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Kierkegaard and the Absolute Paradox

Daise, Benjamin.

Journal of the History of Philosophy, Volume 14, Number 1, January

1976, pp. 63-68 (Article)

Published by The Johns Hopkins University Press

For additional information about this article

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Kierkegaard and theA b s o l u t e P a r a d o xB E N J A M I N D A I S E

T h E QUE ST ION Of wh e t h e r K i e r k e g a a r d ' s p o s i t i o n i s i r r a t i o n a l o r n o t h a s b e e n r a i s e d b e -c a u s e o f th e c e n t r a l it y o f t h e n o t i o n o f t h e A b s o l u t e P a r a d o x i n h is t w o m o s t o s t e n si b lyp h i l o s o p h i c a l wo r k s , Philosophical Fragments a n d Concluding Unscientific Postscript.J o h a n n e s C l i m a c u s , th e p s e u d o n y m o u s a u t h o r o f b o t h w o r k s , a d m i t s a t t h e e n d o fFragments t h a t t h e p i c t u r e h e h a s t r ie d t o s k e t c h i s t h a t o f Ch r i s ti a n i ty . H e r e v e a l s a t t h eb e g i n n i n g o f Postscript tha t h i s in te res t i s in f ind ing the way in to Chr i s t i an i ty , and then o t i o n o f t h e A b s o l u t e P a r a d o x i s c e n tr a l t o t h e v i e w o f C h r i s t i a n it y p r e s e n te d . T h e q u e s -t i o n t h e n c a n b e s e en i n th i s w a y : Do e s K i e r k e g a a r d , w h o s e e s h i ms e l f a s a r e l ig i o u swr i t e r a n d s p e c if i c al l y a s a w r i t e r f o r C h r i s ti a n i ty , h o l d t h e v i e w t h a t Ch r i s t i a n i ty i s e s s e n -t ia l ly u n i n te l li g i bl e a n d i r r a t io n a l ? I s t h e P a r a d o x s i mp l y o p p o s e d t o t h e R e a s o n o r d o e si t tr a n s c e n d th e R e a s o n ? T r a d i t io n a l l y p u t , i s th e P a r a d o x contra rationem o r supra ra-tionem?P r o p o n e n t s o f th e v i e w t h a t th e P a r a d o x i s contra rationem i n t e r p r e t i t a s t h e A t h a n a -s i a n t wo - n a t u r e d o c t r i n e o f Ch r i s t ' s p e r s o n a s u n i t i n g mu t u a l l y e x c l u s i v e a t t r i b u t e s . T h es t a t e me n t o f t h a t u n i t y i s t h u s s e e n a s a s t r i c t c o n t r a d i c t i o n a n d t h e c e n t r a l c l a i m o fChr i s t i an i ty i s v iewed as un in te l l ig ib le and i r r a t iona l .O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , i t h a s b e e n a r g u e d t h a t f o r K i e r k e g a a r d C h r i s ti a n it y is n o t a d o e -t r i n e a n d h e n c e d o e s n o t s e t i ts e lf u p t o b e u n d e r s t o o d i n t h e m a n n e r o f a p h i l o s o p h ic a ld o c t r i n e . No n e t h e l e s s , i t i s a r g u e d , " t h e t h o u g h t c o n t e n t o f Ch r i s t ia n i t y is n o t n o n s e n s eb u t is c l e a r a n d u n d e r s t a n d a b l e wi t h i n t h e s p h e r e o f f a i th . ''1 T h e b e l i e v e r n o t o n l y b e -l ie v e s ; h e u n d e r s t a n d s w h a t h e b e l i ev e s , a l b e it i n a m a n n e r d i f fe r e n t f r o m t h e w a y h ewo u l d u n d e r s t a n d a p h i l o s o p h i c a l p o s i t i o n .P e r LCn n i n g s u g g e s t s t h a t o n e o f t h e o p t i o n s s k e t c h e d i n r e s p o n s e t o t h e q u e s t i o n i sa d e q u a t e t o Ki e r k e g a a r d ' s p o s it i o n . T h e d i f f ic u l ty , h e a r g u e s , s t ems f r o m p u t t i n g t h ei ss u e i n te r m s o f w h e t h e r t h e P a r a d o x i s a g a in s t o r a b o v e t h e R e a s o n . W h e n t h e i ss u e iss o p u t , m o s t "interpretations may be grouped around a decisive either~or."An d t h e a l t e r n a t i v e s s e e m t o b e " wi t h t h e n o t i o n o f t h e p a r a d o x d o e s Ki e r k e g a a r d i n t e n dt o c h a r a c t e r i z e Ch r i s t i a n i t y a s t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f a n o b j e c t i v e t e a c h i n g o f Ch r i s t a s t h eGo d - m a n i n t h e s e n s e o f h i s t o r ic a l l y u n i t in g t wo e s s e n ti a ll y c o n t r a d i c t o r y q u a l i ti e s o r d o e sh e i n t e n d t o c h a r a c t e r i z e f a i t h a s l i fe a s s o ci a ti o n wi t h G o d , i n d e p e n d e n t o f a n d i n a c c es s i b lef o r l o g i c a l a n d c o n c e p t u a l d e t e r mi n a t i o n s . Wh a t mu s t b e s a i d t o t h a t e i t h e r / o r i s t h a t i td e a ls w i t h a p r o b l e m t h a t l i e s f a r f r o m Ki e r k e g a a r d ' s o w n .~

