-
The Notion Of The Human Person In Kierkegaard Vis-À-vis African Individual
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 4]
Page 3 of 4
-
-
-
Hence, it was
kierkegaard’s rebellion against Hegel’s dissolute pantheistic contempt
for the individual that became the ‘point de depart’ of contemporary
existentialism. Thus, Kierkegaard insists on “studying man in his
radical singularity and individuality, a man who is constantly faced
with making momentous decisions that spell the difference between
authentic and inauthentic existenceâ€9. He considers the individual’s
lived experience in its unrepeatable uniqueness. Existentialism
therefore abhors any attempt at objectification or universalization of
that which eminently is singular and belongs to the individual.
Now,
there is a relevant question to be asked: Does the Kierkegaardian
existentialism have any room for the other individuals? Or, does every
individual have to face his world of existence alone? The attempts to
answer the questions will definitely brings us face to face with either
the convergence or divergence between kierkegaardian and the African
notions of the human person. How to solve this problem is the basic
problem we are posed to grapple with.
1.2 PURPOSE OF STUDY
The
purpose of this study is a comparative analysis between kierkegaardian
view of the human person and the African view. This, when done, will
hopefully go a long way in helping us know what an authentic person
should be. The work attempts an integration of the Western view of the
human person represented by Kierkegaard, and the African conception.
Hence, rejecting the depersonalization, objectification and
dehumanization of man, we come to know really what the existing
individual actually is.
1.3 SCOPE OF STUDY
This work is
not going to exhaust all that Kierkegaard treated on the existing
individual. But as space allows, his major view of the individual as a
free human agent who is able to choose his actions and take
responsibility for his choices and decisions will be considered. This
will be juxtaposed with the African notion of freedom, choice and
decision of the existing individual.
1.3 METHODOLOGY OF THE WORK
The
problem before us is not a metaphysical one, but an existential one.
Therefore, I will apply the method of existential and comparative
critical analysis of what the authentic self should be-drawing from
Kierkegaardian and African conceptions. Man will be considered not only
as a thinking subject, but also as an existing subject.
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 4]
Page 3 of 4
-
