Kierkegaard's Christian Existentialism 

Im going to tell my children this is Jordan Peterson

Thank you professor. May you rest in peace and in the comfort of eternal gratitude, as we are so very thankful for the work. It's my understanding that Sugrue was a fan of Kierkegaard, and if it wasn't for his enthusiasm I would have never made the big steps of going back and reading the source materials for myself. The professor truly inspired me, and it will never be forgotten. Michael Sugrue, I know your body has lost its flame of life, but the light and warmth of your teachings will live on for many many moons to come. Thank you. You will not be forgotten ❤

This professor is as cool as the other side of the pillow. His presentations are smooth, articulate, no um’s, no notes. I admire his style and respect his knowledge of the subject. Nicely achieved! 👍

A gift to humanity, rest in peace , your light will guide us forward!

No fancy lighting, no elaborate editing, just pure brilliance and erudition. Thank you Mr Michael, we owe you a lot.

RU-vid doesnt deserve content this good.

I've never heard for kierkegaard before, but he literally wrote down everything ive been thinking for the past 4 years

That part on boredom really hit me to my inner core.

Can these lectures even get any better? Bravo!

Profoundly beneficial resolution of the existential problem. I made my decision to go with God in 1978, and have never regretted it. And btw, that God revealed himself through his son's sacrifice at Calvary and subsequent Resurrection.

As an aesthetic man, I really enjoyed the intellectual pleasure I received from watching this video.

Watching this after hearing about his death has got me teary eyed RIP

this was really, really depressing. i loved it

My University doesn't offer a philosophy course, so you can imagine how ecstatic I was when the algorithm suggested this channel to me. Brilliant lectures, looks like I can take a philosophy course after all!

This has to be one of the best lectures ever. This guy has a real talent. His pace is perfect, his deliverance is smooth. He strips the profound questions bare naked so we all can see what terribly tough choices we face.

I hope your father is doing well. I revisit these lectures often, they are on e pedestal above all others, Professor Sugrue explains in a way that connects directly to anyone. This is education at its finest.

This is one of the greatest things I've ever heard.

Kierkegaard creates an amusing paradox by defining the ethical existence in opposition to the traditional Greek rational approach by framing it within a rationalized framework. Perhaps his desire to be that ethical man while being unable to diaregard his need to be rational created his philosophical melancholy. Creating a dichotomy that one cannot reconcile within oneself certainly, at least at a glance, seems a recipe for internal anguish. One of the most difficult aspects of practicing faith while attempting to be rational is accepting that certain facts amd ideas are unknowable and incomprehensible; to use the gifts of reason and free will, results of being created in God's own image, while submitting to the idea of being unable to grasp the infinite and seemingly paradoxical nature of the omnipotent and supernatural that separates God from his creation. Choosing to believe, to utilize gifts and talents, but to accept an unscratchable itch of unfathomability is a task and a burden, given unto us almost as if pointing us directly to a need for prayer and meditation through which to know Him and His will, both celebrating our role as children and humbling us in our limitations.

What an icon. How I wish I'd had such passionate teachers growing up.

If a brilliant scriptwriter wrote a script and format for these lectures to follow, Sugrue's own phenomenal lecture would make it seem trite. Sugrue, moves seamlessly from not just topic to topic, but, from paragraph to paragraph like a VERY well written book. This, is what blows my mind about this guy.

35:00 "Morals come from Him, they don't run Him"

Professor Sugrue is definitely one our best. Soren Kierkegaard. This is priceless. "Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom." Soren Kierkegaard

Thank you for making Kierkegaard understandable to this layperson.

this is gold

I watched this last month and have read Either/Or and Fear and Trembling. I am now a huge Kierkegaard fan. My deepest thanks!

I know that this lesson is given with the undertones that religious belief is a generally frowned upon position to take, but this if anything further strengthens my personal belief.

"People who have not suffered for their beliefs have not earned the right to". Wow, this is deep.

This man is MAGNIFICENT! I love these lectures... Respect and Gratitude from the UK.

