Thread: Soren Kierkegaard: 4th Sphere of Life?

A'hoy hoy,

Kierkegaard paved the road for existentialism with his sphere's of life. Incase you are unfamiliar with these sphere's, here's a quick recap:

Esthetic - A life devouted to seeking pleasure or an ultimate goal that will ascertain "happiness". There are a large majority of the world that live thinking that if they attain X (degree, job, spouse, etc.) that they will be happy and live a life free from worries. However, this will bring attention to the constant disappoints and impossibility of such - life will never be solved and there will always be complications that you will have to endure. So, what we have, in contrast to a self-fulfilling prophecy, is a self-disappointing prophecy. Those living by an esthetic life will find themselves constantly disappointed and remaining living a life of dread.

Ethic - A life devouted to obligation and responsiblity. Typically accepting ones place in a job, in a hierarchy, a role in a system. Kierkegaard believed this path to be the right one for a long time. He believed that living an ethic life would lead to prosperity and happiness - rewards. However, this is not true. This life makes an individual become "another brick in the wall", another number, etc. They lose autonomy and individuality. Living a life of submission leads to the loss of a sense of purpose and unique character.

Religious - Kierkegaard often elucidated this sphere of life with the tale of Abraham and Isaac. Abraham was asked by God to sacrifice his son to prove his love for God. In doing so, Abraham abolished all rational thinking and ethical reasoning. However, felt embraced by God's reciprocal love. Also, living a life of religion offers sanctity from the fear of death and mortality.

My reason for creating this thread is this: could there be a fourth sphere? I think so; a life of empricism. Of science.

There are many people who live a life of rationale and reasoning all of lifes problems with science. The problem with this life is that we loose our sense of spirituality. I think this contributes to the idea of existentialism because living a life of empiricism leads to the individual feeling insiginificant. Also, living a life where all your actions and decisions can be displaced to the fundamental physical laws in which everything abides to.

What are you thoughts?

My apologies if my explanation was a little complicated.