Ethics: God and Abraham

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The first problem, “Is there a teleological suspension of the ethical?” begins by declaring that the ethical is the universe which applies to everyone. However, our purpose in the universe, is to act ethically. “As soon as the single individual wants to assert himself in his particularity, in direct opposition to the universe, he sins, and only by recognizing this can he again reconcile himself with the universe” (Kierkegaard, 1985, p. 83). I think that this statement makes sense because we cannot move forward in life unless we acknowledge the mistakes that we have made.
In the text, it talks about the “absolute” and the “ethical”. The difference between the two is that a person is in a relationship with the absolute (God) through faith just like Abraham was, whereas the ethical, is impersonal and inferior to the individual. We all have ideas on what is right and wrong and from that we develop our own views on the ethical and our views on the absolute. Some people don’t have views on the absolute, but I think it’s very important to know where you stand on the topic. Knowing our st...

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