I learned of Christian Existentialism from a friend. I didn't research it a whole lot as it was before the Internet. However, what did happen was an acknowledgement that switched my brain onto the rails it needed to better understand what faith meant. To be a Christian is to have faith in the knowledge of Christ and his life and death. Christians mistaken this faith as fact or as we often put it "I know Christ is the Savior", or something to that effect. Well, what I learned is freedom from the doubt of your faith and how to gain more faith is fundamentally wrought in letting go of this falsehood of "you know". If you knew you would have been there but that is not possible, so you live on faith. Most of life is faith based. We believe a lot of things happened but we weren't there to know for certain. So accept the idea that most of your belief system is based on a presumption of the truth or what you believe to be true, and that's okay. But once you understand this, you no longer can carry I know Christ, blah blah blah, and can live peacefully in the idea that you humbly believe in Him. Once you do this all the puffery of religion goes away and you don't even need the church anymore to reaffirm what you already believe to be the truth. This is what the brain needs. It needs peace in what you believe, not puffery to ensure your beliefs are in tact. In these cases, they are not in tact, they just make for a very rigid and an undesirable Christian.

These are the most stimulating lectures on the internet

damn, im super late to michael sugrue , but im very grateful im here now.

Terrence Malick's film 'the tree of life' (and many other of his films) beautifully encapsulates kierkegaardian thought.

Does this without notes folks. On the fly based off his own intellect. Awesome speaker.

WOW! I didn't notice any monitors or crib notes. Who can speak on such a subject so thoroughly for 40+ minutes? Amazing! Superb!

I can’t believe I can access so much quality information and, frankly, wisdom , for free 🤷🏻‍♂️ modern times are shite when it comes to society and politics and stuff. But on the other hand it’s all good man 🤣😂 Thank you prof. Sugrue ! ❤️👍🏻

Just as I started Either/Or. perfect!

Kierkegaard is without a doubt my favorite "modern" philosopher, only just a hair behind Kant by necessary concession (it's hard to dethrone Kant's spot at the top, even if I may have drawn more substance from Kierkegaard in actuality, primarily because of his position as being my introduction to secular philosophical thought and therefore holding a special place in my heart). My favorite work by him is a smaller less well-known essay titled "The Crowd is Untruth", it resonated with me so strongly and tied together many of my loose threads of thought so tightly that it spontaneously sprung inside me an endless well of thankfulness and respect for the man who brought such soothing words to my thirsting soul. Of course, he has many other classic seminal works that deserve mention, "Either/or", "Fear and Trembling", and "The Concept of Anxiety", come immediately to mind as very influential on my spiritual growth. Many take away a depressive overviee from his works but they've always had the opposite effect on me, I inevitably come away more invigorated and lively from Kierkegaard; the dark contemplations he sets me are merely straight and narrow paths which when walked faithfully lead to endless joyful enlightening.

Kierkegaard is one of my favorite philosophers in western philosophy!

Look what I'm watching on a friday night

thank you for uploading all of these!! timeless material, wonderful lectures

I love these lectures and had the lot on tape years ago - glad that they are now on youtube - thanks

I listened to these lectures years ago and loved them. I am awestruck to find them again. Sugrue is so clear and articulate. He can break down some of the most complex philosophical ideas in a way that any intelligent person can understand.

I really needed this one. Thank you.

As said in all the other comments, the delivery was really great. Thank you for kindly sharing this content for free. Much love.

Brilliant Lecture! This professor has an exceptional style and captivating delivery.

6:04 huge .. such a potent articulation of human belief and behaviour. That's one you can ponder for a while. Thanks prof 🙏🙏

Wow! Outstanding, a privilege to hear and thank you for sharing!

I really dig this man, the way he delivers the knowledge instantly leads to a binge

I'm really enjoying how these lectures are delivered... they are becoming part of my daily digest for knowledge and thinking. Thank you Michael!

Wow, very enthralling lecture. This guy was great to listen to. Good job, algorithm.

One of my top favorites in your entire ouvre of lectures. And my hubby absolutely loved it!

Superb lecturer

Honestly, I pressed like, then I started watching. He doesn't disappoint.

This is a great talk. Thank you very much Sir

You are phenomenal, Dr Sugrue.

it's things like this that make the internet and youtube worthwhile. thanks so much!

