Kierkegaard - Artist's Note

Jasmine Dahilig

Latina, 1992-

State of Sin

Acrylic on canvas pad

(Translation from Spanish;

read from center outwards)

Faith.

I sinned once.

I was sinning.

I have been in a state of sin my entire life.

Despair as Defined by Finitude/Infinitude: a Graph

Jasmine Dahilig

Dr. Brad Stone

HNRS 120:02

October 1, 2010

Despair as Defined by Finitude/Infinitude: a Graph

…the progress of becoming must be an infinite moving away from itself in the infinitizing of the self, and an infinite coming back to itself in the finitizing process.

– Søren Kierkegaard

Given:             Function f(x)=1/x, where the function is “the self”.

Line c=0, where the line is also “the self”, or can be seen as “itself”.

The portion of the function in Quadrant I can be notated as “QI”.

The portion of the function in Quadrant III can be notated as “QIII”.

Finitude can be notated as Fin.

Infinitude can be notated as Infin.

Prove: Despair is defined by function f(x)=1/x.

Statement	Reasoning
1.) Infin = QIII Infinitude is represented by portion of function in Quadrant III	1.) If the function is “the self” (given) and c=0 is also “the self” (given), then the function or “the self” is infinitely moving away from itself, or c=0. a.) infinitude = imagination = seeing yourself in endless possibilities b.) too much infinitude = too much imagination = letting your imagination run wild
2.) Fin = QI Finitude is represented by portion of function in Quadrant I	2.) If the function is “the self” (given) and c=0 is also “the self” (given), then the function or “the self” is infinitely coming back towards itself, or c=0. a.) Finitude = no imagination = cowardice/you don’t believe in yourself = conformity>>> as shown by the function trying to “conform” to the straightness of the line c=0 b.) Finitude = no imagination = no seeing yourself in endless possibilities = missing out on God, which is the equivalent of endless possibilities because God is infinite
3.) The function is the synthesis of finitude and infinitude	3.) The function is both moving away from c=0 and moving towards c=0, where c=0 is “the self” (given): the self is both moving away and towards “itself”. a.) f(x) only has quantitative value in QI and QIII, therefore f(x) = QI + QIII b.) Because Fin=QI and Infin=QIII c.) f(x) = Fin + Infin d.) Fin + Infin = the synthesis e.) f(x) = the synthesis
4.) Despair is defined by f(x)	4.) a.) As x approaches infinity, the limit of f(x) = 0, or finitude. b.) As x approaches 0, lim f(x) = infinity, or infinitude. c.) Even though function is synthesis [f(x)= fin+infin], the function will never reach “itself”. d.) Kierkegaard – every moment that a self exists, it is in the process of becoming… e.) at no point in this graph does the function touch the x-axis f.) at no point in this life does the self ever become itself g.) the self can never become itself is why we’re in despair.