Q0449
“To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is…” — Søren Kierkegaard (Either/Or)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Either/Or. Theme: courage.
English
To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Either/Or and files it under Existentialism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) was a Danish religious author and critic of Christendom who wrote under pseudonyms exploring aesthetic, ethical, and religious existence. Inheriting a melancholy family fortune, he attacked Hegelian system and lukewarm official faith in Copenhagen.
How to read this passage
Philosophers ask whether courage is fearlessness or right action amid fear, and how it relates to recklessness, endurance, and moral courage in public life. This passage enters that discussion through courage, self, choice.
Concepts in this quote
- Courage
- Courage is the virtue of facing fear without abandoning judgment—central to ethics from Aristotle to modern existential resolve.
- Self
- Philosophy quotes about self explore identity, responsibility, and the examined life—from Socrates’ unexamined life to modern phenomenology and existential authenticity.
- Choice
- Choice is the hinge of agency: selecting among options under reasons, constraints, and uncertainty.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Søren Kierkegaard. (n.d.). To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0449
MLA: Søren Kierkegaard. “To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily.….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0449.
Chicago: Søren Kierkegaard. “To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily.….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0449.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily.…”?
The passage is attributed to Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or. The archive attributes this English wording to Either/Or and files it under Existentialism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Søren Kierkegaard mean by courage?
Philosophers ask whether courage is fearlessness or right action amid fear, and how it relates to recklessness, endurance, and moral courage in public life. This passage enters that discussion through courage, self, choice.