A clear understanding of what Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) meant by the `suspension of the ethical' can be achieved upon careful study of his wider philosophies on stages or aspects of an individual's life. In this short text I will examine these philosophies, exploring what Kierkegaard meant by each one. I'll then put into context these stages of life by looking at them in relation to that which Kierkegaard's text `Fear and Trembling' (in which he introduces the concept of a teleological suspension of the ethical) is based on: that being the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac. Finally, I'll examine the problems of his theory and explore some of the presumptions and pre-requisites it necessitates.
Firstly I find it necessary to understand the context in which Kierkegaard wrote and believed the philosophies we now explore. Kierkegaard's writings were not without a purpose or agenda. His own life was the source by which he details his wider more abstract theories on life in general. He is intrinsically linked to the Christian faith, and he writes with that in the forefront of his mind. Indeed, `Fear and Trembling' itself is based upon a passage of scripture which Kierkegaard examines and bases his points upon. The point Kierkegaard is making ultimately is that he believes that the `religious' stage of life (one of three he feels he has discovered) is the one that means the most and should be desired. Kierkegaard identifies an existential progression between these stages which is, on initial study, contradicted by the passage of scripture he tackles. It is by examining these stages that the answer to the question set can be revealed.
The first of these stages is the aesthetic. For Kierkegaard, this is the lowest form of being. For a particular human being to lead an aesthetic existence would require him to indulge purely in sensuous pleasures. The implication in the aesthetic is that only the external provides value....