x N . H. S~ e, "Kierkegaard's Doctrine of the Paradox ," in A Kierkegaard Critique, ed. H. Jo hn-son and N. Thulstrup (Chicago: Henry Regnery, 1962), p. 221.2 Per L~nning, Samtidighedens Situation (Oslo, 1954), p. 149.

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6 4 H I S T O R Y O F P H I L O S O P H YT h e i ssue fo r K ie rk egaa rd , L r w r i t e s , w as no t i n t e l l ec tua l i sm ve r sus an t i -in t e ll ec -

tua l i sm , doc t r ine ve r sus li f e , b u t " the r e l a t i o n s h i p o [ C h r i s t i a n i t y t o t h e i n d i v i d u a l i n h i sto ta l i t y . . . . ,,3 T h e r e i s w h e r e t h e d e c i si v e w e i g h t o f t h e q u e s t i o n s h o u l d b e p l a c e d , h ea rgues , no t b e tw een the r e l ig ious and the in t e ll ec tua l.O n c e t h i s is s a id , w h a t a r e w e t o m a k e o f th e P a r a d o x ? E v e n i f L C n n i n g is c o r r e c t, w ea r e n o b e t t e r e q u i p p e d t o d e a l w i t h t h e n o t i o n o f t h e P a r a d o x i n t h e K i e r k e g a a r d i a ncorp us , a nd i t is a c ruc ia l no t ion . E v en i f t he p r inc ip a l i s sue is t ha t o f t he r e l a t ionsh ip o fC h r i s t i an i ty to the ind iv idua l i n h i s t o t a l i t y , t he q ues t ion o f t he ro l e o f t he P a ra do x r e -m a i n s u n a n s w e r e d . E v e n i f t h e q u e s t i o n o f th e m e a n i n g o f th e P a r a d o x i s n o t t h e c r u c i a lp r o b l e m f o r K i e r k e g a a r d , t h a t d o e s n o t m e a n t h a t i t i s n o t a p r o b l e m a t a l l . W h a t i sn e e d e d i s a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f h o w t h e n o t i o n f u n c t io n s in t h e w o r k s . W h a t i s n e e d e d i sa n e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e P a r a d o x .H e n r y A l l i s o n a r g u e s t h a t K i e r k e g a a r d ' s i n t e n t i n P o s t s c r i p t i s n o t " t o s h o w u s i n at h e o r e ti c a l w a y t h a t t h e a b s o l u t e p a r a d o x m a k e s a k i n d o f s e n se s up ra r a t i o n e m . . . [but ]t h a t t h e o n l y v a l i d c o n c e p t w h i c h w e c a n f o r m a b o u t C h r i s t ia n i t y i s t h a t i t d e f ie s c o n -cep tua l i za t ion . TM T h e a r g u m e n t i s p a r o d i c o f t h a t i n H e g e l ' s P h e n o m e n o l o g y o f S p i r i t ,he p o in t s ou t , a nd i s a je s t , a lb e it a j e s t w i th the se rious p o in t m e n t ion ed ab o ve . T he p os i -t i on i t se l f t ha t i s adv anc ed in the a rgu m ent i s a " p h i losop h ica l ab s urd i ty" w h ich i s t o b eover looke d . 