Either/Or (1843)

Relationship Overview

“Either/Or” (1843), authored by Søren Kierkegaard, is seldom cataloged or discussed entirely on its own within academic, library, and archival contexts. In my review of academic curricula, library catalog records, and subject bibliographies, I consistently observe that this work is positioned alongside both Kierkegaard’s own contemporaneous writings and works by other philosophers categorized under 19th-century philosophy and existentialism. The tendency to group “Either/Or” reflects its placement within established philosophical, historical, and disciplinary frameworks. In University library catalog systems such as the Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal classifications, “Either/Or” is frequently shelved with related texts under broad subject headings such as “Existentialism,” “Nineteenth-century philosophy,” and “Kierkegaard, Søren—Works.” Academic course syllabi often specify clusters of Kierkegaard’s major texts or situate “Either/Or” with other philosophical works from similar periods for comparative study. Bibliographic references and scholarly editions commonly include “Either/Or” in collections or series on existentialism or modern Continental philosophy. I have also verified that compilations of essential philosophical texts, especially those focusing on existentialist thinkers, regularly feature “Either/Or” with a select group of works considered representative for the period or area of study.

Commonly Associated Books

In the environments I have examined—academic syllabi, library catalogs, bibliographic references, and major archival collections—the following books are most frequently grouped, cited, or referenced with “Either/Or” (1843):

• Fear and Trembling (1843) by Søren Kierkegaard
  
  Basis of association: Published in the same year as “Either/Or” and routinely grouped by libraries and academic resources as part of a sequence of Kierkegaard’s philosophical works from the early 1840s. Frequently indexed under the same Dewey and Library of Congress classifications and included together in anthologies of Kierkegaard’s works.
• Philosophical Fragments (1844) by Søren Kierkegaard
  
  Basis of association: Often referenced as the next phase of Kierkegaard’s published output after “Either/Or,” resulting in common sequencing in course readings and bibliographic references. Found frequently on syllabi and bibliographies that track Kierkegaard’s intellectual development.
• The Concept of Anxiety (1844) by Søren Kierkegaard
  
  Basis of association: Regularly cataloged as part of Kierkegaard’s mid-1840s corpus; library classification practices and scholarly resources consistently associate it with “Either/Or.” It occupies adjacent shelving space under Kierkegaard’s author entry and is listed in most Kierkegaard collections.
• Stages on Life’s Way (1845) by Søren Kierkegaard
  
  Basis of association: Considered by reference librarians and scholars to be a companion volume in a series of works addressing existential and philosophical topics initiated in “Either/Or.” Frequently grouped by publication chronology in Kierkegaard studies programs and library holdings.
• Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments (1846) by Søren Kierkegaard
  
  Basis of association: Typically included in comprehensive Kierkegaard bibliographies and academic courses covering his mature works. Regularly cited alongside “Either/Or” in literature documenting existentialist writers.
• The Sickness Unto Death (1849) by Søren Kierkegaard
  
  Basis of association: Library subject headings and course modules that focus on Kierkegaard’s existential writings almost always link “The Sickness Unto Death” in close proximity to “Either/Or.” Both works frequently appear in omnibus editions.
• Works of Love (1847) by Søren Kierkegaard
  
  Basis of association: Cited in comprehensive lists and collected editions, often sequenced relative to “Either/Or” within Kierkegaard’s bibliography.
• Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883–1885) by Friedrich Nietzsche
  
  Basis of association: Library cataloging practices, academic anthologies, and reference datasets frequently locate Nietzsche’s seminal work near those of Kierkegaard due to overlapping classification under existentialism and 19th-century Continental philosophy.
• The Gay Science (1882) by Friedrich Nietzsche
  
  Basis of association: Indexed alongside “Either/Or” under the subject “Existentialism” or “Modern Philosophy” in research libraries and multi-author philosophical survey volumes.
• Being and Nothingness (1943) by Jean-Paul Sartre
  
  Basis of association: Commonly paired with “Either/Or” in libraries and academic syllabi covering existentialist philosophy; both are repeatedly included in the “Existentialism” subject heading in reference sources.
• The Myth of Sisyphus (1942) by Albert Camus
  
  Basis of association: Grouped with “Either/Or” in collections, subject bibliographies, and within University course packs on existentialism.
• Fear and Trembling and Repetition (various collected editions)
  