This stands out amongst his lectures. Beautifully laying out a tour de force of ideas and speaking with such passion and poetry that I’m still mesmerized after multiple listens

Really enjoyed this lecture!

You sir, are the manifestation of crystal clear articulation of insight. Thank you for this series of lectures !

interesantisima! en este momento estoy leyendo el concepto de la angustia y este video me ha ayudado mucho a comprenderlo - que BIEN explicado esta!

I am sooooo grateful for these lectures being shared and to the AI that suggested these. Wonderful lectures, thank you!

fun and easy to understand intro to Kierkegaard. thanks for the upload.

Bravo!! A great conduit of lofty ideas, doing them justice at every turn. Never would have heard this were it not for this technology. What a man, what a time!

Love the way he delivers lectures, exceptional clarity and a smooth way of transitioning from one topic to another. Thank you!

This came at the right time in my life

Thank you! Wow! My favorite philosopher Soren K.

I've only watched three videos from him, I've learned so much than I had gleaning from the pages of books. You're such a perspicuous teacher.

This stands out amongst his lectures. Beautifully laying out a tour de force of ideas and speaking with such passion and poetry that leaves me mesmerized even after multiple listens.

I haven't taken a philosophy course since college, over 25 years ago, yet this man, makes philosophy accesible and fun to get into...God bless this man !

Amazing lecturer. Thank you! In my experience, the only other spellbinding lecturer Of this intellectual category (that I had as an undergrad) was Harvey Goldberg teaching World Revolutions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1964.

Thank you so much for this content

I feel so lucky to have found Professor Sugrue

35:15 how someone can drop a line that hard, as if it was nothing

I haven't seen any philosophy videos on this account in years. I was recommended this today for a reason. Glory to God.

Another excellent lecture. Thank you.

Micheal has become a dear friend to me, when I was at my most loniest; despite being surrounded by so many. Kierkegaard is a fascinating mind! I certainly agree with his critique of Kant. His CI is evidence of the rational delusion he trapped himself into, which is so characteristic of the enlightenment epoch. I can’t wait to read Kierkegaard !

Thanks

What a great conclusion! Fantastic.

Amazing lecture

When philosophers didn’t cry.

I would like this video a hundred times if I could!

amazing lecturer

@34:00 approximate time, Abraham did argue, (bargain?) in a way, with God when God said He was going to destroy Sodom. Abraham asked: "What if there are twenty righteous people there?" or something like that. Moses and Ezekiel, argued or bargained, with God. God refused to cook his food as God told him. God then changed the request.

I didn’t choose the aesthetic life, the aesthetic life chose me

I have found a kindred! Thank you, LORD.

I love these lectures and relied on them heavily when I was studying for my comprehensive exams. This format inspired me to create my own philosophy and theology channel/podcast.

Really great talk, thanks !

I hope the vault if this legend of a professor opens right up. Very grateful for this mans heavy lifting of a large range of some very dense material

An amazing lecture, such clear insights. I found Kierkegaard really hard to read but this lecture is helping me make sense of it!

Wow, what a compelling and entertaining lecture.

This is brilliant! I really had trouble understanding Kierkegaard until I watch this lecture now I'm going to go back and reread some of his works.

I wondered what Kierkegaard would have made of Plato's Symposium (or Phaedrus), which in total contrast, sees the aesthetic as a very means of divine transcendence. Thankfully a google search reveals he wrote on the subject. A good place to start for those of us skeptical - at least at some level - with Kierkegaard and Existentialisms general bifurcation of the human condition.

At 20:00 Yukio Mishima came right to mind.

What an illuminating talk!

Excellent discussion.

I love the part where he slips and says Nietzsche 😂

Why am I just coming across these lectures. I find them educating, satisfying and entertaining. Wow!

A couple minutes in and I'm subscribed!

I totally agree with Kierkegaard's definition of the human condition and his definition of true faith. That means I disagree with Sugrue's conclusion that Soren is a disturbed individual. What a great lecture.

"Lift me up." -Kierkegaard's last dying words Even on his deathbed, Kierkegaard was ordering his servants around 😂