Abstract

This chapter pursues a threefold aim: to clarify Kierkegaard's philosophical conception of psychology, to examine the principal reasons for his absence in the work of present‐day psychologists, and to argue for the relevance of his thinking for contemporary psychology. A concise historical sketch of the development of contemporary psychology as an independent scientific discipline brings out the reasons why academic psychologists today have difficulty appreciating philosophical psychology in general, and Kierkegaard's version in particular. This historical sketch allows for a systematic presentation of Kierkegaard's philosophical conception of psychology, focusing on six concepts that are still at the forefront of current psychological research. This presentation unfolds the principal argument of the chapter; namely, that the question of autonomy—in terms of the intricate entanglement of activity and passivity—is the fundamental philosophical problem at the heart of Kierkegaard's psychology. The chapter ends with an outline of how Kierkegaard's exploration of the problem of autonomy can contribute to contemporary psychology.