5L o u i s M a c k e y a r g u e s a l o n g s i m il a r l in e s. I n w r i ti n g o f C l i m a e u s ' v i e w o f C h r i s t i a n i t ya s p r e s e n ti n g th e A b s o l u t e P a r a d o x , h e r e m a r k s t h a t i f t h a t b e t h e c a s e " t h e a t t e m p t t om a k e p h i lo s o p h i c a l se n s e o f i t w o u l d b e s t u p id l y a n d h i la r i o u sl y w r o n g . ' s A n d a p p a r -e n t l y t a k i n g h i s c u e f r o m C l i m a c u s ' c la i m t h a t " t o e x p l a i n th e p a r a d o x w o u l d t h e n m e a nt o u n d e r s t a n d m o r e a n d m o r e p r o f o u n d l y w h a t a p a r a d o x i s , a n d t h a t t h e p a r a d o x i s th ep a r a d o x , " h e v e n t u r e s n o e x p l a n a t io n . H e d o e s , h o w e v e r , p o i n t t o C l i m a c u s ' m e t a p h y s i -c a l w h i m s i c a li ty i n d e v e l o pi n g h i s a r g u m e n t . 7 H e d o e s p o i n t o u t t h a t C l i m a c u s i s a h u -m o r i s t w h o s e P o s t s c r i p t a i m s " t o d e s t r o y b y i r o n y a n d i n d i r e c t i o n , b y l y r i c a n d l a m -p o o n , t h e s e lf - co n f id e n c e o f t h o s e t h i n k e r s w h o a r e s o th o u g h t l e s s a s t o s u p p o s e t h a t m a nc a n b e s o l e m n l y d e f in e d . ' s T h e n o t i o n o f t h e A b s o l u t e P a r a d o x o b v i o u s l y h a s a f u n c t i o ni n th e e l a b o ra t e p r o ce e d i n g s w h i c h A l li s o n a n d M a c k e y a g r e e a r e c a l c u l a t e d t o d e f y i m -m e d i a t e a s s e n t a n d p r o v i d e a S o c r a t ic s t in g . N o c l e a r e x p l a n a ti o n o f w h a t e x a c t l y t h a tfunc t ion i s and w hy such a no t io n i s p ecu l i a r ly su i ted fo r i t is fo r thcom ing .A l l is o n ' s a n d M a c k e y ' s v ie w s p o i n t i n a d i r e c t io n w h i c h w h e n f o l l o w e d p r o v i d e s a ne x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e p a r a d o x . T h e y p o i n t i n t h e d i r ec t io n o f c o n s i d e r in g t h e o v e r a l l s t r a t e g yo f th e w o r k s a n d t h e p e r s p e c ti v e f r o m w h i c h t h e y a r e w r i tt e n . I p r o p o s e t o f o l lo w t h a tl e a d a n d p r o v i d e t h e n e e d e d e x p l a n a t io n . I f u l l y a g r ee w i t h C l i m a c u s t h a t a n e x p l a n a t i o nd o e s n o t e x p l a i n t h e p a r a d o x a w a y b u t t h a t " a n e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e p a r a d o x m a k e s i tc le a r w h a t th e p a r a d o x i s , r e m o v i n g a n y o b s c u r i ty r e m a i n i n g . . . ,,9A na lys i s o f t he S ocra t i c s i t ua t ion in F r a g m e n t s y i e ld s t h e p a r a d o x i c a l S o c r a ti c e x p r e s -s ion o f i gnorance o f se l f . T h i s exp ress ion o f i gnorance i s seen a s p a radox ica l b ecause

s Samtidighedens Situation, p. 149.4 "Christianity and Nonsense," Rev iew o f Metaphys i cs , (March, 1967), 459-460.5 Ibid., p. 456.6 Kierkegaard , A Kin d o f Poe t (Philadelphia: University of Pen nsylvania Press, 1971 ), p. 183.7 Ibid., p. 159.s Ibid., p. 192.9 SCren Kierkegaard, Concluding Unscienti f ic Postscript , t rans. D. Swenson and W. Lowrie(Princeton: Princeton University Pres s, 1941), p. 196.

