UNVEILING THE ESSENCE OF UNIVERSITY EDUCATION: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF KARL JASPERS’ EXISTENTIAL APPROACH

Thi Thao Tran

Abstract


This paper critically assesses Karl Jaspers’ existential viewpoint concerning the fundamental nature of university education. In a contemporary context where the pursuit of credentials prevails, Jaspers challenges traditional paradigms by underscoring the university’s distinctive role beyond the mere acquisition of job-related skills. The abstract delves into Jaspers’ critique of an education system fixated on efficiency, advocating for the cultivation of intellectual life and existential awareness. Through a thorough analysis, the article reexamines the objective of university education, transcending the narrow focus on credentials to embrace a comprehensive vision that aligns with Jaspers’ philosophical principles. Practical insights for applying Jaspers’ philosophy in contemporary educational settings are presented, facilitating a transition towards a more purposeful and contemplative academic experience. The research methodology employed encompasses narrative analysis and philosophical inquiry.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


Karl Jaspers, existential education, university essence

Full Text:

PDF

References


Burch, R. (1976). Jaspers’ Concept of the University. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 6, 15-22.

Burwood, S. (2020). Karl Jaspers (1883–1969): Truth, academic freedom and student autonomy. Philosophers on the University: Reconsidering Higher Education, pp. 137-148. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339524443_Karl_Jaspers_1883-1969_Truth_Academic_Freedom_and_Student_Autonomy

Habermas, J., & Blazek, J. R. (1987). The Idea of the University: Learning Processes. New German Critique, 41 (Special Issue on the Critiques of the Enlightenment), 3-22.

Jaspers, K. (1919). Psychologie der Weltanschauungen. Berlin: Verlag von Julius Springer.

Jaspers, K. (1951a). Way to Wisdom: An Introduction to Philosophy. USA: Yale University Press.

Jaspers, K. (1951b). Philosophy of Existence. USA: Pennsylvanian Press.

Jaspers, K. (1957). Man in the Modern Age. New York: Doubleday & Co.

Jaspers, K. (1959a). The Idea of the University. (H. A. Reiche, Trans.) Boston: Beacon Press.

Jaspers, K. (1959b). Truth and Symbol. New York: Twayne Publishers.

Lauken, U. (1996). Situation: Psychologie und Soziologie. (R. J. (Hrsg.), Ed.) Historisches Wörterbuch der Philosophie, pp. Bd. 9 (S. 929-937).

Lidz, V. (2021). Karl Jaspers on Paradigmatic Individuals. From World Religions to Axial Civilizations and Beyond, Albany: State University of New York Press.

Östling, J. (2014). The Regeneration of the University: Karl Jaspers and the Humboldtian Tradition in the Wake of the Second World War. The Humboldtian Tradition, pp. 111-126.

Petkovska, S. (2010). Questioning The Idea of the University. (I. a. Apostolova, Ed.) Educational Structures in Context: At the Interfaces of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/215591037_Questioning_the_Idea_of_the_University_in_the_Contemporary_World

Prazny, A. (2023). Jaspers’s Struggle for the Idea of the University. Ruch Filozoficzny, 1-13. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375658508_Jaspers's_Struggle_for_the_Idea_of_the_University

Riordan, T. M. (1976). Karl Jaspers: An Existentialist Looks at University Education. Educational Theory, 26(1), 113 - 120. doi:doi:10.1111/j.1741-5446.1976.tb00717.x

Riordan, T. M. (1976). Karl Jaspers: An Existentialist Looks at University Education. Educational Theory, 26(1), 113–120. doi:10.1111/j.1741-5446.1976.tb00717.x

Röhr, F. (2016). The Subject-Object-Relationship in Karl Jaspers’ Periechontology – A Contribution to an Education for Openness, Tolerance and Existential Realization. Educação Temática Digital, 18, 696-613. doi:10.20396/etd.v18i3.8646186

Sztobryn-Bochomulska, J. (2016). The Concept of Existence by Karl Jaspers as a Contribution to Reflection on the Everyday Reality of Education. Interdisciplinary Studies, 1(2), 147-155.

Wyatt, J. (1982). Karl Jaspers’ The Idea of the University: An existentialist argument for an institution concerned with freedom. Studies in Higher Education, 7(1), 21-34. doi:10.1080/03075078212331379281




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejsss.v9i6.1720

Copyright (c) 2024 Thi Thao Tran

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The research works published in this journal are free to be accessed. They can be shared (copied and redistributed in any medium or format) and\or adapted (remixed, transformed, and built upon the material for any purpose, commercially and\or not commercially) under the following terms: attribution (appropriate credit must be given indicating original authors, research work name and publication name mentioning if changes were made) and without adding additional restrictions (without restricting others from doing anything the actual license permits). Authors retain the full copyright of their published research works and cannot revoke these freedoms as long as the license terms are followed.

Copyright © 2016 - 2023. European Journal Of Social Sciences Studies (ISSN 2501-8590) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library. All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and standards formulated by Budapest Open Access Initiative (2002), the Bethesda Statement on Open Access Publishing (2003) and  Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities (2003) and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Copyrights of the published research works are retained by authors.


 

Hit counter