Now published in English for the first time, Arendt's 1929 doctoral dissertation offers insights into her later political and philosophical constructions. A German-Jewish refugee from Hitler's Europe, Arendt wrote Origins of Totalitarianism (1951), an instrumental text in framing political discourse during the Cold War over the nature of totalitarian regimes. She is also best known for her New Yorker article that was eventually published as Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil (1961). Her doctoral dissertation was a three-part examination of St. Augustine's conception of caritas: the first analysis seeks to define it as "craving," or appetitus. The second analysis focuses on the commandment to "love thy neighbor as thyself." Arendt then turns to the question of the relation between Creator and Creature, and how neighborly love is possible in the face of the overwhelming presence of the Creator. The work stands in the tradition of German doctoral dissertations; i.e., it is dense and difficult terrain. Throughout, there is the overshadowing figure of Martin Heidegger, arguably the most important philosopher of the 20th century. Under his influence, Arendt utilized the concepts of natality, memory, and phenomenology. Yet her focus on Augustine's self-reflective imperative ("I have become a question to myself") reflects her debt to another teacher, Karl Jaspers, the director of her dissertation. In Arendt's treatment of Augustinian concepts such as memory, caritas, cupiditas, and especially the civitas terrena, or "the earthly city," we realize that these are perennial philosophical concerns. Scott (Political Science/Eastern Michigan Univ.) and Stark (Philosophy/Seton Hall) provide two interpretive essays arguing that the dissertation is the "missing link" in Arendt scholarship and that none of the later works can be understood apart from it. In all her later writing, they argue, Arendt, following Augustine, addressed the problem of social and political action in an imperfect world. A revelation that may force us to reconsider the traditional interpretation of Arendt's work.
Pub Date: Dec. 4, 1995
ISBN: 0-226-02596-9
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Univ. of Chicago
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1995
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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