Kierkegaard claims that a certain kind of subjectivity (truthfulness) guarantees objectivity (truth). This paradox diminishes if we allow that he is concerned with the concept of truth involved in self‐knowledge: ethical truth. Self‐knowledge is an ethical concept, and close to the idea ‘commitment to the truth’. Now this is analogous to the idea ‘commitment to the Good’. And Kierkegaard claims also that a certain mode of willing guarantees its object's reality. This paradox diminishes if we reflect on the idea of faith. For there is a certain way of life which can be understood only as expressing commitment to the Good. Commitment to the Good is a form of the commitment of true love, agape. Agape and knowledge are connected. Kierkegaard claims that agape ’believes all’ but ‘is never deceived’. For knowledge is only of possibilities: and so belief is a choice that is up to us. Belief and mistrust are the only fundamental relationships between persons. Of these only belief is a truly ethical commitment. Thus only within ‘the ethical’ can the ideas of self‐knowledge and truthfulness retain their full scope and application.
Reprints and Corporate Permissions
Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?
To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:
Academic Permissions
Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?
Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:
If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.
Related research
People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.
Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.
Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.