'Fear and Trembling (selections)' Summary

Søren Kierkegaard's "Fear and Trembling" delves into the complexities of faith, using the biblical account of Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac as a springboard for his philosophical exploration. Kierkegaard questions how Abraham could reconcile his love for Isaac with the divine command to sacrifice him. He argues that Abraham's act was not a blind obedience to an external authority but a profound leap of faith that defied reason and morality. This act, he suggests, represents a "teleological suspension of the ethical," where faith transcends conventional ethical norms and embraces the absolute. Kierkegaard introduces the concept of the "knight of faith" who, in the face of the absurd and paradoxical demands of faith, chooses to follow the divine will, even when it contradicts ethical expectations. The book probes the tension between faith and reason, arguing that faith is not merely a belief system but a radical choice that demands total commitment and opens the individual to the realm of the divine. "Fear and Trembling" challenges readers to grapple with the unsettling nature of faith, its inherent uncertainties, and its potential for conflict with the ethical world. It asks us to consider the limits of human understanding and the profound mysteries that lie at the heart of our relationship with the divine.