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.

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


Book Information
ISBN 9780761833048
Author Cornelis Van Hattem
Format Hardback
Page Count 200
Imprint University Press of America
Publisher University Press of America
Weight(grams) 435g
Dimensions(mm) 232mm * 161mm * 23mm