In Chapter 2 we discussed Jaspers' account of the notion of death and the distinction between death as an objective fact and death that gives rise to a boundary situation. We noted that one's Dasein perishes at death. Existenz, one's true self, however, ‘knows no death’, that is to say, it is deathless. We also noted that the ‘deathlessness’ of Existenz within the Jaspersian framework does not imply immortality in the traditional sense of the term. In other words, there is no continued existence for Existenz after death.

Let us now focus on this puzzling relationship between Existenz and death and examine what Jaspers means by his claim that Existenz, as distinct from Dasein, is not subject to death. He states:

Here Jaspers makes a clear distinction between Dasein and Existenz. As Dasein I am finite: I live and then perish. As Existenz ‘I am unaware of death’. What is not clear, however, is what happens to Existenz, one's true self, when one dies. Jaspers' assertion regarding Existenz can be construed in different ways. This ambiguity in the relationship between Existenz and death, or rather ‘deathlessness’ of Existenz, needs to be clarified. But first let us reflect on the basic features of Existenz and some questions related to these features.