This 1968 text presents a philosophical reflection on the relationship between history, self-understanding, and truth. The author examines the significance of self-understanding within the philosophical tradition, offering a critical analysis of Socrates and Emanuel Rádl’s critiques. A central theme is the overcoming of modern objectivism, which the author identifies as having a subjectivist foundation, through a truth that opens the path toward the future. Truth is depicted not as a static description of objects, but as a dynamic process leading the individual out of the confinement of their personal world toward freedom and responsibility. The text argues that free reflection in pursuit of truth is an essential prerequisite for a dignified human life and the starting point for authentic action. Furthermore, the author integrates hermeneutics and the prophetic tradition, where self-criticism and the recognition of guilt serve as necessary conditions for a moral turning point. Self-understanding thus provides the framework for understanding the world, enabling individuals to act as integrated personalities with clear character and direction within the flow of history.