How could I possibly have forgotten?! Johannes Climacus. A ladder that you may descend as well as ascend. I have written too much today and not said anything at all - I will quote directly from Johannes Climacus instead:
"Some years ago in the city of H there lived a young student by the name of Johannes Climacus, who had no desire whatsoever to become prominent in the world, inasmuch as, on the contrary, he enjoyed living a quiet, secluded life. Those who knew him tried to explain his inclosed nature...by supposing that he was...in love...In love he was, ardently in love - with thought, or, more accurately, with thinking...It was his delight to begin with a single thought and then, by way of coherent thinking, to climb step by step to a higher one...when he arrived at the higher thought it was an indescribable joy, a passionate pleasure, for him to plunge headfirst down into the same coherent thoughts until he reached the point from which he had proceeded...this did not always turn out according to his desire...if he was successful, he would be thrilled, could not sleep for joy, and for hours would continue making the same movement, for this up-and-down and down-and-up of thought was unparalleled joy. In those happy times, his step was light, almost floating; at other times, it was troubled and unsteady. As long as he labored to climb up, as long as coherent thinking had as yet not managed to make its way, he was oppressed, because he feared losing all those coherent thoughts he had finished but which as yet were not perfectly clear" (Kierkegaard, 1985, pp. 118-119).
Never mind their philosophies as a whole - never mind the risk of misunderstanding them by taking something out of context - never mind accuracy - this is beautiful.
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