Re: Fear and Trembling - Left handedness

John Page (JHPAGE@worldnet.att.net)
Sun, 28 Nov 1999 22:40:32 -0600

>I do.
>I'll risk an interpretation.
>I haven't finished reading all of his books yet, but
>I think that here SK is using the left hand to symbolize ethical
commitments
>in the realm of social conventions, rules & definitions.  (a wedding ring
is
>worn on the left hand).  This is where we are bound in relationships
defined
>by reasons and reasonability where the ethical choice takes the form of an
>informed decision.  This is not Faith (with a capital "F" ;).
>
>God for SK is the completely Unknown and unknowable, "It is the limit to
>which reason repeatedly comes ... it is the different, the absolutely
>different." (Philosophical Fragments, P.55)
>So the right hand which is demanded in the case of Faith is the commitment
>to taking the leap.  It is faith without recourse to reason, with no
>presupposition of ultimate justice or redemption or whatever.
>
>I'm currently writing about SK's conception of time where I argue that this
>means every moment of our existence involves the commitment to leaping all
>over again. For SK ethical codes of behavior don't mean anything permanent
>(i.e. eternal) at all.  In every moment we destroy and create them anew.
>
>As for how this relates to the Salinger quote, I'll defer to you.  I think
I
>need to re-read all things Salinger yet again ... it's been too long. it's
>time.
>
>By the way, and I'm not sure how it fits in, I'm a lefty too.
>
>-dawn.


Dawn, I'd be very interrested in reading your writing -- the arguements
about Kierke..          -jared