The Paradoxical Transformation of Existence

Abstract

In accord with Kierkegaard’s claims quoted above, one could formulate his intention as follows: from academic discipline to sermon; or better, in traditional phenomenological terminology: from ideal to real objects, where “I” am, “you” are, “the individual” is the principal real object.² The general opinion which corresponds to this idea is: “Existence is constantly the individual, the abstract does not exist” (K14 33; bold emphasis added). The first goal of this hermeneutic contribution is to reveal the model of consciousness which underlies Kierkegaard’s nominalism. The second goal involves sketching how Kierkegaard integrates the aforementioned model of consciousness in the theological models of the status viatoris and the soul as the unity of spes and timor Domini in such a way that the specifically Kierkegaardian model of individuation as the “paradoxical transformation of existence” may emerge. In this context we see that “remorse” is the concrete figure of consciousness upon which Kierkegaard’s “Christian” nominalism of the “individual” rests. We shall employ traditional models of phenomenology only in order to reveal Kierkegaard’s models. I wish expressly to emphasize that Kierkegaard’s theological preliminary decisions with regard to “sin” and, correspondingly, to “reconciliation” will not be handled due to lack of space. Due to this reason we will also ignore the consequences of our discussion of Kierkegaard’s terminology as well as for the sentence form in Kierkegaard’s formally “sermonical” presentation.

Seen religiously [. . .] J the species is a lower category than the individual [. . .] (K14265)¹ The category of sin is the category of singularity (K21 20). But sin, that you and I are sinners (the individual), has been dispensed with, both in life [. . .] and in the academic discipline which invented the teaching of sin in general (K22 76). [. . .] And thus it cannot be that one speaks personally (the speaking I) and to persons (the hearing you). And thus preaching is dispensed with (K22 236). It [sin] is the subject of the sermon in which the individual as indi vidual speaks to the individual (K9 13).