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T H E A B S O L U T E P A R A D O X 6 5S o c r a t e s h a d d e v o t e d h i s l i f e t o u n d e r s t a n d i n g m a n . 1~ T h e e x p r e ss i o n o f i g n o r a n c e i ss e en t o b e i n d i c a t i v e o f S o c r at e s ' re c o g n i t io n o f t h e p a r a d o x c o n s t i t u te d b y t h e r e l a t i o n -sh ip o f t he e t e rna l t ru th to an ex i s t ing ind iv idua l .11 T h e t r u t h i s t h u s n o t p a r a d o x i c a l i nand o f i t s e lf .TMA n d t h e S o c ra t ic p a r a d o x m a y b e c o n s i d e r ed r e la t iv e .S u p p o s e t h e m a t t e r w e r e o t h e r w i se , C l i m a c u s s u g g e st s. " L e t u s s u p p o s e t h a t t h e e t e r -na l e s sen t ia l t ru th i s it s e l f a p a rad ox . ' ~8 T h i s can b e don e b y sup p os ing the e t e rna l e s sen-t ia l t r u t h t o h a v e c o m e i n t o b ei n g. T h e p a r a d o x i n t h is c a s e w o u l d n o t b e c o n s t i tu t e d b yt h e r e l at i o n sh i p o f t h e t r u t h t o t h e i n d i v i d u a l. T h e t r u t h w o u l d b e p a r a d o x i c a l i n i t se l fa n d t h e p a r a d o x w o u l d b e a b s o l u te . H o w p r e c i s e ly i s t h e A b s o l u t e P a r a d o x c o n s t i t u t e d ?" B y p u t ti n g th e e t e r n a l e s se n ti al t r u t h in t o ju x t a p o s i t io n w i t h ex i s te n c e . . . T h e e t e r n a lt r u t h h a s c o m e i n t o b e in g i n t i m e : t h is is t h e p a r a d o x . '1 4 T h e c r u c ia l t e r m i n t h e e x p r e s -s i o n i s " e t e r n a l , " f o r i t i s n o t p a r a d o x i c a l t o s a y t h a t j u s t a n y t r u t h c o m e s i n t o b e i n g . T h e" t r u t h " i n q u e s t io n i s a s p e c ia l n o t i o n w h i c h C l im a c u s u s e s i n t e r c h a n g e a b l y w i t h " G o d . "" T h e a b s u r d is -- -- th at t h e e t e r n a l t r u t h h a s c o m e i n t o b e i n g in t i m e , t h a t G o d h a s c o m ei n t o be in g , h a s be e n b o r n , h a s g r o w n u p . . . . ,,x ~ T h e a b s u r d i s t h u s a b s u r d b e c a u s e i ti nvo lves a s tr i c t ly log ica l con t r ad ic t ion and tha t i s w h y i t de f ie s t hough t . A conc ep t iontha t i nvo lves non - t em p ora l i t y ( the e t e rna l e s sen t i a l t ru th = G o d) i s sa id to ap p ly to at e m p o r a l b e i n g ( a m a n ) ." A i s n o t - A , " i s w h a t t h e p a r a d o x s a y s a n d w e a r e i n v it e d t o a p p r o p r i a t e a " f a c t " o ft h a t fo r m . I n d e e d , w e a r e i n v i te d t o b a s e t h e b e l ie f in o u r " e t e r n a l b l e s s e d n e ss " o n t h a t" f a c t . " W h a t a r e w e t o m a k e o f t h a t? T h e s u gg e st iv e re s po n s e s o f A l li s o n a n d M a c k e yh a v e b e e n n o t e d . T h e w o r k i s p a r o d i c a n d t h e p a r a d o x i s a i m e d a t d e f y i n g i m m e d i a t eassen t and l eav ing the r eader w i th a S ocra t i c s t i ng .B u t h o w c a n o n e b e s t u n g b y a s t ri c t c o n t r a d i c t i o n ? A n d o f w h a t b e n e f it is t h e p a r o d yo f H e g e l ? I f a m a n is in t e re s te d in " a n e t e rn a l b l e ss e d n e s s " h o w c a n h e b e h e l p e d b y a p -p rec i a ting a jok e a im e d a t H ege l? A c lose r l oo k a t C l im a cus shou ld he lp .C l im acus b eg ins w i th a p ro jec t o f t hough t w hich t akes i t s p o in t o f dep a r tu re in theG r eek consc iousness , s een a s cu lm ina t ing in S ocra tes . T h e ques t ion a sked i s a S ocra t i cone and the answ er g iven r ep resen t s t he hea r t o f t he S ocra t i c p os i t i on . T he ques t ion i s :" H o w f a r d o e s t h e T r u t h a d m i t o f b e in g l e a r n e d ? ' l e T h e S o c r a ti c r e s p o n se i s t h a t t h el e a r n e r a l r e a d y h a s t h e T r u t h a n d " e v e r y p o i n t o f d e p a r tu r e i n t i m e i s e o i p s o acc iden ta l ,an occas ion , a van i sh ing m om ent . '17 A nd so is the t eache r . T h us " in the S ocra t i c v i eweach ind iv idu a l i s h i s ow n cen te r , and the en t i r e w or ld cen te r s i n h im , b eca use h i s se lf -k n o w l e d g e i s a k n o w l e d g e o f G o d . '~ sT h e c o n c e p t io n o f T r u t h i n F r a g m e n t s i s p r i m a r i l y a n e t h i c a l c o n c e p t i o n . T h e t h o u g h tp r o j e c t c o n c e r n s a m a t t e r t h a t i s f u n d a m e n t a l l y e t h i c a l, r a t h e r t h a n m e t a p h y s i c a l o rep i s t em olog iea l . C l im acus p o in t s ou t t ha t t he ac tua l S ocra t i c ques t ion w as ab ou t v i r tue ." T e l l m e , S o c r a t e s ," M e n o a s k s , " is v i r tu e s o m e t h i n g t h a t c a n b e t a u g h t ? '1 9 T h e f o r m u -

