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How did Karl Jaspers distinguish philosophy from science?
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Karl Jaspers
Karl Jaspers, 1968.
Karl Jaspers distinguished philosophy from science by focusing on their differing objectives and methods regarding human existence.1
- Science: Jaspers viewed science as the pursuit of factual knowledge obtained through rigorous, scholarly methodological principles. He considered scientific findings to be apodictically certain and universally valid, a standard he applied to both the natural and humanistic sciences.1
- Philosophy: In contrast, Jaspers defined philosophy as a subjective interpretation of Being. While science remains within the boundaries of empirical facts, philosophy seeks to illuminate the totality of human existence, which Jaspers identified as the freedom of being.1
Ultimately, Jaspers argued that while a philosophical system must presuppose science, it must also transcend scientific boundaries. The task of philosophy is to appeal to the freedom of the individual as a thinking subject, focusing on human existence as the center of all reality rather than serving as a substitute for religious belief or a mere collection of facts.1