The Concept of the “Other” in Karl Jaspers

Karl Jaspers like other existentialist philosophers contends that existence depends on “being in the world” and “being with others”. In general, the concept of “otherness” is one of the fundamental concepts which is proposed more profoundly in his philosophy than in other existentialist philosophies, because for him otherness is something through which the individual understands himself. Communication with others is not necessarily conveying emotions and ideas; rather, it is related to “existence” or inter-subjectivity and also bound up with a type of mutual respect. One may say that for Jaspers, man’s “existence” lacks theoretical aspect and appears just in practice and choice; thus communication with others is among the situations that would make the emergence of human existence possible. In this essay, we try to highlight the importance of “otherness” and its relation to Jaspers’ other significant philosophical concepts. Above all, we attempt to elucidate the importance and the status of “otherness” in his philosophy.