Superfluous People: A Reflection on Hannah Arendt and Evil

(Paperback)

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Superfluous People describes Hannah Arendt's political and philosophical views on Nazi totalitarianism and the Shoah. In her contemplation of evil, Arendt initially spoke of the Shoah as a "radical evil," a term used by Kant. However, unlike Kant, Arendt's radical evil cannot be explained by human motives. Many years later she changed her mind and spoke of "the banality of evil," characterized by an inability to think and judge. Superfluous People seriously considers the question of whether thinking and judging can prevent evil. The role of the Jewish Councils and a reflection on the question of guilt concludes this book.

Author Bio

Cornelis Van Hattem is retired. He holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Twente, the Netherlands.