Comparison of the anxiety concepts of Kierkegaard and Heidegger

This study aims at comparison of the philosophies of Kierkegaard and Heidegger within the framework of `anxiety? concept. Analysis of death, temporality, historicity and, nothingness which appear related to the concept of anxiety in our philosophers? leading philosophies subject to semantic expression of anxiety for each of the two philosophers is under the scope of the thesis.First, general philosophies of Kierkegaard and Heidegger have been set and then, an attempt for explanatory comparison has been made by associating the general philosophies with anxiety. Some philosophers have also been mentioned, whom take place in the background of their philosophies that have been developed upon critiques, in the thesis.The issue of anxiety is the key concept for both of the philosophies. Their philosophies develop through this concept. For Kierkegaard, it has been built on the basis of religious foundations as reinterpretation of Christianity while Heidegger does not adopt religious concepts to his philosophy. However, both of them intersect on the concepts of religion like death, truth, nothingness, conscience, crime and destiny. Heidegger, while associating these concepts with anxiety, takes the concrete into account. On the other hand, Kierkegaard mentions about the meaning of anxiety in order to reach the eternity and the infinity through which he will contact with the God in a world where he feels strange and alone.Anxiety differs from fear for both of the philosophers. The basic difference between these two concepts is that fear belongs to an object. Whereas, anxiety does not belong to an object unlike fear. Anxiety is the anxiety, felt due to nothingness of the world. World is a state of mind which indicates existing while dying at the same time. We live but we will die. When? The answer is simply ?Not Now.? This ambiguity brings about an escape in daily life. This is the sign of despair for Kierkegaard and the sign of being loser for Heidegger.If we think the philosophy of Heidegger as a secularized religion science, there is only a real state for both philosophers that human is temporary and they understand the human as the only entity that has responsibility of the state of having a real personality as a result of the anxious state of mind which comes into being due to this temporality. And this is the will of dying the death.Key Words1.Anxiety2.Fear3.Existence4.Dasein5.Death