"At the present moment, the security of coherent philosophy, which existed from Parmenides to Hegel, is lost"
- Karl Jaspers
About this Quote
Karl Jaspers' quote speaks to the concept that the security of a merged philosophical system, which was present from the time of Parmenides to Hegel, is no longer present. This could be analyzed as a commentary on the fragmentation of philosophical thought in the modern-day era. Jaspers is suggesting that the philosophical systems of the past, which were unified and meaningful, have actually been changed by a more fragmented and disjointed technique to philosophy. This fragmentation might be seen as an outcome of the increased complexity of the world and the need to deal with a wider range of topics and concerns. Jaspers' quote might also be translated as a warning versus the risks of fragmentation and a call for a go back to a combined philosophical system. By emphasizing the security of a combined philosophical system, Jaspers is recommending that such a system is needed for the improvement of philosophical thought.