied to any action (or course of action) which is regarded as morally incumbent, apart from personal likes and dislikes or any external compulsion. ...

The former, however, not only relinquishes everything, but also trusts that he will receive it all back, his trust based on the "strength of the absurd." For Kierkegaard (or at least Johannes de Silentio), infinite resignation is easy, but faith is founded in the belief of the absurd. For Abraham, this faith in the absurd was found in Abraham's belief that God would not let the sacrifice of Isaac happen or that Isaac would be brought back from the dead. Kierkegaard's opinion is that what separates Abraham from being a killer is his faith. (In the end of the Genesis 22 story, God stops Abraham at the last moment. A ram appears which Abraham takes as a sign from God, and he sacrifices the ram instead of Isaac.) An angel prevents Abraham from sacrificing Isaac in this illumation from a 14th century Icelandic manuscript. ...

External link

• Analysis and full text (English translation by Walter Lowrie 1941)