Eleanor Helms – författare

Thought experiments play an important role in philosophy and philosophical theorizing. In this book Eleanor Helms examines thought experiments and charts their use in the work of Danish thinkers Hans Christian Orsted (1777-1851) and Soren Kierkegaard (1813-55), arguing that both were influenced by Kant. She demonstrates how key Kantian concepts shape the methods of both thinkers, especially Kant's claim that regulative ideas like the self, God, and nature cannot be directly represented. Kant proposed some ways in which we can make sense of, or 'cognize,' these kinds of abstract ideas, and Ørsted and Kierkegaard take up the practical challenge of realizing Kant's optimism by designing thought experiments to make these big ideas meaningfully accessible to individual thinkers. Helms's book is the first comprehensive study of Kierkegaard's use of thought experiments as a method, and reveals its significance for our contemporary understanding of how thought experiments work.

Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) remains one of the most enigmatic, captivating, and elusive thinkers in the history of European thought. The Kierkegaardian Mind provides a comprehensive survey of his work, not only placing it in its historical context but also exploring its contemporary significance. Comprising thirty-eight chapters by a team of international contributors, this handbook is divided into eight parts covering the following themes: MethodologyEthicsAestheticsPhilosophy of Religion and TheologyPhilosophy of MindAnthropologyEpistemologyPolitics. Essential reading for students and researchers in philosophy, Kierkegaard’s work is central to the study of political philosophy, literature, existentialist thought, and theology.