Kierkegaard, S�ren Aabye 1813-55
Danish philosopher and theologian

He was born in Copenhagen and studied theology at the university there, though he was more interested in literature and philosophy. He suffered anguish and emotional disturbances which his later writings sometimes reflect: he was particularly oppressed by his father's death (1838) and by the burden of guilt he felt he had thereby inherited. He became engaged after leaving university (1840), but broke that off because he felt his domestic responsibilities were incompatible with his personal mission from God to be a writer. His philosophy represents a strong reaction against the dominant German traditions of the day, and in particular against Hegel. Kierkegaard attempted to reinstate the central importance of the individual and of the deliberate, significant choices we each make in forming our future selves. His philosophical works tend to be unorthodox and entertaining in a literary and determinedly unacademic style: The Concept of Irony (1841), Enten-Eller (1843, 'Either-Or'), Philisophiske Smuler (1844, Eng trans Philosophical Fragments, 1936) and Afsluttende uvidenskabelig Efterskrift (1846, 'Concluding Unscientific Postscript'). He was also opposed to much in organized Christianity, again stressing the need for individual choice against prescribed dogma and ritual in such works as Frygt og Baeven (1843, Eng trans Fear and Trembling, 1939), Kjerlighedens Gjerninger (1847, Eng trans Works of Love, 1946, 1962), Christelige Tales (1848, Eng trans Christian Discourses) and Sygdommen til D�den (1849, Eng trans The Sickness unto Death, 1941). Regarded as one of the founders of Existentialism, he achieved real recognition only in the 20th century and has been a great influence on such thinkers as Karl Barth, Martin Heidegger, Karl Jaspers and Martin Buber.