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  • Essay / The Father of Existentialism: Soren Kierkegaard

    In the late 19th and 20th centuries, several philosophers debated the differences in doctrine that all philosophical thinking begins with humans in terms of thought, action and feeling. The fundamental concepts of externalist philosophers are that they believed that the existence of human conditions is the main problem for sharing a similar ontology. Soren Kierkegaard is considered the father of existentialism. However, he did not use the word "existentialism", but initially the concept that no society or religion is the main cause that leads an individual to live a life with sincerity or passion. Perhaps it is his own beliefs and feelings that make him feel this way (Wartenberg). Likewise, Martin Buber (1878-1965) is well known for his philosophy of dialogues including the I-Thou relationship and the I-It relationship. Different philosophers have presented their explanations to describe man's relationship with life like Martin Buber, Steve Biko, Axel Barnes, Karl Barth, William James, Soern Kierkegaard, John Macquarrie, etc. This article aims to compare, contrast and evaluate the philosophies of Soern Kierkegaard and Martin Buber. Soern Kierkegaard's philosophy mainly emphasizes three main conditions of human being which are anxiety, boredom and despair. His writings focused on diagnosing the root cause of those conditions that cause a human being's physical and mental states to engage in spiritual and religious beliefs (Wartenberg). On the contrary, Martin Buber studies the relationship between humans and how they relate to the world. He states that humans consider objects in relation to their functions in order to evaluate them. According to Kierkegaard, any living organism, including ...... middle of paper ...... being religious involves a human being's relationship with others (Wartenberg). The feeling of considering others on the basis of their usefulness and their objectivity ends up restricting the sense of I-Thou and making it an I-It. According to Kierkegaard, being religious is an individual's personal commitment and dedication to God that is often distracted by the presence of churches and false people around them. On the contrary, Buber emphasizes that God actually comes to life; It actually helps people in terms of objects or other human beings. In both cases, God's presence materializes either through personal or interpersonal satisfaction. Works Cited Stewart, J.B. (2011). Kierkegaard and existentialism. Burlington: Ashtage Publishing Company. Wartenberg, T.E. (2013). Existentialism. Oxford: Oneworld Publications