lo SCren Kierkegaard, P hi l os oph i c a l F r agm e n t s , trans. David Sw enson (Princeton: P rincetonUn iversity Press, 193 6), p. 46,11 Pos t scr ipt , p. 180.12 Ibid., p. 183.13 Ibid., p. 187.14 Ibid.1 5 I b i d . , p . 188.i s F r a g m e n t s , p. 11.lz Ibid., p. 13.is Ibid., p. 14.lo Plato. M e noo 70c .

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6 6 H I S T O R Y O F P H I L O S O P H Yl a t i o n o f t h e q u e s t i o n w i t h t h e t e r m " T r u t h " r a t h e r t h a n " v i r t u e " i s s e e n a s r a i s i n g t h esam e i s sue , b ecause "virtue w a s a g a i n d e t e r m i n e d a s i n si g h t. '2 ~ T h a t d e t e r m i n a t i o n d e -serves scrut iny.

I n H o m e r i c G r e e c e h av i n g v ir t u e m e a n t b e in g s u cc e ss fu l. T h e H o m e r i c m a n w h o w o na t w a r a n d g a m e s h a d v i r t u e . W h a t e v e r c o n t r i b u t e d to h i s s uc c e ss w a s g o o d . H e n c e t h econcep tua l r e l a t ionsh ip : T he good i s t ha t t he p ossess ion o f w hich y i e lds tha t fo r w hichm en s tr ive . A n d hen ce the a t t a in m e nt o f v i r tue i s t an t a m ou nt t o se l f- fu lf i llm en t . In P la to ,a l l m en a re seen a s s t riv ing fo r hap p iness . A nd a l l m en a re seen a s des i r ing v i r tue , s incehav ing v i r tue w as the cond i t ion fo r b e ing success fu l i n one ' s s t r iv ing . F ur th e rm ore , " v i r -t u e . . , m u s t b e s o m e s o r t o f w i s d o m , '2 1 f o r it m u s t b e th a t w h i c h e n a b le s o n e t o d i s-t in g u i sh b e tw e e n t h e g o o d a n d t h e e v il. V i r t u e i s t h u s a c a p a c i t y f o r u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n di n t h i s w a y d o e s i t b e c o m e d e t e r m i n e d a s i n s i g h t . A n d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e r e a s o n i n g i nM e n o , o n e c o m e s i n t o t h e w o r l d i n p o s s e s s i o n o f v i r t u e - - a l t h o u g h h i d d e n l y . T h e m y t ho f re c o l le c t io n , i n tr o d u c e d t o a v o i d t h e g l o o m y c o n s e q u e n c e s o f t h e p u g n a c i o u s p r o p o s i -t i o n , p r e s en t e d t h a t i d e a . T h a t i d e a i s p re s e n t e d a g a i n i n a s y s t e m a t i c w a y i n A r i s to t l e .T he ve ry f i rs t s en tence in Metaphys ics " A l l m e n b y n a tu r e d e si re t o k n o w " - - s a y s t h a tm a n ' s phys is is r a tiona l i t y , t ha t i nhe ren t i n m an and cons t i t u t ive o f h i s na tu re i s t he p ow erand the d r ive to know , to g rasp the p r inc ip l es o f t h ings . A nd in Nichomachean E th icsc o n t e m p l a t io n is s e e n a s m a n ' s h i g h e s t v ir t u e , m a n ' s t r u e s t h a p p i n e s s, a n d t h e e x p r e s s i o no f th e d i v i n e in m a n . T h u s i t i s t h a t t h e p o w e r w h i c h w ill p r o v i d e m a n ' s h a p p i n e s s i s i nh i m " b y n a t u r e . "T o r e f e r t o t h e i s su e a s f u n d a m e n t a l l y e t h i c a l i s n o t t o s u g g e s t t h a t n o m e t a p h y s i c a l o rep i s tem olog ica i i s sue i s i nvo lved . Inde ed w ha t has ha p p en ed i s tha t t he p r im ar i ly e th i ca lc o n c e r n h a s b e e n t r a n s la t e d i n to m e t a p h y s i c a l a n d e p i s te m o l o g i c a l t e rm s . T h e c o n c e p t i o no f t h e h ig h e s t f o r m a n h a s b e c o m e t h e c o n c e p t i o n o f th e h i g h e s t b e i n g . A n d t h is h i g h e s tm e t a p h y s i c a l c o n c e p t i o n i s t h e c o n c e p t i o n o f G o d . G o d t h u s b e a r s t h e P a r m e n i d e a np r e d ic a t es o f p e r f e c ti o n . H e is e t e rn a l , im m o v a b l e , a n d u n i t a r y . G o d i s a c c o r d i n g l y t h eu l t im a te cause an d p r inc ip le o f exp lana t ion o f a l l t ha t i s.T h i s c o n c e p t i o n o f G o d is d e r i v e d s y s te m a t i c a ll y b y A r i s t o t l e f r o m c o n s i d e r a t io n o fw h a t is r e q u i re d f o r e x p l a n a t i o n i n t e r m s o f h i s f o u r f o l d s c h e m e o f c a u s a l it y . A n d s in c ep r inc ip l es o f exp lana t ion m us t sa t i s fy the r eason , t he r easo n s i ts in j udg m en t a s t o w h a tG o d , t h e h i g h e s t c o n c e p t i o n , w h a t u l t i m a t e l y sa ti sf ie s th e r e a s o n , m u s t b e l i k e . A n d t h eb ur i ed e th i ca l concern fo r w ha t fu lf i ll s m an can b e seen a s sa t is f i ed inasm uch as m an i sund er s tood as an es sen t ia l ly r a t iona l b e ing . S o un der s tood , t he sa t i s f ac t ion o f t he r easo ni s t h e s a t i sf a c ti o n o f m a n q u a m a n .C l i m a c u s c o n t e n d s t h a t i t i s a n e s s e n ti a l c l a im o f C h r i s t i a n it y t h a t G o d h a s c o m e i n t ob e i n g in t i m e a n d t h a t m a n ' s h a p p i n e s s i s c o n t i n g e n t u p o n h i s r e l a ti o n s h ip t o t h a t f a c t .B u t t h a t i s i n n o w a y p a r a d o x i c a l i n i t se l f. I t i s p a r a d o x i c a l , h o w e v e r , i f th e c o n c e p t i o no f G o d e m p l o y e d i s t h e o n e r e f e r r e d to a b o v e . I t i s p a r a d o x i c a l to t he consc iousness tha ti s r ep resen ted b y the G reek consc iousness . A n d the b e l i e f t ha t o ne ' s fu l f i l lm en t can b eb a s e d o n a r e l a ti o n s h ip t o t h is G o d i s p a r a d o x i c a l i f t h e c o n c e p t i o n o f m a n e m p l o y e d istha t m an i s an es sen t ia l ly r a t iona l c rea tu re .T h e p a r a d o x i s n o t t h e k i n d t h a t Q u i n e c a l ls v e ri d ic a l , t h e t r u t h o f w h i c h c a n b e s e e na f t e r exam ina t ion o f t he p roof . N o r i s i t t he k in d th a t he ca l ls f a ls id i ca l , i nvo lv ing som e

