WorksheetsFear and Trembling: Introduction and Preface
Total questions: 69
Worksheet time: 35mins
Which claim about Fear and Trembling is emphasized in the introduction?
It is Kierkegaard’s most difficult work to interpret
It is universally regarded as a simple moral tale
It was Kierkegaard’s least read publication overall
It rejects any discussion of faith or doubt
What paradox is noted about Fear and Trembling’s reception?
It is difficult to interpret yet widely read
It is easy to read yet seldom assigned
It is short in length yet unfinished
It is anonymous yet clearly autobiographical
What stance does the authorial voice claim regarding philosophical identity?
The present author is no philosopher
The present author is a professional metaphysician
The present author is a historian of theology
The present author is a rationalist logician
How is the relationship between philosophy and faith characterized in the introduction?
Philosophy cannot and should not give an account of faith
Philosophy alone fully explains the essence of faith
Faith is reducible to deductive philosophical proofs
Philosophy and faith are identical intellectual activities
What does the preface suggest about attitudes today toward doubt and faith?
People want to go further—beyond both doubt and faith
People prefer doubt and reject faith entirely
People accept faith and eliminate all doubt
People consider both topics outdated and irrelevant
Which historical comparison about faith is highlighted?
In earlier times faith was a lifetime task
In earlier times faith was considered a brief ritual
In earlier times faith was avoided by most thinkers
In earlier times faith was defined by legal statutes
What does the preface associate with Descartes in this context?
A focus on doubt within the world of ideas
A defense of faith as purely emotional
A critique of reading widely without depth
A proposal to abandon metaphysics entirely
What does the authorial voice claim about personal possession of faith?
He does not have faith yet knows its struggle
He possesses unwavering faith without conflict
He rejects faith and embraces rationalism
He treats faith as a minor aesthetic preference
In Kierkegaard’s framing, why is Abraham called the “Father of Faith”?
He exemplifies obedience without reflection
He unites ethical duty and social praise
He embodies faith in the impossible and absurd
He founds a nation through political leadership
What is the Akedah most directly referring to in discussions of Abraham and faith?
Abraham’s covenant of circumcision
The near-sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
The expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael
Kierkegaard praises Abraham for believing “on the strength of the absurd.” What does this phrase most nearly capture?
Faith grounded in rational probabilities
Faith sustained by ethical universals
Faith trusting what seems impossible
Faith dependent on communal approval
Which idea best fits Kierkegaard’s note on “eternal consciousness” in relation to Abraham?
A temporal awareness of lineage
An inward relation to the divine
A logical proof of God’s will
A historical record of patriarchs
According to the preamble from the heart, what criticism does Kierkegaard level at those who know Abraham’s story by heart?
They misquote the biblical account frequently
They overlook Abraham’s social virtues
They ignore inward anguish and spiritual work
They deny that God spoke to Abraham
The preamble contrasts the “outward and the inward.” Which statement aligns with this contrast?
Public retellings replace inward struggle
Outward success guarantees inward truth
Inward faith depends on ritual display
Outward ethics nullify inward passion
Why does Kierkegaard insist that Abraham’s anguish must not be left out when recounting Genesis 22?
It reveals Abraham’s political calculation
It preserves the paradox of faith’s trial
It clarifies the genealogy of Israel
It proves the command was metaphorical
What unsettling point does Kierkegaard say must be faced alongside Abraham’s faith in the Akedah?
Abraham might be judged a murderer
Abraham doubted God repeatedly
Abraham valued wealth over family
Abraham rejected divine authority
What does Johannes de silentio mean by “to resign” in the context of the Knight of Infinite Resignation?
To give up possession of something cherished
To accept worldly duties without complaint
To pledge loyalty to a higher authority
To withdraw publicly from social life
Which feature best distinguishes the Knight of Infinite Resignation from the Knight of Faith?
Achieves eternal consciousness through giving up
Receives everything by the strength of the absurd
Appears ordinary with no outward signs
Relies on a gift that is humanly impossible
Why is becoming a Knight of Infinite Resignation considered a first step toward faith in God?
It awakens awareness of one’s eternal consciousness
It guarantees miraculous restoration of all goods
It eliminates all worldly duties and desires
It proves that reason alone can reach the absolute
According to the description, which of the following is humanly possible without faith?
Infinite resignation of worldly attachments
Paradoxical receiving of all things
Calm delight grounded in divine absurdity
Restoration by God beyond expectation
Which statement best captures the paradoxical movement of the Knight of Faith?
By the absurd, one receives everything back
Through stoic effort, one avoids all desires
By reason, one explains divine commands fully
Through ritual, one earns eternal salvation
How is the Knight of Faith said to appear in ordinary life?
