General Psychopathology, Volume 1

In his most important contribution to the Heidelberg school, Jaspers critiques the scientific aspirations of psychotherapy, arguing that in the realm of the human, the explanation of behavior through the observation of regularity and patterns in it (Erklärende Psychologie) must be supplemented by an understanding of the "meaning-relations" experienced by human beings (Verstehende Psychologie).

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Originally published in German as in 1913, this edition retains the complete text of the original and includes a foreword on the context of the work, plus the author's prefaces for seven previous editions. Jaspers' most important contribution to the Heidelberg school of psychiatry critiques the scientific aspirations of psychotherapy, arguing that in the realm of the human, observation must be supplemented by an understanding of the "meaning-relations" experienced by human beings. Volume I contains Parts I and II, on individual psychic phenomena and meaningful psychic connections. Volume II contains Parts III-VI, on the causal connections of psychic life, the conception of psychic life as a whole, the abnormal psyche in society and history, and the human being as a whole. Available separately at $24.95 each (vol I: 5775-9, vol. II: 5815-1). Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Karl Jaspers (1883-1969), a founder of existentialism, studied law and medicine at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, and received his M.D. in 1909. He taught psychiatry and philosophy at the University of Heidelberg, and philosophy at the University of Basel in Switzerland. His books include Psychology of World Views, and Philosophy.