Søren Kierkegaard

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sren-kierkegaard

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Søren Kierkegaard born?May 5, 1813
2. Where was Søren Kierkegaard born?Copenhagen, Denmark
3. What is the career?Theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, religious author
4. Who was Søren Kierkegaard?Søren Kierkegaard was a Danish thinker from the 19th century who started the philosophical movement called existentialism. He focused on how each person’s own life matters most.
5. What does it mean that "existence precedes essence"?It means that a person is first a real living being before any ideas or roles are given to them. Your life and choices come first, and then you decide who you are.

Existentialism: A philosophical movement emphasizing individual existence, freedom, and choice, asserting that individuals define their own meaning in life.
Subjective Truth: Truth that is dependent on the individual's personal perspective, feelings, and experiences, rather than objective facts.
Angst: A profound existential dread or anxiety stemming from the awareness of freedom, responsibility, and the possibility of nothingness.
Leap of Faith: A commitment to belief or action made without complete rational justification, often in the realm of religion or personal conviction.