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Contribution to science
In the most difficult moments, when it seems that the situation is hopeless, psychologists recommend turning to those who have experienced a similar traumatic experience. This can help restore faith in oneself and find motivation to continue living, as in the teachings of Karl Jaspers, in experiencing existential crises, one can find an inner reserve of strength and responsibility.
23 лютого (н. ст.) 1883 року народився знаменитий німецький філософ, психолог Карл Ясперс, один із головних представників екзистенціалізму (філософського напряму) та автор поняття «осьовий час» у філософії історії.
After the Nazis came to power in Germany, he, unlike many, remained in his homeland, although he lost the right to work and feared for his life due to the persecution of supporters of the Hitler regime. However, Karl Jaspers managed to survive, and after the fall of the fascist dictatorship, he even joined public activities as a philosopher and publicist.
Existential philosophy
The philosopher also explored existential questions of human existence. He focused on the concepts of freedom, choice and individuality, emphasizing the role of personal experience and self-knowledge in understanding existence. Jaspers developed the idea that true self-knowledge is achieved through inner reflection and personal experience, and not only through objective scientific knowledge.
Jaspers also touched on the topic of human communication and relationships as a means of knowing the truth. He emphasized that true understanding and self-realization are possible only through interaction with other people. This concept brought a new understanding of existentialism, where attention is paid to interpersonal relationships and communication for the full disclosure of human potential.
Quotes
One of Karl Jaspers' main books is "The Question of Guilt", in which he reflects on the tragedy of the German people in the 20th century, the horrors of fascist rule and the consequences that the country and its citizens faced after the Second World War, which claimed the lives of millions of people around the world. the world It was published in 1946 - before that, the psychologist only "wrote on the desk" for many years, not having the opportunity to work and teach at universities. We share quotes from it.
- "It is more important to catch the common ground in the contradictory than hastily to note positions that exclude each other, in which there is no longer any point in continuing the conversation."
- "We must learn to see the difficulties of situations and positions that are completely unlike our own, and learn compassion."
- "You can't rely on feelings as such. Relying on feelings is naivety, which evades the objectivity of the knowable and thinkable. Only after comprehensively considering and imagining something—and feelings constantly accompany this process, direct it and hinder it—do we arrive at a true feeling that you can rely on in life."
- "We, as people, should be aware of ourselves as free for all possibilities."
- “Deciding to live in powerlessness is an act of life-fundamental seriousness. A change follows from it, which changes all evaluations. If it happens, if you accept its consequences, are ready to suffer and work, then this is perhaps the highest possibility of the human soul."
- "To despair would be to admit that we live in an age when humanity is likely to perish."
- "Conversations with young people, with some at least, give me great hope. To despair, in my opinion, is simply not allowed. As long as we live, we hope."
- "Ultimately, a person cannot become free."
- "If we really want to be something that befits our thousand-year past, then we must judge what we do by the standards of this distant horizon and, judging in this way, see and encourage everything that is directed towards good in us. Quite a number of people, I hope, though I know a few, are on the right track, and they are concerned that this mindset is not taking root in the public realm.”
- "It is impossible not to place too great demands on a person. Otherwise, the best that he is capable of will not be realized in reality."
A quotation opens a question rather than closing it
A philosophical statement is easily turned into universal advice, although for Jaspers meaning emerges through personal responsibility, communication, and encounters with limits that cannot be removed. Distinguish a verified quotation from a translation or popular paraphrase, since wording varies across editions. Instead of seeking a ready answer, ask what choice the thought makes visible in your context and what responsibility that choice entails.