20 Fragments, p. 11.at Meno, 8 8 d .

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T H E A B S O L U T E P A R A D O X 6 7b u r i e d fa l la c y . I t is ra t h e r a n a n t i n o m y " t h a t c a n b e a c c o m m o d a t e d b y n o t h i n g l e ss t h a na r e p u d i a t i o n o f o u r c o n c e p t u a l h e r i ta g e . '-~ I t i s f o r t h i s r e a s o n t h a t t h e p a r a d o x i s s ounse t t l ing and i t i s in th i s way tha t i t ca r r i e s a s t ing tha t can s t i r to ac t ion . The inv i t a t iont h a t C l i ma c u s e x t e n d s i s p r e c i s e l y a n i n v i ta t i o n t o c h a n g e t h e c o n c e p t i o n o f G o d a n d t h eu n d e r s t a n d in g o f m a n . H e i s i n d ir e c tl y u r g i ng u s t o u n d e r s t a n d G o d , a n d mutatis mu-tandis ma n , e t h i c a l l y r a t h e r t h a n me t a p h y s i c a l l y .T h e p a r a d o x t h u s s t e m s f r o m c o n f o u n d i n g t w o a b s o l u t e l y d i f f e r e n t c o n c e p t i o n s o fG o d , o n e b a s e d o n t h e d e m a n d s o f t h e re a s o n a n d t h e o t h e r b a s e d o n t h e c l a im o f C h r i s -t i a n i t y . T h e c h o i c e c a l l e d f o r b y Ch r i s t i a n i t y wh i c h c a n b e u n d e r s t o o d a s g i v i n g u p t h er e a s o n i s t h e c h o i c e b e t we e n t h o s e c o n c e p t i o n s . Le t t i n g g o o f t h e r e a s o n i s n o t t o b eu n d e r s t o o d t h e n a s l a p s i n g i n t o n o n e s e n s e o r ma d n e s s e x c e p t i n a n a n a l o g i c a l s e n s e ." Re a s o n " r e f e r s t o t h e r e a s o n o f p h i l o s o p h i c a l i d e a l i s m, wh i c h b e g i n s wi t h i t s i d e a s a n dp r o c e e d s f r o m t h e r e t o t h e e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e w o r l d . T h e r e a s o n o f p h i lo s o p h i c a l i d ea l -i s m i s t h e r e a s o n o f s c i e n c e a n d c o m m o n s e n s e m a d e a b s o l u t e . S c i e n c e a n d c o m m o ns e n s e i n v o l v e t h e r e a s o n a s t h e a g e n c y o f t h i n k i n g wh i c h g u i d e s o u r a c t i v i t i e s t h r o u g hm a k i n g a s s u m p t i o n s, o r g a n i z i n g d a t a , a n d d r a w i n g c o n c lu s io n s . M a k e t h e t e r m s o f t h isk i n d o f p r o c e d u r e u l ti m a t e a n d g i ve o n t o lo g i c a l s t at u s t o i t s fu n d a m e n t a l n o t i o n s a n d y o uh a v e t h e p r e t e n s i o n s o f t h e r e a s o n o f i d e al i sm. Le t t i n g g o o f t h e r e a s o n i s g i v i n g u p t h isa s s u mp t i o n b y t h e r e a s o n o f i t s o wn u l t i ma c y . T h i s i s t r a n s l a t e d i n t o e v e r y d a y l i f e i ng i v in g u p t h e o r d i n a r y s u p p o s i t i o n s b a s e d o n r a t i o n a l c a l c u l a t io n o f w h a t i s g o o d f o r u s .Gi v i n g u p t h e r e a s o n t h u s d o e s n o t me a n a b s o l u t e l y d i s p e n s i n g wi t h i t . I t me a n s , r a t h e r ,g i v i n g i t u p a s th e s o v e r i e g n o f o n e ' s li f e a n d t h e u l t i ma t e t e r m o f o n e ' s u n d e r s t a n d i n g o fo n e s e l f a n d o n e ' s ta s k . A s t h e r e a s o n i s n o t d i s p e n s e d wi t h a b s o l u t e ly , t h e r e i s p o s si b l e ,C l i ma c u s s u g g e s t s , " a h a p p y p a s s i o n " c a l l e d f a i t h i n v o l v i n g t h e u n i o n o f t h e r e a s o n a n dt h e p a r a d o x , a a S i n c e th i s i s a ma t t e r o f g i v i n g u p s o me o l d p r e s u p p o s i t i o n s , C l i ma c u sr i g h tl y p o i n t s o u t t h a t f a i t h is " a n e w p r e s u p p o s i t i o n . TM A n d j u s t a s th e o l d p r e s u p p o s i -t i o n s i n v o l v e d a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f m a n ' s n a t u r e , s o d o e s f a i t h in v o l v e a n e w u n d e r s t a n d -i ng o f m a n . " F a i t h , " C l i m a c u s sa y s, " m a y i n d e e d b e c o m e t h e sec ond nature in a man . ''2~T h e e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e Ab s o l u t e P a r a d o x g i v e n is t h a t t h e r e is a c o n f u s i o n o f t wo d i f -f e r e n t c o n c e p t i o n s . C l i m a c u s i s a wa r e o f t h a t d i f f e r e n c e . H e w r i te s in a f o o t n o t e :Th e ex i s t en t i a l sphere o f pagan i sm i s e s sen t i a lly the aes the t i c , and h ence i t i s qu i t e in o rde rf o r t h e p a g a n c o n s c i o u s n e s s t o b e re f l e c te d i n th a t c o n c e p t i o n o f G o d wh i c h h o l d s t h a t H e ,Hi m s e l f u n c h a n g e d , c h a n g e s a ll. T h i s i s t h e e x p r e s s i o n f o r o u t wa r d l y d i r e c t e d a c t io n . T h ere l ig ious l i e s in the d ia lec t i c wh ich governs in tens i f i ca t ion o f inwardness , and hence i t i ss y m p a t h e ti c w i t h t h e c o n c e p t i o n o f G o d t h a t H e i s H i m s e l f m o v e d , c h a n g ed , z6

