Karla Jaspersa koncepcja śmierci jako sytuacji granicznej (KARL JASPERS' NOTION OF DEATH AS 'ULTIMATE' SITUATION)

Abstract

The paper seeks to reconstruct the notion of the death in Karl Jaspers' philosophy. It analyses and places the notion in the whole body of the theory of the 'ultimate' situations such as it is presented in Jaspers' youth 'Psychologie der Weltanschauungen' (1919) and the mature 'Philosophie' (1932) as well. The results could be pointed as follows: (i) it characterises the intrinsic features of the metaphysical thought of Jaspers as the basis for the theory of 'ultimate' situations; (ii) it shows how the theory determined his existential anthropology; and, finally, (iii) it explains how the theory culminates in the notion of the death as the most specific formulation. In that respect, the paper determines how the notion of the death expresses the intrinsic features of the Jaspers' existential kind of philosophizing by reflecting its spirit in the most profound manner. In Jaspers' philosophy the death stands as the key exemplification of 'ultimate' situations (in terms of philosophical reflection) and as the point of the reference in order to obtain the meaning of concrete life (in terms of significance for the individual existence).

Keywords

• JASPERS KARL
• NOTION OF DEATH
• 'ULTIMATE' SITUATIONS