- Profession: Philosopher
- Lived: May 5, 1813–November 11, 1855 (Great Awakening)
- Nationality: Danish
- Known for: Founder of Existentialism
- Fun Fact: Kierkegaard wrote under more than a dozen different pseudonyms. He would use each pseudonym to explore a different viewpoint and then have them interact through dialogues.
- Fun Fact: Kierkegaard's nephew, Henrik Lund, caused a disturbance at Kierkegaard's funeral when he protested that Kierkegaard would not have wanted to be buried by officials from an organized church.
Kierkegaard was born to an affluent family in Copenhagen in 1813. He became obsessed with the idea of forgiveness as a younger man but came to focus on a wider range of Christian ethics and faith. His works highlighted the importance of personal choicea and commitment, and much of his writing dealt with Christian love. He was extremely critical of Christianity as a state religion especially the Church of Denmark. Kierkegaard used early psychology to explore the emotions and feelings of individuals when faced with life choices, but he denied the idea that observation could reveal the inner workings of the world of the spirit in the same way science could learn about the physical world. The cause of his death is still a matter of debate, but he was hospitalized for over a month before his death. He refused communion the entire time, and his nephew protested having Kierkegaard's funeral ministered by the official church.
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