I t is n o t C h r i s ti a n it y t h a t h o ld s G o d t o b e u n m o v e d a n d h e n c e C h r i st i an i ty i s n o t i ni ts e lf p a r a d o x i c a l . I t i s p a r a d o x i c a l to the pagan consciousness a n d t h a t is t h e p e r s p e c t i v ew i t h w h i c h C l im a c u s b e g i n s a n d w h i c h h e h o p e s t o t r a n s c en d . F r o m C l i m a c u s ' i n it ia ll yp a g a n p o i n t o f v i e w th e p a r a d o x a p p e a r s a b s o l u te . B u t w e n e e d n o t s u p p o s e t h a t b e -

2z W. V. Quine, The Ways of Paradox (New York: Random House, 1966) , p . 11 .23 Fragments, p. 73.24 Ibid., unpaged = 139.25 Ibid., p. 120.26 Postscript, p. 387.

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6 8 H I S T O R Y O F P H I L O S O P H Yc a u s e o f t h a t t h e p a r a d o x i s a b s o l u t e f r o m a ll p e r s p e c t i v e s o r e v e n t h a t i t i s a p a r a d o xf r o m a H p e r s p e c t iv e s .T h u s w h a t a p p e a r s t o b e p u r e l y i rr a t io n a l , i .e . , a b s o l u t e l y p a r a d o x i c a l , a p p e a r ss o f r o m a c e r t ai n p e r s p e c t i v e , n a m e l y , i d e a li s m . A n d w h a t l o o k s l ik e i r r a ti o n a l i sm i nK i e r k e g a a r d i s s e e n t o b e a n t i - i d e a l i s m - - o n c e t h e p a r a d o x i s u n d e r s t o o d a s a p a r a d o x .Hobart and William Smith Colleges

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