Kierkegaard without “Leap of Faith”

Abstract

A check of the computer version of Søren Kierkegaard’s Samlede
Værker has the surprising result, that the famous “leap of faith” does not
occur even once in the published writings. It has, however, been the most influential
phrase and provoked scholars to vilify Kierkegaard as a fideist, irrationalist,
decisionist, voluntarist, misologist etc. Focussing on the crucial figure of the
paradox, my paper re-discusses the difference between knowledge and faith in
Kierkegaard’s thinking in order to show, in how far the prevailing labels, -isms and
charges are misguided.