Hannah Arendt on Banality of Evil
摘要
This paper is primarily concerned with the controversy over the concept of ”banality of evil” provoked by Hannah Arendt's report from Jerlusalem on Eichmann's trial. It will briefly describe Eichmann the man, the background to his trial and Arendt's first impression of him. Then it will take up the criticisms of Arendt's position and her explanation why she came to think of Eichmann and judge him as she did and how did she give up her commitment to the concept of ”radical evil”. To support Arendt in her arguments, brief descriptions of torture and murder and their perpetrators from two different situations are cited. Finally, the paper will end with a brief reference to Arendt as a pariah. Never is this paper intended as a comprehensive study of Adrent's political philosophy, which is obviously a different project.