Søren Kierkegaard

Søren Aabye Kierkegaard was born to Michael Pedersen Kierkegaard and Ane Sørensdatter Lund in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was the youngest of seven children in a devoutly religious family.

Kierkegaard enrolled at the University of Copenhagen to study theology, but he also took courses in philosophy, literature, and history. His early studies were marked by a deep intellectual curiosity and personal introspection.

Kierkegaard became engaged to Regine Olsen, a young woman from a prominent Copenhagen family. The engagement was a significant personal event, but it would later end in a dramatic and painful breakup.

Kierkegaard defended his doctoral thesis, 'On the Concept of Irony with Continual Reference to Socrates,' and published it. This work marked his entry into the philosophical world and set the stage for his later writings.

Kierkegaard published two of his most influential works, 'Either/Or' and 'Fear and Trembling.' These books explored themes of existential choice and the nature of faith, solidifying his reputation as a profound thinker.

Kierkegaard published 'Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments,' a major work that critiqued Hegelian philosophy and emphasized the subjective nature of truth and the importance of individual choice.

Kierkegaard published 'The Sickness Unto Death,' a philosophical and theological exploration of despair and the human condition. This work further developed his ideas on the self and the nature of sin.

Kierkegaard began publishing a series of articles and pamphlets under the title 'Attack Upon Christendom,' in which he criticized the established church and its failure to live up to the true spirit of Christianity.

Søren Kierkegaard died in Copenhagen after a period of declining health. He was buried in the Assistens Cemetery, and his legacy as a profound philosopher and theologian continued to influence thinkers and scholars for generations.