Karl Jaspers Society of North America
Encyclopedia
The Karl Jaspers Society of North America (KJSNA) is a philosophy
organization
founded on December 28, 1980 through the joint efforts of George B. Pepper (Iona College
), Edith Ehrlich, and the late Leonard H. Ehrlich (University of Massachusetts Amherst
) for promoting the study of the philosophy of Karl Jaspers
. The prospect of forming this society emerged out of the research by these scholars while preparing a systematic reader of the basic philosophical writings of Karl Jaspers. Enthusiastic response to the reader prompted Pepper and Ehrlich to conclude that a formal organization of a learned society would be justified in order to provide a forum for those who found in Jaspers' writings a voice of great importance for many of the central questions in contemporary philosophy.
Since 1980 the Karl Jaspers Society of North America (KJSNA) has conducted its annual meetings with the American Philosophical Association
(APA) and occasionally with the Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy
(SPEP). The proceedings of KJSNA meetings are published, since 2005, in the on-line journal Existenz
, co-edited by Alan M. Olson
(Boston University
) and Helmut Wautischer
(California State University at Sonoma
). Research and writing presented at the annual meetings of KJSNA is automatically considered for publication, although Existenz also welcomes unsolicited related materials in philosophy, religion, politics, and the arts. The 30th Anniversary of KJSNA is celebrated in a collection of essays co-edited by Helmut Wautischer, Alan M. Olson, and Gregory J. Walters entitled, Philosophical Faith and the Future of Humanity,(Springer Verlag, 2011).
The Society (KJSNA) has played a leading role in the organization of international meetings of Jaspers societies at World Congress of Philosophy
, in cooperation with the Karl Jaspers Stiftung of Basel, the Jaspers Society of Japan, the Österreichische Karl-Jaspers-Gesellschaft, and the Jaspers Society of Poland. The first international meeting was held during the Summer of 1983 in conjunction with the XVII World Congress of Philosophy
in Montreal, Canada, commemorating the centenary of Jaspers' birth. Subsequent meetings have been held at the XVIII World Congress of Philosophy in Brighton, England (1988); the XIX World Congress of Philosophy in Moscow (1993); the XX World Congress of Philosophy in Boston (1998); the XXI World Congress of Philosophy in Istanbul (2003); and the XXII World Congress of Philosophy in Seoul, Korea (2008).
The proceedings of the meetings of the International Association of Karl Jaspers Societies listed above have been published under the following titles:
Karl Jaspers Today: Philosophy at the Threshold of the Future (ISBN 0-8191-7014-3)
Karl Jaspers: Philosopher Among Philosophers (ISBN 3-88479-848-0)
Karl Jaspers: On the Way to World Philosophy (ISBN 3-8260-1564-9)
Karl Jaspers’ Philosophy: Rooted in the Present, Paradigm for the Future (ISBN 3-8260-2601-2)
Karl Jaspers: Historic Actuality in View of the Fundamental Problems of Mankind (ISBN 978-3-8360-3938-6)
The purpose of KJSNA is to promote study and research on the thought of Karl Jaspers and related philosophical issues in continental philosophy
. Dedicated exclusively for educational and scientific purposes, the Karl Jaspers Society of North America has tax-exempt status under section 501(c) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provisions of any future U.S. Internal Revenue Law.
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
organization
Organization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
founded on December 28, 1980 through the joint efforts of George B. Pepper (Iona College
Iona College (New York)
Iona College is located in New Rochelle, New York, 20 miles north of Manhattan in suburban Westchester County. The college occupies 35 acres on North Ave. The college also operates a Graduate Center in Pearl River, Rockland County, New York....
), Edith Ehrlich, and the late Leonard H. Ehrlich (University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
) for promoting the study of the philosophy of Karl Jaspers
Karl Jaspers
Karl Theodor Jaspers was a German psychiatrist and philosopher who had a strong influence on modern theology, psychiatry and philosophy. After being trained in and practicing psychiatry, Jaspers turned to philosophical inquiry and attempted to discover an innovative philosophical system...
. The prospect of forming this society emerged out of the research by these scholars while preparing a systematic reader of the basic philosophical writings of Karl Jaspers. Enthusiastic response to the reader prompted Pepper and Ehrlich to conclude that a formal organization of a learned society would be justified in order to provide a forum for those who found in Jaspers' writings a voice of great importance for many of the central questions in contemporary philosophy.
Since 1980 the Karl Jaspers Society of North America (KJSNA) has conducted its annual meetings with the American Philosophical Association
American Philosophical Association
The American Philosophical Association is the main professional organization for philosophers in the United States. Founded in 1900, its mission is to promote the exchange of ideas among philosophers, to encourage creative and scholarly activity in philosophy, to facilitate the professional work...
