Repository | Book | Chapter

During a discussion between Leonard Ehrlich and Richard Wisser at a philosophy congress, about the necessity of professing one's faith, it appeared at first that Jaspers' writings suggest a principal rejection of such obligation. Recent works about rationality and its limits in logic and game theory are put in the context of the discussion where external coercion is recognized as starting point for all forms of confession. Nonetheless, there are clear passages in Jaspers' Introduction to Philosophy that call for philosophical affirmation. The assertion of an essential truth that would be destroyed in case of denial or lack of affirmation seems to support the position of Ehrlich. But as the content of faith now is reduced to a free decision, it becomes empty. The idea of confession can be traced to the battle over religious creed. An externalized faith produces and attacks confession, and the actual political-theological situation demonstrates unavoidable consequences with such decision.

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-2223-1_10

Full citation: