Birth of Søren Kierkegaard

Søren Kierkegaard was born on 5 May 1813 in Copenhagen. A Danish philosopher, theologian and writer, Kierkegaard is often regarded as the father of existentialism. Living almost all his life in Copenhagen, he wrote under various pseudonyms in works such as Either/Or, Fear and Trembling and The Sickness Unto Death, exploring anxiety, despair and the individual's relationship to God. He criticized both the philosophical system of Hegel and the complacent Christianity of the Danish state church, arguing that faith requires an individual, passionate commitment, a leap rather than a logical conclusion. He broke off his engagement to Regine Olsen, an event that haunted his writing. He died at 42, and his work profoundly influenced twentieth-century thought.

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