The Place of Reason in the Transition from the Aesthetic to the Ethical Sphere of Existence in Søren Kierkegaard’s Thoughtāṭabāʼī

Authors
Ahmad Moosavi Khoeini 1
Hasan Mehrnia 2
1 Ph.D. Candidate of Philosophy, University of Tehran, Farabi College, Department of Philosophy, Qom, Iran
2 Associate Professor, University of Tehran, Farabi College, Department of Philosophy, Qom, Iran
Abstract
This article examines a central aspect of Søren Kierkegaard’s existential thought: the problem of living in accordance with truth, with particular attention to the dialectical relationship between knowledge and will. Kierkegaard’s exploration of how to shape the human self and choose authentically is articulated through his theory of "spheres of existence." A key debate in this context concerns the “transition” from one stage of life to another, and the role of reason in this process. On the one hand, some scholars argue that the transition from the aesthetic to the ethical mode of existence is based on “criterionless choice.” On the other hand, some scholars consider this transition to be a rational decision, with an internalist approach to reasons for action suggesting that deliberation on motivations can bring about the transition. Drawing on Kierkegaard's anthropology, which posits a separation between thought and actuality, and emphasizing his epistemological approach that defines subjective knowledge, this article concludes that, from Kierkegaard’s perspective, the transition to the ethical sphere is rooted in reason. However, this reason expresses only the necessary condition for the transition: passionate will. It does not, by itself, actualize the transition.
Keywords
Kierkegaard
transition
aesthetics
Ethics
Reason
Passion
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