Here the chapter describes the loss of intellectual certainty characterizing the nineteenth century. Both Vienna and Copenhagen were dominated by the cloud of despair characterizing the period between the Napoleonic Wars and the disastrous First World War. In spite of all progress, the former catastrophe created an atmosphere designed to anticipate the second one. In retrospect, many symptoms of this can be seen, but the most influential one was undoubtedly the emergence of the Dane Søren Kierkegaard. In his native Copenhagen he initiated the existentialist movement which influenced all...

Here the chapter describes the loss of intellectual certainty characterizing the nineteenth century. Both Vienna and Copenhagen were dominated by the cloud of despair characterizing the period between the Napoleonic Wars and the disastrous First World War. In spite of all progress, the former catastrophe created an atmosphere designed to anticipate the second one. In retrospect, many symptoms of this can be seen, but the most influential one was undoubtedly the emergence of the Dane Søren Kierkegaard. In his native Copenhagen he initiated the existentialist movement which influenced all Europe, and he was well known in Vienna at Wittgenstein's time.