Likely to disappoint, outwardly indistinguishable
Always ecstatic, loudly proclaiming miracles
Visibly ascetic, avoiding all social contact
Marked by strict rituals and solemn attire
Which phrase summarizes the demeanor of the Knight of Faith?
Calm and composed, letting things care for themselves
Vigilant and anxious, controlling every outcome
Somber and detached, refusing all pleasures
Restless and doubtful, pursuing endless proofs
What is the ultimate source of the Knight of Faith’s capacity, as characterized by Johannes de silentio?
A humanly impossible gift from God
A perfected habit of rational analysis
A community’s shared ethical practice
A rigorous program of ascetic training
Which benefit is explicitly associated with infinite resignation?
Gaining one’s eternal consciousness
Receiving all goods by divine promise
Achieving public recognition and status
Mastering the laws of natural reason
What explains the Knight of Faith’s delight in everything?
Trust that God will give what is needed eventually
Certainty that worldly pleasures are worthless forever
Belief that personal willpower ensures every outcome
Confidence that reason guarantees all predictions
Which description matches the Knight of Infinite Resignation’s appearance?
Easily recognized, walk is light and bold
Outwardly ordinary, no visible distinction
Somber and reclusive, avoiding the world
Ecstatic and vocal, proclaiming every joy
What slogan captures the faith of the Knight of Faith regarding possibility?
With God all things are possible
Knowledge alone conquers the absurd
Virtue is its own sufficient reward
Reason is the path to certainty
In the example of everyday joy, what attitude does the Knight of Faith take toward outcomes like getting a nice meal?
Joyful either way because resigned and trusting
Indifferent because all pleasures are sinful
Anxious because outcomes must be controlled
Triumphant only if desires are fulfilled
Which claim about the Knight of Faith would be a misconception?
His path is humanly possible through discipline
His receiving is by the strength of the absurd
He belongs entirely to the world outwardly
His calm stems from trust in divine provision
What is the relation between resignation and faith in this framework?
Resignation prepares the self; faith restores by God
Faith precedes resignation; reason supplies certainty
Resignation and faith are identical in movement
Faith removes desire; resignation grants miracles
Which statement best reflects Kierkegaard’s view of what faith is not?
A settled doctrine grasped by reason
A disciplined ethical practice
A cultivated aesthetic sensibility
A rationally deduced certainty
According to Kierkegaard, where does faith begin?
Where thinking leaves off
Where proofs accumulate
Where feelings intensify
Where doctrines are clarified
Which feature captures the paradoxical character Kierkegaard attributes to faith?
It is a monstrous paradoxical movement
It is a methodical logical progression
It is a calm contemplative insight
It is a codified theological formula
Which description aligns with Kierkegaard’s claim that faith is based on the absurd?
Trust beyond what reason can justify
Belief contradicting basic ethics
Acceptance of obvious falsehoods
Knowledge proven by strict logic
What role does passion play in faith for Kierkegaard?
Passion is essential and not produced by reflection
Passion is optional and guided by reflection
Passion is misguided and replaced by reflection
Passion is harmful and corrected by reflection
Which line best captures Kierkegaard’s view of the difficulty of faith?
It is not an easy matter, even lacks examples
It is accessible through simple catechism
It is straightforward for mature thinkers
It is obvious once emotions are managed
Kierkegaard compares faith to a way of moving in the world. Which phrasing matches this image?
An elevation, even like a dance
A march of deductive steps
A climb of empirical proofs
A static pose of contemplation
Which statement best summarizes Kierkegaard’s claim about the source of faith?
It requires more than human powers, a marvel
It arises from disciplined human reasoning
It emerges from collective social agreement
It follows naturally from aesthetic education
Which best defines telos in the context of Fear and Trembling?
End or purpose guiding action
Virtue or moral excellence
Law or universal command
Faith or inward conviction
In Kierkegaard’s usage, what does the ethical primarily signify?
Universal rules binding all
Personal vows to God
Social customs of a tribe
Legal codes of a state
What central question is asked in Problema I?
Is there a teleological suspension of the ethical?
Is faith compatible with reason and science?
Can ethics be taught through examples?
Do prophets possess innate virtue alone?
Problema II focuses on which issue?
Existence of an absolute duty to God
Nature of tragic hero’s sacrifice
Validity of prophetic revelations
Origins of universal moral laws
According to Problema III, what is evaluated regarding Abraham?
Whether concealing his purpose was ethically defensible
Whether he misheard the angelic command entirely
Whether he intended to found a new nation only
Whether he followed Mosaic law precisely
What distinguishes Abraham from a tragic hero in Kierkegaard’s account?
His telos is a private relation to God
His telos is a higher social good
His action perfects civic virtue primarily
His action clarifies universal mediation
What does the phrase teleological suspension of the ethical most nearly mean here?
