Teaching Philosophy

Volume 37, Issue 3, September 2014

Kierkegaard as Pedagogue
Some Insights for Teaching Introductory Philosophy Courses

This essay argues for an approach to Søren Kierkegaard and his engagement with what he perceives as his nominally Christian Danish culture that assumes the lens of pedagogy. In his attempt to (re)introduce Christianity into Christendom Kierkegaard develops several principles that prove valuable for the task of introducing or reintroducing philosophy to students within introductory courses. More specifically, from Kierkegaard we may draw out three principles, namely the importance of humility in meeting others where they are, the importance of indirect communication, and the importance of emphasizing truth as subjectivity. Each of these principles is defined in relation to Kierkegaard’s thought after which the pedagogical relevance of each for teaching is outlined and described through concrete examples of the principle at work within the classroom. It is argued that these principles prove effective for facing the unique set of challenges that accompany introductory philosophy courses. As such, it is thereby suggested that Kierkegaard can make a valuable contribution to the contemporary discussion on effective pedagogy.