Stefanie Lindner Kanzian

The main focus of this research is to investigate the epistemology (Erkenntnistheorie) in the works of both Karl Jaspers and Ernst Bloch, investigating how each of them approaches the boundaries of human perception: Karl Jaspers emphasizes failure (Scheitern) and sees an existential answer, whereas Bloch places his bet on success (Gelingen) through the active construction of reality. The research will present an in-depth study of the epistemological theories of both thinkers, seeking to understand the reasons behind their differing approaches and proposed solutions to the problem of the insufficiency of human cognitive capacity in grasping reality. We also intend to provide a contextual analysis of this comparison, in an effort to uncover the intellectual and historical background that motivated and shaped Jaspers’s and Bloch’s reflections on Erkenntnistheorie.