Anti-Climacus and the Demoralization of Sin

Kurzfassung/Abstract

The paper develops the claim that in The Sickness unto Death (1849), Kierkegaard conceptualizes a demoralized understanding of sin. Rather than interpreting sin as moral guilt, he proposes a concept of sin that takes the form of alienation. The claim is unfolded in a three-step argumentation: First, we identify crucial hermeneutical issues and stress the role of the pseudonyms within Kierkegaard’s writings. Second, we offer a detailed analysis of the theory of self-consciousness developed by Anti-Climacus. Finally, using the romantic interpretation of Kierkegaard as a foundation, we demonstrate how Anti-Climacus conceptualizes sin as alienation.