Repetition and Philosophical Crumbs (Oxford World's Classics) [Paperback]

Soren Kierkegaard (Author), M.G. Piety (Translator), Edward F. Mooney (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2009 | ISBN-10: 0199214190 | ISBN-13: 978-0199214198 | Edition: 1

"The love of repetition is in truth the only happy love." So says Constantine Constantius on the first page of Kierkegaard's Repetition. Life itself, according to Kierkegaard's pseudonymous narrator, is a repetition, and in the course of this witty, playful work Constantius explores the nature of love and happiness, the passing of time and the importance of moving forward (and backward). The ironically entitled Philosophical Crumbs pursues the investigation of faith and love and their tense relationship with reason. Written only a year apart, these two short works are a perfect introduction to Kierkegaard's philosophy: playful and profound, they explore notions of love and time, selfhood and Christianity, and pave the way for his later major works. These are the first English translations to convey both the philosophical precision of the originals and their literary quality. Edward F. Mooney's Introduction deftly guides the reader through Kierkegaard's key arguments and concepts, while helpful notes identify references and allusions and clarify difficulties in the texts.

About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

M.G. Piety is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Drexel University.
Edward F. Mooney is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Syracuse University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (July 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0199214190
• ISBN-13: 978-0199214198
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.5 x 7.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #216,907 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Repetition and Crumbs December 11, 2009

By Patricia Piety

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This translation does a good job of making Kierkegaard accessible to the common reader. It hightlights the subtle sense of humor and unique observations of a philosopher whose prose often comes across in other English translations as dense and obscure.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars They get the title right December 28, 2011

By J. C. Woods VINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

So, why is Repetition here paired with Philosophical Fragments (here the title is blessedly translated as "Crumbs," preserving the original imagery as "fragment" does not. A "smuler" is a residue left after breaking bread. The change of title is sufficient reason of itself to buy the book)? Princeton preserves Kierkegaard's original pairing with Fear and Trembling (he published both on the same day) Fear and Trembling/Repetition : Kierkegaard's Writings, Vol. 6, but Hannay has already translated Fear and Trembling as a stand alone so who needs the competition? Anyway, Philosophical Crumbs is a small but vital book and I am happy for a new translation, especially when they get the title right.
Anyway, Repetition has never been my favorite.I recognize its importance to the authorship in introducing experimental psychology without the creepiness that dogged Diary of a Seducer. Constantine Constantinus actually wants, in his twisted way, to help his young friend. That he goes about is such a messed up way provides a precedence for the next pseudonym, Virgilius Haufinesis, who, as an experimental psychologist will offer a twisted treatise on original sin. Concept of Anxiety, by the way, is one of my favorites (note to translators). The problem is that, like Fear and Trembling but to a greater extent, Repetition, in touting repetition as a concept, only gives negative examples. This is confusing. No wonder Heiberg reviewed it as a book on plant life. But, the trip to Germany is hilarious (especially when Constantine goes to the theatre and sees a farce) and the translation is well rendered. If nothing else, it is one of Kierkegaard's most entertaining books.
As for Philosophical Crumbs, people often argue whether it or Concept of Anxiety is Kierkegaard's most difficult book. In this one must pick his poison: do you prefer to drown in dialectics (Concept of Anxiety) or be hung by the metaphysics (Philosophical Crumbs). Kierkegaard's chief pseudonym, Johannes Climacus, is better known for his starring role in Concluding Unscientific Postscript to the Philosophical Crumbs, the Kierkegaardian magnum opus, which, oddly enough, is only a sequel to this book. As a whole, the book is a mediation on the nature of time that attempts to prove that Jesus' own disciples who lived with him day to day during his earthly ministry had no advantage over someone struggling to become Jesus' disciple today. Once again, the translation is excellent and they get the title right. What more do you need?

1 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars weirdness condemning the interesting April 21, 2011

By Bruce P. Barten

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It is difficult to describe the kind of shallow arch society in which the expectation that everything will keep repeating over and over without suffering from significant damage due to wear and tear on a psychological level which Kierkegaard describes so well:

Everything has its time in youth,
and what has had its time
then has its time again later,
and it is just as healthy for an older person
to have something laughable in his past
as it is for him to have something heart-rending. (p. 24.)

There are page numbers in the margin which locate the passage above just before page 31 in Soren Kierkegaard Skrifter, which is described as "prohibitively expensive for anyone but the most dedicated scholars or libraries, but it is freely available online in a searchable edition." (Note on the Translation, p. xxxi).

The 35W bridge which fell into the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, was described as having a shallow arch design with low redundancy. Kierkegaard might have been thinking of his father when he wrote about an older person having something laughable in his past. Social systems which have rigid expectations are likely to crumble when everything that happens is dynamic. I was interested in the vibrations on the 35W bridge from traffic, wind, a train near the foundation of the overpass close to the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis, and three jackhammers for a repaving project on the 35W bridge after spending 3 to 6 p.m. on the Lake Street - Marshall bridge between Minneapolis and Saint Paul for a demonstration of Beelzebub telling Satan:

We still have our armies.
We can keep fighting

in Paradise Lost by John Milton, feeling the wind that day and vibrations from passing vehicles. It was an interesting time in my life, and laughable that I was not on the bridge that collapsed, like I had been in Vietnam a few years after the 35W bridge was built. This book strives for literary significance, but Americans are unlikely to derive much from anything which has so little in common with their highly creative views on spending freezes.