Freedom and anguish in Kierkegaard’s The concept of anxiety

Abstract

The concept of anxiety by Søren Kierkegaard inaugurated the anxiety theme as a philosophical character matter. Undoubtedly dense,
this small treatise by the Danish philosopher reverberates nowadays finding resonance in contemporary thinkers like Heidegger. In The concept of anxiety several interlocking knowledge fields can be found, from psychology through theology and particularly philosophy. This structure endows it with an odd complexity since it unlocks flanks for several interpretive paths. The text also presents a strong critical dialogue with a particular Christian tradition and demonstrates its affiliation with Hegelian philosophy in a tense way. This paper aims to show the relationship between freedom and anguish present in this text. According to the Danish author, the anguish is a component of human nature, and while it pushes the individual towards an abyss of possibilities it also
stimulates the individual to become unique and responsible due to his/her concrete existence. One may also identify a strong relation between the concepts of sin, fall, innocence and guilt, understood by the author in a controversial way since his reading is not fit within the standards of Christian philosophy, especially the one consolidated by Augustine.