(APA) and occasionally with the Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy
Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy
Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy is a philosophical society whose purpose is to promote the study of phenomenology and existentialism....
(SPEP). The proceedings of KJSNA meetings are published, since 2005, in the on-line journal Existenz
Existenz (journal)
Existenz is an on-line biannual academic journal covering research in philosophy, religion, politics, and the arts. It was established in 2005 and is the official journal of the Karl Jaspers Society of North America...
, co-edited by Alan M. Olson
Alan M. Olson
Alan M. Olson is a Professor of the Philosophy of Religion at Boston University. He received his degrees from Saint Olaf College , Luther Theological Seminary , Nashotah House, where he studied with Anton Arthur Vogel, and Boston University where he studied with Peter A. Bertocci, Erazim Kohak,...
(Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
) and Helmut Wautischer
Helmut Wautischer
Helmut Wautischer is a Senior Lecturer in philosophy at Sonoma State University. He received his degrees from Bundeshandelsakademie Klagenfurt and Karl-Franzens University of Graz where he studied with Rudolf Haller and Ernst Topitsch...
(California State University at Sonoma
Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University is a public, coeducational business and liberal arts college affiliated with the California State University system. The main campus is located in Rohnert Park, California, United States and lies approximately south of Santa Rosa and north of San Francisco...
). Research and writing presented at the annual meetings of KJSNA is automatically considered for publication, although Existenz also welcomes unsolicited related materials in philosophy, religion, politics, and the arts. The 30th Anniversary of KJSNA is celebrated in a collection of essays co-edited by Helmut Wautischer, Alan M. Olson, and Gregory J. Walters entitled, Philosophical Faith and the Future of Humanity,(Springer Verlag, 2011).
The Society (KJSNA) has played a leading role in the organization of international meetings of Jaspers societies at World Congress of Philosophy
World Congress of Philosophy
The World Congress of Philosophy is a global meeting of philosophers held every five years in a different country under the auspices of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies . First organized in 1900, these events became firmly established after the Second World War...
, in cooperation with the Karl Jaspers Stiftung of Basel, the Jaspers Society of Japan, the Österreichische Karl-Jaspers-Gesellschaft, and the Jaspers Society of Poland. The first international meeting was held during the Summer of 1983 in conjunction with the XVII World Congress of Philosophy
World Congress of Philosophy
The World Congress of Philosophy is a global meeting of philosophers held every five years in a different country under the auspices of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies . First organized in 1900, these events became firmly established after the Second World War...
in Montreal, Canada, commemorating the centenary of Jaspers' birth. Subsequent meetings have been held at the XVIII World Congress of Philosophy in Brighton, England (1988); the XIX World Congress of Philosophy in Moscow (1993); the XX World Congress of Philosophy in Boston (1998); the XXI World Congress of Philosophy in Istanbul (2003); and the XXII World Congress of Philosophy in Seoul, Korea (2008).
The proceedings of the meetings of the International Association of Karl Jaspers Societies listed above have been published under the following titles:
Karl Jaspers Today: Philosophy at the Threshold of the Future (ISBN 0-8191-7014-3)
Karl Jaspers: Philosopher Among Philosophers (ISBN 3-88479-848-0)
Karl Jaspers: On the Way to World Philosophy (ISBN 3-8260-1564-9)
Karl Jaspers’ Philosophy: Rooted in the Present, Paradigm for the Future (ISBN 3-8260-2601-2)
Karl Jaspers: Historic Actuality in View of the Fundamental Problems of Mankind (ISBN 978-3-8360-3938-6)
The purpose of KJSNA is to promote study and research on the thought of Karl Jaspers and related philosophical issues in continental philosophy
Continental philosophy
Continental philosophy, in contemporary usage, refers to a set of traditions of 19th and 20th century philosophy from mainland Europe. This sense of the term originated among English-speaking philosophers in the second half of the 20th century, who used it to refer to a range of thinkers and...
. Dedicated exclusively for educational and scientific purposes, the Karl Jaspers Society of North America has tax-exempt status under section 501(c) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provisions of any future U.S. Internal Revenue Law.
Further reading
- Karl Jaspers, Basic Philosophical Writings, edited and translated by Edith Ehrlich, Leonard H. Ehrlich, George B. Pepper, originally published by Ohio University PressOhio University PressOhio University Press is part of Ohio University. It publishes under its own name and the imprint Swallow Press....
in 1985 (ISBN 978-0821407134) with a revised edition in paperback published by Prometheus Books in 1994 (ISBN 978-1-57392-529-7).