1905 | (September 2) Born in Copenhagen, Denmark |
1923–30 | Studies Theology at the University of Copenhagen while also following lectures at Philosophy, in particular Frithiof Brandt’s series of lectures on Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason |
1930–35 | Research visits at various universities, mainly in Germany, but also in France, Switzerland, and Austria |
1932 | Awarded the gold medal for his prize essay (similar to a PhD dissertation) on Max Scheler’s phenomenological approach to ethics: An Exposition and Evaluation of Max Scheler’s: ‘Formalism in Ethics and Material Ethics of Value’ |
1935 | Marriage to Rosemarie Pauly |
1936–43 | Returns to Denmark. Lutheran pastor on Funen. Becomes part of the Tidehverv movement |
1943 | Defends his higher doctoral dissertation The Epistemological Conflict Between Transcendental Idealism and Theology. Becomes Professor of Ethics and Philosophy of Religion at Aarhus University, Denmark |
1944 | Goes underground for the remainder of WWII due to his involvement in the resistance movement |
1948 | Earliest signs of disagreement with Tidehverv |
1950 | Gives a series of lectures on Kierkegaard and Heidegger at the Freie Universität Berlin, published the same year as Kierkegaard’s and Heidegger’s Analysis of Existence and its Relation to Proclamation |
1956 | Publishes The Ethical Demand |
1961 | Breaks with Tidehverv (final break in 1964) Publishes Arts and Ethics Becomes a member of The Danish Academy |
1968 | Publishes Controverting Kierkegaard (introducing the concept of the sovereign expressions of life) |
1971 | Publishes Ethical Concepts and Problems as a contribution to an anthology on Ethics and Christian faith (published as a book in 1996) |
1972 | Publishes Norm and Spontaneity |
1974 | Awarded the Amalienborg Prize |
1976 | Publishes Breadth and Concision, the first volume of the Metaphysics I-IV series |
1978 | Publishes Metaphysics IV: Creation and Annihilation |
1981 | Dies on November 20 in his home in Hyllested, north-east of Aarhus |
1982 | Posthumous publication of System and Symbol |
1983 | Posthumous publication of Metaphysics II: Art and Knowledge |
1984 | Posthumous publication of Metaphysics III: Source and Surroundings |
1987 | Posthumous publication of Solidarity and Love and other Essays |
