Karl Jaspers Quotes

A collection of quotes by Karl Jaspers.

Karl Jaspers (1883-1969) was a German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher known for his significant contributions to existentialism and psychotherapy. Born in Oldenburg, Germany, Jaspers studied medicine and began his career as a psychiatrist in Heidelberg.

Jaspers became prominent for his groundbreaking work in existential philosophy, specifically his concept of the "limit situation," which explores how individuals confront the boundaries and uncertainties of human existence. He emphasized the importance of personal freedom, responsibility, and individual choice in navigating these existential challenges.

In addition to his philosophical inquiries, Jaspers made notable contributions to the field of psychopathology. He introduced the concept of "psychological understanding" as a complement to medical diagnosis, emphasizing empathy and subjective interpretation in psychiatric assessments.

After the rise of the Nazi regime in Germany, Jaspers was dismissed from his academic position due to his Jewish heritage and opposition to the Nazi ideology. He emigrated to Switzerland, where he continued his work and became a Swiss citizen in 1949.

Throughout his life, Jaspers authored numerous influential works, including "General Psychopathology" and "The Philosophy of Existence." His philosophical ideas deeply influenced subsequent thinkers, including Jean-Paul Sartre and Martin Heidegger. Karl Jaspers remains celebrated for his multifaceted contributions to existential philosophy, psychopathology, and his unwavering commitment to intellectual freedom and humanistic values.

Only then, approaching my fortieth birthday, I made philosop

Only then, approaching my fortieth birthday, I made philosophy my life's work.

Karl Jaspers

Birthday

It is the search for the truth, not possession of the truth

It is the search for the truth, not possession of the truth which is the way of philosophy. Its questions are more relevant than its answers, and every answer becomes a new question.

Karl Jaspers

Truth Philosophy

The history of philosophy is not, like the history of the sc

The history of philosophy is not, like the history of the sciences, to be studied with the intellect alone. That which is receptive in us and that which impinges upon us from history is the reality of man's being, unfolding itself in thought.

Karl Jaspers

Science History Philosophy Man

I began the study of medicine, impelled by a desire for know

I began the study of medicine, impelled by a desire for knowledge of facts and of man. The resolution to do disciplined work tied me to both laboratory and clinic for a long time to come.

Karl Jaspers

Knowledge

Even scientific knowledge, if there is anything to it, is no

Even scientific knowledge, if there is anything to it, is not a random observation of random objects for the critical objectivity of significant knowledge is attained as a practice only philosophically in inner action.

Karl Jaspers

Knowledge

If philosophy is practice, a demand to know the manner in wh

If philosophy is practice, a demand to know the manner in which its history is to be studied is entailed: a theoretical attitude toward it becomes real only in the living appropriation of its contents from the texts.

Karl Jaspers

Attitude