Reviews

Thinking Without Banisters: Essays in Understanding, 1954-1975 by John E. Woods, Hannah Arendt

dngoldman's review against another edition

challenging dark inspiring reflective

4.5

Arendt is an increably discerning thinker. Her work is a synthesis of western thought - from Plato to Marx. And she uses this synthesis to give fresh insights on our modern political drama - merging what we normally consider political theory with those related to the human condition.  This collection focuses on the full breath. Although it contains many great essays, some are mere snippets. but the collection works as incredible introduction to her work. 

The end of tradition

·      There was a political tradition/authority from Plato to Marx. Marx was part of the tradition but ended it.

·      Tradition – philosophy of idealized not action; Marx action created the ideology.

·      Tradition and authory – gave people a bannister. Arendt didn’t support the tradition but understood their value. The lack was freedom to determine but also allowed for the rise of totalitarianism.

Different political systems

·      We lived in the framework of Aristotle – 3 modes of politics with an ideal and distorted side. 

·      Totalitarianism is new – is has no  opposite – it is on a perversion

·      Power is not strength. Authority is not violence

Defining Terms

Arendt refuses to let terms sit.  Violence, authority, strength, tradition, and freedom, thinking vs cognition, totalitarian vs tyranny, political and social. These terms are often lumped together as synonymous or obvious opposites. But not for Arendt. Government that rules by complete authority has no need for violence, for example.  The deep dive into terms stimulates thinking and reguires the reader to build their own opinions

 

The role of thinking – personal and political

·      It’s deeply human – unnatural unlike the drive for knowledge (science) that all animals do.

·      Thought vs thinking. – thinking requires the undoing of thought. Each situation required thinking the world anew. It is the failure to imagine other experience is so deeply in human as to warrant death penalty. Evil not done by monsters but men who subscribe to ideologies.  No guarantee that thinking will prevent, but still a human.

·      Critique’s enlightenment – that facts are not a substitute for the “sensual experience” of the world. The unanswerable questions raised by metaphysics are the drive to thinking. If you think you have the answer, you’ve been fooled, and you have stopped thinking. Ideology gives the answer.  

·      Arendt won’t tell – she shows. Harkens back to Socrates role

·      Tie in with political – thinking is the conversation with self that is needed for conversation with others

·      The breakdown of tradition creates the uncertainly that makes thinking harder. Totalitarian prays on this – weakness. By making falsehoods truth – beyond facts- thinking is impossible.