Perennial Thinking

Dr Neville Buch ABN: 86703686642

Abstract

This essay explores the contemporary intellectual crisis characterized by an “immense regression” into historical forgetfulness and unreflective conventionalism. It argues that even high-level scholarship frequently falls into the trap of “uninformed conventional thinking” by misinterpreting the nature of Perennial Thinking. By examining Karl Jaspers’ seminal work, The Origin and Goal of History (1949/1953), the essay demonstrates that Jaspers defended a reflexive, non-dogmatic version of perennialism that serves as a framework for liberal renewal and cosmopolitan democracy, rather than a justification for static traditionalism. Utilizing the Dynamic of Cognition (DoC) framework, the analysis maps the transition from unreflective prejudice to a comprehensive historical consciousness that respects human finitude and the elusive nature of the “Comprehensive”.

Perennial Thinking

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Neville Buch

Professional Historian at Professional Historians Association (Queensland) Inc.

Neville Buch (Pronounced Book) Ph.D. is a certified member of the Professional Historians Association (Queensland). Since 2010 he has operated a sole trade business in history consultancy. He was a Q ANZAC 100 Fellow 2014-2015 at the State Library of Queensland. Dr Buch was the PHA (Qld) e-Bulletin, the monthly state association’s electronic publication, and was a member of its Management Committee. He is the Managing Director of the Brisbane Southside History Network.

Latest posts by Neville Buch (see all)

• The Unbound Mind: Independent Scholarship, Institutional Isolation, and the Restoration of Human Authorship – October 20, 2026
• The Road to Geelong: A Re-Narrativization of The Story of Resilience Part 1 – October 20, 2026
• The Human Being Above the Transaction and Why Markets Cannot Measure Human Worth – October 15, 2026