We begin our investigation with immanent reasoning for this is what a rationalist opponent, such as Hegel, may consider to be a sufficient resource to transition from one stage to the next. Since this leap is not sufficient in itself to facilitate these transitions, I will elucidate what this leap is by first exploring what other moves one must make to facilitate these transitions, before arriving at a positive definition of the leap: the will acting on a promise legitimated by skeptical reasoning and grounded by immanent reasoning and indirect communication. A necessary part of these transitions is the “leap”. A key question then, is how this transition occurs, a problem made more poignant by the fact that this progression cannot be interpreted as a steady, continuous, commensurable betterment but rather as gestalt shifts between largely-incommensurable outlooks. Kierkegaard’s system of personal development consists of a progress through four distinct outlooks on life: the aesthetic, the ethical, religiousness A, and religiousness B.

*Notes on Fear & Trembling, including elements of Either/Or With that said, I’ve decided to share these unedited notes on the off chance they are helpful to other readers.

These notes were created during my reading process to aid my own understanding and not written for the purpose of instruction. My preferred way of engaging with books is reconstruction.

Fear and Trembling by Søren Kierkegaard