Place and Limits of Aesthetics in Kierkegaard

Abstract

Kierkegaard, who is considered as the father of existentialism, stands on three stages on life’s way; aesthetic, ethical and religious. These stages are keys for us to see Kierkegaard's philosophical draft. The most interesting and decisive stage within these stages is the aesthetic stage that confronts us in Either/Or. Kierkegaard analyzes this stage in Either/Or I in a way like a literary text. But the aesthetic stage leaves us face to face with some existential situations and at second part of the book, B who represents the ethical stage, tries to reveal these problems, the limits of aesthetic life and wants to awaken A. Kierkegaard tries to show this awakening in contrast to Hegel, and he swims in the deep waters of subjectivity, subjective interests. The essential thesis of his philosophy is: “Subjectivity is truth, actuality”. In this paper, within Kierkegaard’s essential thesis, we will emphasize the stages on life’s way, especially the aesthetic stage.

Keywords

• Aesthetic,Stages on Life’s Way,Self,Subjectivity

Kierkegaard’da ‘Estetik’in Yeri ve Sınırları

Öz

Varoluşçuluğun babası olarak kabul edilen Kierkegaard, felsefesinde estetik, etik ve dinsel olmak üzere üç varoluş aşaması üzerinde durur. Bu aşamalar Kierkegaard’ın felsefi taslağını görmemizde anahtar durumdadır. Bu aşamalardan en ilgi çekici ve belirleyici aşama ise, Either / Or’da karşımıza çıkan estetik aşamadır. Kierkegaard bu aşamayı edebi bir metni aratmayacak bir şekilde Either / Or’un I cildinde işler. Ancak estetik aşama kimi varoluşsal durumlar ile bizi yüz yüze bırakır ve II. ciltte etik aşamayı temsil eden B bu sorunları, estetik yaşamın sınırlarını ortaya koymaya çalışır, A’yı uyandırmak ister. Kierkegaard bu uyandırmayı Hegel’in karşısında yer alacak bir şekilde yapar; öznelliğin, öznel ilgilerin derin sularında yüzer. Felsefesinin özü durumunda olan tezi şudur: “Öznellik hakikattir, edimselliktir / etkinliktir”. Bu çalışmamızda Kierkegaard’ın temel tezi bağlamında “estetik” başta olmak üzere varoluş aşamaları üzerinde duracağız.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Estetik,Varoluş Aşamaları,Self,Öznellik

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