I agree that it's about depression, but there's more to the metaphor. The Sickness Unto Death is also a novel by Soren Kierkegaard, a philosopher who examined existentialism in that novel. He surmised that all humans are "in despair" even if they don't know it, and life itself is the sickness unto death. So in a way, it's about death and accepting one's own mortality, and how much of a struggle that can be. It's about looking back on life and being able to have satisfaction instead of regret and being able to accept the imminence of death.
Kierkegaard's Sickness Unto Death is hardly a novel; it is a work on the nature of existential despair, with the solution being a proper balance between our finite (earthy natures) versus our infinite natures (our souls).
Kierkegaard's Sickness Unto Death is hardly a novel; it is a work on the nature of existential despair, with the solution being a proper balance between our finite (earthy natures) versus our infinite natures (our souls).
Kierkegaard's point of departure is the parable of Lazarus found in John 11:4 in which Christ tells Lazarus' sister that Lazarus' "sickness is not unto death". Kierkegaard then notes that even had Lazarus suffered a physical death that his illness would not have been a sickness unto death.
Kierkegaard's point of departure is the parable of Lazarus found in John 11:4 in which Christ tells Lazarus' sister that Lazarus' "sickness is not unto death". Kierkegaard then notes that even had Lazarus suffered a physical death that his illness would not have been a sickness unto death.
Kierkegaard discusses three different modes of despair. The mode you mention is what...
Kierkegaard discusses three different modes of despair. The mode you mention is what he terms inauthentic despair. Kierkegaard defines the opposite of despair to be faith, which is to exist in complete awareness of one's self and one's relationship to God.
I agree that it's about depression, but there's more to the metaphor. The Sickness Unto Death is also a novel by Soren Kierkegaard, a philosopher who examined existentialism in that novel. He surmised that all humans are "in despair" even if they don't know it, and life itself is the sickness unto death. So in a way, it's about death and accepting one's own mortality, and how much of a struggle that can be. It's about looking back on life and being able to have satisfaction instead of regret and being able to accept the imminence of death.
@TheKoala
@TheKoala
Kierkegaard's Sickness Unto Death is hardly a novel; it is a work on the nature of existential despair, with the solution being a proper balance between our finite (earthy natures) versus our infinite natures (our souls).
Kierkegaard's Sickness Unto Death is hardly a novel; it is a work on the nature of existential despair, with the solution being a proper balance between our finite (earthy natures) versus our infinite natures (our souls).
Kierkegaard's point of departure is the parable of Lazarus found in John 11:4 in which Christ tells Lazarus' sister that Lazarus' "sickness is not unto death". Kierkegaard then notes that even had Lazarus suffered a physical death that his illness would not have been a sickness unto death.
Kierkegaard's point of departure is the parable of Lazarus found in John 11:4 in which Christ tells Lazarus' sister that Lazarus' "sickness is not unto death". Kierkegaard then notes that even had Lazarus suffered a physical death that his illness would not have been a sickness unto death.
Kierkegaard discusses three different modes of despair. The mode you mention is what...
Kierkegaard discusses three different modes of despair. The mode you mention is what he terms inauthentic despair. Kierkegaard defines the opposite of despair to be faith, which is to exist in complete awareness of one's self and one's relationship to God.