That Solitary Individual - The Biblical Joshua as Kierkegaard's 'Knight of Faith' and Nietzsche's 'Man of Power'

Document Type

Humanities

Authors

Joshua Sullivan, Pepperdine UniversityFollow

Abstract

Both existential philosophers, Soren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche occupy opposite ends of the religious spectrum. While Kierkegaard saw faith as the highest revelation of human existence, Nietzsche decreed it the root of European society's qualms. Both philosophers rejected utilitarian notions of society as the highest form of man and espoused the importance of the individual. Each philosopher developed his own archetype for the ideal man; Kierkegaard dubbed his man the 'knight of faith,' Nietzsche named his the 'man of power.' Although these frameworks initially appear irreconcilable, the biblical character of Joshua fills both roles, expanding each and challenging Nietzsche's claim that man can never be strong while trusting in God.

Recommended Citation

Sullivan, Joshua (2022) "That Solitary Individual - The Biblical Joshua as Kierkegaard's 'Knight of Faith' and Nietzsche's 'Man of Power'," Global Tides: Vol. 16, Article 5.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/globaltides/vol16/iss1/5