Karl Jaspers

KARL JASPERS, Way to Wisdom: an Introduction to Philosophy (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2003) pp.208. Paper Back Edition. $ 14.95 Way to wisdom: An Introduction to Philosophy; by looking at this title and after a moment of reflection, I made a judgment that it must be a guide to beginners of philosophy. But after completing some parts of this book I realized that this book is to be recommended as a general introduction to the philosophical work of Karl Jaspers and to the history of perennial philosophy. Karl Jaspers is the “Philosopher of possibility”1 who is a thinker of twentieth century. Jasper’s life is a beacon of self-restraint and moral compassion. The most stimulating part of way to wisdom is the consideration of faith as a constituent of the philosophical approach. Before reading the book I understood that he is competent enough and specialized in the philosophical subject. In the first chapter of the book the author (Karl Jaspers) speaks about what is philosophy and how much it is worth are matters of controversy. He speaks man cannot avoid philosophy. It is always present. Anyone who rejects philosophy is himself unconsciously practicing a philosophy and he also said that the essence of philosophy is not the possession of truth but the search for truth. Philosophical questions are more essential than its awareness, and every answer becomes a new question.
When we go through this book he speaks about different philosophers who live in ancient and modern world. The Stoic Epictetus said, “Philosophy arises when we become aware of our own weakness and helplessness”2 and he again speaks about famous proposition of Descartes, “I think, therefore I am”.3 Philosophy is starting with asking questions like what is. To this there are curiously many answers. The first answer of the first philosopher is: Everything is water and comes from water and later thinkers said that everything is fundamentally fire or air or indeterminate or matter