Initial page of the Danish original edition of 1843.
Published in two volumes in 1843, Or one or the other (Danish original title: Enten-Eller) is an influential book written by the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, in which he explores the aesthetic "phases" or "stages" and ethics of existence.
Either one or the other shows two visions of life, one consciously hedonistic, the other based on moral duty and responsibility. Each one of them is written and represented by a pseudonym, in such a way that the prose of the work depends on the point of view that is being discussed. For example, the aesthetic vision of life is written in the form of a short essay, with poetic allegories and allusions, and aesthetic themes such as music, seduction, drama and beauty are treated. The ethical vision of life is written in two long letters, with a more argumentative and contained prose, being discussed moral responsibility, human self-reflection and marriage.The points of view of the book are not clearly summarized, but expressed as experiences lived by the pseudonymous authors. The central issue of the work is the fundamental question of Aristotle "How should we live?".
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