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Suspension of secular seriousness
Descriptive
TypeOfResource
Text
TitleInfo
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Title
Suspension of secular seriousness
SubTitle
a Kierkegaardian revival of metaphysical humor in ethico-political communication
Identifier
ETD_238
Identifier
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http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.1/rucore10001600001.ETD.000054800
Language
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eng
Genre
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theses
Subject
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Name
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NamePart
(type = personal)
Kierkegaard, Søren, 1813-1855--Criticism and interpretation
Subject
(ID = SBJ-2);
(authority = RUETD)
Topic
Political Science
Subject
(ID = SBJ-3);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Ethics
Subject
(ID = SBJ-4);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Political science--Philosophy
Abstract
(type = abstract)
Scientific scholarship when applied to ethics may not only fail in providing a doctrine of ethics, but moreover negatively serve to drain the enthusiasm for concerted action. If a book on ethics makes one complacent rather than agitated to act, then according to Kierkegaard, it is written for unethical purposes. If an individual is more preoccupied with finding the perfect language to speak of ethics than becoming motivated to act in the
world, then such profundity becomes a delay tactic to avoid right action. Even the careful attentiveness of waiting to act until one knows for sure that one’s action is the right one becomes a means to uncoil one’s active potential. How then can one write about ethics? Bar remaining silent, perhaps it is not a matter of writing about ethics in a detached manner of scientific academic prose but a way of writing that ignites the passions. Contrary to the common conception that Kierkegaard is against ethics in his pronouncement of Abraham’s “teleological suspension of the ethical” in Fear and Trembling by his pseudonym Johannes de Silentio, I argue that Kierkegaard is deeply invested in exciting his reader towards ethical action even if he writes to offend so that the reader puts the book down in order to live. Also, contrary to another common
conception that Kierkegaard suffers from deep melancholy, I argue that Kierkegaard writes from a comic-tragic source that integrates humor and exaggerated seriousness that when later revoked speaks without authority to the individual reader who may be resistant to direct moral proselytizing. I argue Kierkegaard’s attempt to (re)metaphysicalize Christian ethico-spirituality as humorous can help transform the
foundationalist/antifoundationalist debate by integrating form and content in recovering the premodern comic roots of ethics. Taking Kierkegaard’s heed not to academicize his work, I will do my best to tread carefully to avoid translating his indirect approach into a
dry ‘Kierkegaardian theory of ethics.’
world, then such profundity becomes a delay tactic to avoid right action. Even the careful attentiveness of waiting to act until one knows for sure that one’s action is the right one becomes a means to uncoil one’s active potential. How then can one write about ethics? Bar remaining silent, perhaps it is not a matter of writing about ethics in a detached manner of scientific academic prose but a way of writing that ignites the passions. Contrary to the common conception that Kierkegaard is against ethics in his pronouncement of Abraham’s “teleological suspension of the ethical” in Fear and Trembling by his pseudonym Johannes de Silentio, I argue that Kierkegaard is deeply invested in exciting his reader towards ethical action even if he writes to offend so that the reader puts the book down in order to live. Also, contrary to another common
conception that Kierkegaard suffers from deep melancholy, I argue that Kierkegaard writes from a comic-tragic source that integrates humor and exaggerated seriousness that when later revoked speaks without authority to the individual reader who may be resistant to direct moral proselytizing. I argue Kierkegaard’s attempt to (re)metaphysicalize Christian ethico-spirituality as humorous can help transform the
foundationalist/antifoundationalist debate by integrating form and content in recovering the premodern comic roots of ethics. Taking Kierkegaard’s heed not to academicize his work, I will do my best to tread carefully to avoid translating his indirect approach into a
dry ‘Kierkegaardian theory of ethics.’
PhysicalDescription
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electronic resource
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vii, 260 p.
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application/pdf
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Note
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Ph.D.
Note
Includes abstract
Note
Vita
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(type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Note
(type = statement of responsibility)
by Karey Kar Yee Leung
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Leung
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Karey
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Karey Leung
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Cornell
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Drucilla Cornell
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Fernandes
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Leela
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Leela Fernandes
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Schochet
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Gordon
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Gordon Schochet
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West
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Cornel
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Cornel West
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Rutgers University
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Graduate School - New Brunswick
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school
OriginInfo
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2007
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2007
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xx
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Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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ETD
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Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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rucore19991600001
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NjNbRU
Identifier
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doi:10.7282/T3RR1Z5Q
Genre
(authority = ExL-Esploro)
ETD doctoral
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Rights
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The author owns the copyright to this work.
Copyright
Status
Copyright protected
Availability
Status
Open
Reason
Permission or license
RightsHolder
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Name
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Leung
GivenName
Karey
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Permission or license
DateTime
2007-05-01 12:39:33
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Karey Leung
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Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
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Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
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ETD
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