Setting aside universal ethics for a higher purpose
Replacing ethics with societal consensus entirely
Ending moral thought in favor of desire only
Denying that any universal rules ever exist
Which statement best captures the paradox of faith expressed through Abraham?
The individual stands higher than the universal
The universal subsumes every individual without remainder
The individual must always mediate through society
The universal alone gives life its meaning
Why is Abraham’s undertaking described as purely private?
It refers to an immediate relation to God
It aims at advancing public welfare
It follows rational deliberation in council
It satisfies conventional family duties
Which emotion set is explicitly tied to the paradox of faith?
Distress, agony, and fear
Joy, serenity, and pride
Anger, contempt, and envy
Amusement, curiosity, and relief
Kierkegaard claims the individual’s absolute relation to the absolute is what?
A paradox inaccessible to thought
A deduction from first principles
A synthesis of social contracts
A conclusion of empirical testing
What ethical rule is implicitly challenged by Abraham’s command?
Thou shall not kill, universally binding
Honor the king in all matters only
Give alms to the poor every day
Keep the Sabbath without fail
How does mediation typically occur, according to the slides’ summary?
By virtue of the universal domain
Through solitary prayer exclusively
By charismatic authority of leaders
Through emotive persuasion alone
What temptation does asserting one’s particularity ordinarily represent in the ethical?
A sin or temptation against universality
A neutral preference without meaning
A heroic act of communal service
A necessary step of civic education
What does faith do relative to this paradox, per Kierkegaard’s phrasing?
Faith is this paradox enduringly
Faith dissolves paradox through reason
Faith postpones paradox for later
Faith replaces paradox with certainty
Which best captures the existential emphasis in Fear and Trembling?
Becoming an individual despite suffering and sacrifice
Achieving social harmony through mutual recognition
Following universal ethics without exception or paradox
Pursuing aesthetic pleasure as the highest human aim
What theological dimension is highlighted in Fear and Trembling?
A call to passionate commitment or faith
A critique of miracles and revelation
A defense of rational natural theology
A theology of institutional authority
Who is the pseudonymous author attributed to Fear and Trembling?
Johannes de silentio
Victor Eremita
Judge William
Constantin Constantius
Why might Kierkegaard use a pseudonym for Fear and Trembling?
To stage a perspective distinct from himself
To evade legal censorship by authorities
To mask inadequate Danish language skills
To collaborate secretly with Hegelian scholars
In Fear and Trembling, the move from universal ethics to faith is often described as what kind of leap?
A paradoxical leap beyond the ethical
A gradual rational ascent to certainty
A statistical inference from moral data
A consensus decision within the community
The phrase 'sacrifice of the other' in the existential call most nearly suggests which idea?
Prioritizing individual vocation over social approval
Eliminating empathy to achieve selfhood
Rejecting all relationships as distractions
Obeying external rules to avoid guilt
Johannes de silentio’s stance toward faith is best characterized as which position?
Admiring faith while claiming not to possess it
Demonstrating faith through personal testimony
Rejecting faith as morally indefensible
Reducing faith to aesthetic contemplation
Which pairing aligns with key themes of Fear and Trembling?
Individuality and passionate commitment
Relativism and social contract theory
Determinism and scientific naturalism
Utilitarianism and civic republicanism
Which feature best characterizes the Aesthetic stage of existence in Kierkegaard’s framework?
Hedonism and pursuit of momentary pleasures
Obedience to universal moral obligations
Faithful paradox that elevates the particular
Rational calculation of long-term consequences
In the Ethical stage, what moves the individual beyond the Aesthetic?
Commitment to duty and responsibility
Maximizing immediate sensory enjoyment
Suspension of all moral generalities
Withdrawal from social relationships entirely
What problem typically arises within the Ethical stage, according to the outline?
Recognition of failure to meet duty, producing guilt
Endless novelty-seeking that avoids commitments
Total certainty in reason without paradox
Complete harmony between universal and particular
The Religious stage is marked by which distinctive motion?
Paradoxical inward movement toward the Absolute
Outward conformity to universal social norms
Calculated balancing of pleasure and pain
Detachment from all concrete particular relations
Which statement captures Kierkegaard’s image of faith in the Religious stage?
Being on 70,000 fathoms of water yet joyful
Walking a straight road without any uncertainty
Climbing a ladder of virtues with steady progress
Standing on solid ground with rational assurance
Which contrast best distinguishes Ethical from Religious stages?
Universal duty versus placing the particular above the universal
Pleasure maximization versus pain minimization practices
Objective science versus subjective opinionated belief
Private contemplation versus public political engagement
Which action aligns most with the Aesthetic stage’s outlook?
Choosing without regard for future constraints
Submitting to universal moral imperatives
Trusting the paradox of faith before the Absolute
Accepting guilt as part of ethical responsibility
