Reading Kierkegaard Beyond Scholarliness and Scienticism – Devang Vaidya – February 25th @ 4 pm – 6 pm GMT – ZOOM

Reading Kierkegaard Beyond Scholarliness and Scienticism

Presented by Devang Vaidya

The Present Age of Sickness unto Death 

‘The present age is the age of despair’, wrote Kierkegaard in 1836 at the age of twenty-two. The theme of despair at collective and individual levels never strayed far from his thought, as is evident from his illustrious writing career. Kierkegaard saw despair as a ‘sickness unto death’ – a universal affliction of self-estrangement that is rooted in one’s own historical era. For Kierkegaard, despair is also a precondition for an individual’s higher ethical and spiritual development.  Today’s seminar focuses on one of Kierkegaard’s less renowned texts, The Present Age. Although a critique of modernity in his time, this text succeeds also in illuminating the socio-cultural processes of levelling and abstraction in our present age. These processes refer to the crises of values whereby the qualitative distinctions in various spheres of life are flattened out or erased. Today’s discussion will acknowledge how one form of this crises has crept into many therapy rooms under the sage warrant of evidence-based practice. Underpinned by the ‘common factors’ principle, ironically termed as the ‘dodo bird verdict’, therapy is increasingly perceived as a generic product sold under different brands. In contrast, Kierkegaard’s thought can help to reset the distinctive aim of existential therapy. This involves shifting the emphasis away from the objectivity of diagnoses and treatments, measurable goals and outcomes, towards growing the subjective capacity for relating to one’s existence as a task of freedom, and for grounding oneself in the ineluctable vulnerability of our shared human condition.

This event will take place on Zoom. A link will be sent prior to the date.

SEA members enjoy a 25% discount at checkout.

A 2-hours Certificate of Attendance will be emailed to participants.

If you think you have a new and interesting topic to share with us and would like to be our next speaker please don’t hesitate to contact our events organiser on events@existentialanalysis.org.uk.