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Either/Or

A Fragment of Life
By Søren Kierkegaard
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Either/Or by Søren Kierkegaard, a foundational work in existential philosophy, explores the conflict between an aesthetic lifestyle focused on hedonism and a life guided by ethical commitments. Through a series of essays and personal letters, Kierkegaard delves into themes of choice, identity, and the complexities of human existence, questioning how one should live. The book presents profound philosophical ideas, inviting readers to reflect on the nature of life's meaning and the pursuit of authenticity.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy exploring philosophical concepts around life's dichotomies, such as choice and obligation, through parallel narratives. Kierkegaard's work delves into themes of existentialism and the aesthetic versus the ethical life, offering profound insights into human nature and personal development.

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Either/Or

Published in 1843, this is one of the earliest of Kierkegaard's major works. The author plays devil's advocate putting forward two opposing points of view challenging the reader to question the different alternatives. This book is written to provoke philosophical debate.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Either/Or is a brilliant exploration of the conflicts inherent in life between living aesthetically and living morally.

In Either/Or, using the voices of two characters—the aesthetic young man of part one, called simply 'A', and the ethical Judge Vilhelm of the second section—Kierkegaard reflects upon the search for a meaningful existence. He contemplates subjects as diverse as Mozart, drama, boredom, and, in the famous Seducer's Diary, the cynical seduction and ultimate rejection of a young, beautiful woman.

A masterpiece of duality, Either/Or is a brilliant exploration of the conflict between the aesthetic and the ethical. It both meditates ironically and seductively upon Epicurean pleasures, and eloquently expounds the noble virtues of a morally upstanding life.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780140445770

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 28 May 1992

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Alastair Hannay
  • Translated by Alastair Hannay
  • Notes by Alastair Hannay
  • Abridged by Alastair Hannay
  • Edited by Victor Eremita

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 27.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 441g

Pages: 640

Collections

Non-Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Philosophy & Psychology Philosophy & Stoicism Søren Kierkegaard

About the Author

Danish-born S ren Aabye Kierkegaard(1813-55) wrote on a wide variety of themes, including religion, psychology, and literature. He is remembered for his philosophy, which was influential in the development of 20th century existentialism. Alastair Hannay is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oslo. He is co-editor of the Cambridge Companion to Kierkegaard and has translated Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling, The Sickness unto Death, Either/Or, and Papers and Journals for Penguin Classics.

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