Either this or that - (Full 2 volumes)

Author: Liu Xiaofeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: Ideas follow one another; I just had an idea and was about to write it down, when another idea gushed out—grasp it, scratch it——neurotic! The standard for judging a person is: for how long and at what level they can be content with solitude without needing others' understanding. Those who can endure loneliness all their lives, who can determine the meaning of eternity in solitude, are far removed from childhood and the society that represents human animality—Kierkegaard. I believe Strauss admired Kierkegaard also because of his novelistic writing style. Strauss has repeatedly mentioned in good places that there is a tradition of classical philosophers who expressed philosophy through novels or dramas (dialogue being its variation). This writing style is not just for fun but has its own profound and ancient reasons. Unfortunately, under the influence of Kantian philosophy, this writing style has been almost forgotten—in other words, the reason that is closely related to the life of philosophy in classical philosophy has been abandoned. In this process of exploring thoughts, Kierkegaard has always accompanied me. This thinker was not in good health since birth and did not spend a long time in the world (born in 1813, died in early winter 1855), yet he left behind many works of outstanding insight and subtle thought. Among these works, the one that fascinates me and also puzzles me is this Either/Or.—Liu Xiaofeng
In ancient Greek mythology, Hermes is the son of Zeus and Maia, the messenger of the Olympian gods, the god of roads and boundaries, the god of sleep and dreams, the guide of the dead, the orator, the merchant, the thief, the traveler, and the shepherd—hermeneutics (Hermeneutic) comes from the name of Hermes (Hermes). Ideas follow one another; I just had an idea and was about to write it down, when another idea gushed out—grasp it, scratch it——neurotic! The standard for judging a person is: for how long and at what level they can be content with solitude without needing others' understanding. Those who can endure loneliness all their lives, who can determine the meaning of eternity in solitude, are far removed from childhood and the society that represents human animality—Kierkegaard. I believe Strauss admired Kierkegaard also because of his novelistic writing style. Strauss has repeatedly mentioned in good places that there is a tradition of classical philosophers who expressed philosophy through novels or dramas (dialogue being its variation). This writing style is not just for fun but has its own profound and ancient reasons. Unfortunately, under the influence of Kantian philosophy, this writing style has been almost forgotten—in other words, the reason that is closely related to the life of philosophy in classical philosophy has been abandoned. In this process of exploring thoughts, Kierkegaard has always accompanied me. This thinker was not in good health since birth and did not spend a long time in the world (born in 1813, died in early winter 1855), yet he left behind many works of outstanding insight and subtle thought. Among these works, the one that fascinates me and also puzzles me is this Either/Or.—Liu Xiaofeng