Jaspers’ Philosophy of the World

 Karl Jaspers, a German existentialist, explored the nature of Being, challenging traditional philosophical and scientific approaches to reality. He distinguished between beings, which are the individual entities we encounter, and Being, the fundamental reality that makes existence possible. Many philosophers mistakenly focus on beings rather than Being itself.

1. Being vs. Beings

Beings include everything we see—people, animals, objects, and ideas—while Being is the foundation of all existence. For example, in a forest, the trees, animals, and rivers are beings, but Being is the underlying reality that makes the forest exist. Jaspers argues that throughout history, philosophy has often been distracted by studying beings rather than exploring the deeper question of Being.

2. No "Science" of Being

Jaspers rejected the idea that philosophy should be treated as a science. Science analyzes measurable entities, but Being is not an object among other objects; it is beyond scientific observation. Attempts to study Being scientifically turn it into just another being, which is a fundamental mistake.

Jaspers critiques different approaches that misinterpret philosophy:

  1. Philosophy should not be limited to studying the history of human thought—it must engage with Being itself.

  2. Philosophy cannot be a mere tool for science, as science only studies particular beings, not Being as a whole.

  3. Philosophy should not focus on cataloging all existing things, since even a total list of beings does not reveal the essence of Being.

3. Philosophy as “Illumination” of Being

Jaspers believed that philosophy does not study Being as an external object but illuminates existence, awakening individuals to a deeper reality beyond daily life. This process is called Existenzerhellung (illumination of existence).

Philosophy does not generate Being—it helps us see it. Although Being is always present, we often ignore it. Philosophy deepens our awareness, revealing a greater reality beyond our immediate concerns.

4. Why Are There Many Philosophical Systems?

Unlike science, which seeks universal truths, philosophy offers many different perspectives because it deals with subjective, transcendent experiences.

Jaspers warns against viewing any single philosopher as providing the final truth. Instead, philosophy should be seen as an ongoing process that challenges the limits of positivism, the belief that only scientific knowledge is valid.

5. Existenz and Das Umgreifende

Jaspers introduces two key concepts to explain our relationship with Being:

A. Existenz (Existence as Self-Transcendence)
Existenz is more than just being alive; it is the uniquely human drive to seek meaning, truth, and transcendence. Jaspers states, "Man is more than man", meaning that humans constantly strive beyond their biological existence.

B. Das Umgreifende (The Encompassing)

Being is not something we see directly; rather, it encompasses us completely, much like water surrounds a fish. While we cannot perceive Being itself, we can sense it through experiences of nature, relationships, and art.

Link for Video: https://youtu.be/w5Iz_Z67okk

Link for PPT: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12ZMgi1H06kM8jFrBE8bTiJG-ohiUhoxF/view?usp=sharing

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