A Comparative Hermeneutic of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche for Democratic Subjectivity

Abstract

This article argues that, for democratic legitimacy to be ethically sustainable, there is a need for an individual model that combines Søren Kierkegaard's faith-based inwardness with Friedrich Nietzsche's secular self-creation within a robust understanding of the democratic subject. This article advances a comparative hermeneutic account of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche on the politics of the individual. Methodologically, the study specifies a three-step framework: (a) text-immanent reconstruction, (b) concept-level mapping, and (c) normative integration, to compare their views of subjectivity, freedom, morality, and modernity. Substantively, it argues that Kierkegaard’s inwardness (faith, accountability, anti-crowd) and Nietzsche’s self-overcoming (perspectivism, value-creation, anti-ressentiment) constitute complementary disciplines of freedom. The resulting integrative framework shows how inward responsibility and creative autonomy can underwrite democratic legitimacy and a post-secular ethical horizon resilient to technocratic flattening. The article tries to clarify its method, tighten its argumentative architecture, unpack quotations, and standardize citations and style in relation to the individual and politics.

Keywords

• Kierkegaard
• Nietzsche
• subjectivity
• authenticity
• democratic legitimacy

Kierkegaard ve Nietzsche'de Demokratik Öznellik: Karşılaştırmalı Hermenötik

Abstract

Bu makale, demokratik meşruiyetin etik bakımdan sürdürülebilir olabilmesi için Søren Kierkegaard’ın iman temelli içselliği ile Friedrich Nietzsche’nin seküler öz-yaratımını güçlü demokratik özne anlayışı içinde birleştiren bir birey modeline ihtiyaç duyulduğunu savunmaktadır. Makalede Kierkegaard ile Nietzsche’nin birey ve siyaset ilişkisine dair görüşleri karşılaştırmalı hermenötik bir çerçevede ele alınmaktadır. Araştırma yöntemsel olarak üç aşamada anılan konuyu analiz etmektedir: (a) metinsel yeniden oluşturma, (b) kavramsal eleştiri, (c) normatif bütünleştirme. Çalışmada elde edilen bulgular, Kierkegaard’ın içselliği -iman, hesap verebilirlik, kitle eleştirisi- ile Nietzsche’nin kendini aşma çabasının birbirini tamamlayan özgürlük disiplinleri olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Bu bütünleşik çerçeve, içsel sorumluluk ve yaratıcı özerklik temelinde demokratik meşruiyet ve post-seküler etik için teknokratik yaratıma karşı güçlü bir zemin sunmaktadır. Makalede ele alınan birey ve siyaset ilişkisi yöntemsel netliğe ve akışa sahip olup, standart metin kullanımı ve atıf çerçevesi sunmaktadır.

Keywords

• Kierkegaard
• Nietzsche
• öznellik
• özgünlük
• demokratik meşruiyet

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