Abstract

Contrary to traditional readings of Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling , which claim that Abraham gains his world back with Isaac, this article shows that Abraham in fact suffers a tragic loss inasmuch as he can no longer function as a complete human being. The ethical has forever been denied him by his act of absolute responsibility that renders him entirely irresponsible toward his community. It also shows that his kind of faith is not the kind of faith his followers are required to engage in, as shown in Works of Love , that in fact his kind of faith is considered reckless by another Kierkegaard psdeudonym