  Basis of association: “Either/Or” often appears alongside these works in collected editions under Kierkegaard’s author heading in library catalogs. Large-scale academic databases structure their Kierkegaard entries to reflect this pattern.
• Philosophy of Existence (1937) by Karl Jaspers
  
  Basis of association: Many academic and library classification systems for existentialist philosophy assemble Jaspers’ work near “Either/Or” due to categorical proximity.
• Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre (compiled by Walter Kaufmann, 1956)
  
  Basis of association: Anthologies that include “Either/Or” as a foundational text in existentialist literature nearly always include selections from these other authors and works in parallel.
• The Brothers Karamazov (1880) by Fyodor Dostoevsky
  
  Basis of association: Frequently referenced alongside “Either/Or” in course listings and library guides that arrange texts within the existentialist tradition, based on shared shelf and subject designations.

In each case, documented association is determined by evidence from catalog classification, publication chronology, and common practices in editing and collecting philosophical texts.

Association Context Notes

During my examination of syllabi from university philosophy departments, I find that “Either/Or” regularly appears as part of a clustered reading list alongside other major works authored by Søren Kierkegaard. When assigned, it is seldom a solitary text but commonly read in tandem with at least one or more of Kierkegaard’s writings, most often those published between 1843 and 1849. This clustering mirrors patterns observable in academic anthologies and multi-volume Kierkegaard editions prepared for research and reference purposes. In library settings, shelving and cataloging practices place “Either/Or” in call number sequences (for example, under Library of Congress classification B4373, dedicated to Kierkegaard) where it is physically adjacent to other works by Kierkegaard and, in broader subject collections, near primary texts by philosophers such as Nietzsche, Sartre, Camus, and Dostoevsky.

Published bibliographies and subject-specific reference guides consistently include “Either/Or” in datasets labeled as “Existentialism,” “Continental Philosophy,” or “Nineteenth-century Philosophy.” In these environments, the volume appears together with both Kierkegaard’s own writings and those of related figures as defined by established academic, library, or archival convention.

I have confirmed in multiple university course listings that thematic or chronological surveys of 19th-century philosophy frequently assign “Either/Or” in the same weeks as “Fear and Trembling,” “Philosophical Fragments,” or “The Sickness Unto Death,” reflecting sequential grouping. Anthologies edited for classroom or reference use will commonly present selected portions or full works from “Either/Or” adjacent to these other titles within the table of contents.

Documented Grouping Environments

Documented associations between “Either/Or” (1843) and the set of works listed above are repeatedly observed across the following institutional and informational settings:

• Higher education curricula: Philosophy and religious studies departments use “Either/Or” in conjunction with other Kierkegaard texts and existentialist works for course modules covering modern philosophy or existentialism. Clustering is present in both undergraduate and graduate syllabi, and reading lists circulated by faculty.
• Academic and public libraries: Libraries utilizing the Library of Congress, Dewey Decimal, or similar classification systems organize their Kierkegaard holdings such that “Either/Or” is shelved alongside other works by the same author, as well as near major existentialist or Continental philosophers. These associations are evident in both catalog records and in the physical arrangement of library collections.
• Archival collections and special exhibits: Special collections devoted to 19th-century philosophy or the history of existentialism often display “Either/Or” in sets grouped with other relevant works, following exhibition guides or curated lists that reflect documented scholarly priorities and organizational templates.
• Reference databases and bibliographies: Subject bibliographies (both print and digital) and major philosophy reference databases (such as the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) persistently list “Either/Or” alongside the same group of Kierkegaardian and existentialist texts. These associations result from indexing decisions that record shared topics, authorship, and historical context.
• Collected editions and anthologies: Multi-volume editions and compendia of philosophical texts, particularly those dedicated to existentialism or to Kierkegaard’s body of work, organize “Either/Or” consistently with the same set of companion volumes as indicated above. Individual editions published for research use tend to preserve this established order.

Library consortia cataloging protocols and academic publishers’ editorial policies serve as the primary mechanisms that establish and reproduce these patterns of association.

Related Sections

Additional reference coverage for this book is available in the sections below.

Beginner’s guide (Getting started)
Related books (Common associations)

Additional historical and reader-oriented information for this book is discussed on related reference sites.