Michael Watts (1)

This book is not like any book I have ever read. It gives insight into man's inherent inability to grasp truth except through irony. Kierkegaard suffered much in his life -- from the pain of egotism, loneliness, poor relationships, rejection, cynicism, pride, from physical pain and from pain caused by the relentless pursuit of truth. He challenged the established theological and philosophical views of his time.

Watts informs us that Kierkegaard spoke out strongly against shallow Christianity, but held that ultimate truth was found only in Christianity. He believed that many of his views, though rejected by his contemporaries, would eventually be accepted after his death, which did happen. He is a hero for persevering to bring forth truth against the extreme odds that opposed him all of his life (e.g., Hegelian philosophy).

Watts provides Kierkagaard's insights regarding human DESPAIR: He sees despair as advantageous and as an essential characteristic, one of the key features of human existence that differentiates us from the realm of nature and the rest of the animal kingdom. The potential to experience despair provides for man the possibility or opportunity for gaining and having self since despair is a symptom or the result of not being one's true self. It's purpose is to bring one to discovering one's true identity. Since despair is painful, human nature attempts to avoid it by trying to become the person that is believed to be the most enjoyable self, or at a minimum, that person that has the least inner-conflict. Therefore, despair is the fundamental condition of self-deception which is experienced by all human beings who have not achieved genuine self-hood. Despair doesn't necessarily mean being depressed (in Kierkagaard's view). In fact, despair though its varying stages can exist unbeknown to the person until it reaches its later stages of development in the person's life.

Watts states that according to Kierkegaard, to become one's true self, requires the harmonization or synthesis of the soul-body which occurs when the soul-body identifies itself as spirit. When the soul-body realizes itself as spirit, it must (in order to find complete identity) relate to and identify with the power that established it. Thus, the true self, being spirit, finds its harmonious identity subsumed in another — that which established it—which is God. However, if in this final process a person commits to the laws of social morality, then the result will only be an ethical-self, which eventually must be transcended to reach the genuine self-hood.… (más)