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Karl Jaspers

Metaphysics

Karl Theodor Jaspers, born 23 February 1883 and died 26 February 1969, was a German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher who had a strong influence on modern theology, psychiatry and philosophy; his 1913 work General Psychopathology influenced many later diagnostic criteria and argued for a distinction between primary and secondary delusions. After training in and practising psychiatry, Jaspers turned to philosophical inquiry and attempted to develop an innovative philosophical system, and he was often viewed as a major exponent of existentialism in Germany, though he did not accept the label.

Facts
Birth YearSourced to the subject's own account
1883 1
Defining MomentSourced to the subject's own account
His 1913 work General Psychopathology, distinguishing primary from secondary delusions, influenced later psychiatric diagnostic criteria before his turn to philosophy. 1
Birth DateSourced to the subject's own account
1883-02-23 1
Notable PublicationSourced to the subject's own account
General Psychopathology (1913) 1
Office HeldSourced to the subject's own account
Professor at the University of Basel, Switzerland, from 1948, after his 1937 forced removal from Heidelberg University by the Nazi regime 1
Death YearSourced to the subject's own account
1969 1
Death DateSourced to the subject's own account
1969-02-26 1
BirthplaceSourced to the subject's own account
Oldenburg, Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, German Empire 1
Death PlaceSourced to the subject's own account
Basel, Switzerland 1
TraditionSourced to the subject's own account
Existentialism, a label he personally rejected; trained originally in psychiatry. 1
Classification
NationalitySourced to the subject's own account
Germany 1
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Karl Jaspers (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia
  • Life section, opening passage
    Jaspers was born in Oldenburg in 1883 to a mother from a local farming community and a jurist father.
  • Life section, later years passage
    He remained prominent in the philosophical community and became a naturalized citizen of Switzerland, living in Basel until his death on his wife's 90th birthday in 1969.
  • Lead section, sentence 3
    He was often viewed as a major exponent of existentialism in Germany, though he did not accept the label.
  • Lead section, sentence 2
    His 1913 work General Psychopathology influenced many later diagnostic criteria, and argued for a distinction between "primary" and "secondary" delusions.
  • Life section, Basel move passage
    In 1948, Jaspers moved to the University of Basel in Switzerland.
  • Lead section, sentence 1
    Karl Theodor Jaspers (; German: [kaʁl ˈjaspɐs] ; 23 February 1883-26 February 1969) was a German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher who had a strong influence on modern theology, psychiatry, and philosophy.
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