The Human Condition: a concept in philosophy and in Hannah Arendt

George Alvarez 05-06-2023
George Alvarez

Above all, the human condition In this sense, it can be used in contexts about the meaning of life, to be born or to die or on the aspect of moral and social issues.

The human condition brought by Hannah Arent, in her 1958 work, brings aspects that brought a critical approach to the society of the time. Thus, she showed her thoughts on man's activities about work, work, and action, which, added together, refer to human life.

Whereas, for philosophy in general, the human condition takes us back to a more distant past, where Socrates rendered man as an admirable being with his human nature, while, in the same sense, Aristotle granted man the classification of a language being.

Table of Contents

  • Meaning of human condition
  • What is the human condition?
  • Who was Hannah Arendt?
  • The human condition for Hannah Arendt
    • Despotism, tyranny and dictatorship
    • Labor, Work, and Action
    • The work "Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition

Meaning of human condition

Basically, the human condition is the set of characteristics and events understood as essential to human life, such as:

  • be born
  • grow;
  • feel emotions;
  • have aspirations;
  • get into conflicts;
  • and finally die.

The concept of human condition is overly long, analyzed under the the viewpoint of various sciences Due to the extension of the theme, we will refer in this article only to its philosophical aspect.

What is the human condition?

In this sense, according to Plato's ancient vision, the human condition is basically explored through the following questions: "What is justice?" So, the philosopher intended to make explicit that the condition is seen in a general way, by society, not in an individualized way.

It was only two thousand years ago that a new explanation of the human condition appeared. René Descartes declared the famous phrase "I think, therefore I exist." His view was that the human mind, particularly in its arbiter of reason, was the determining factor of truth.

Meanwhile, moving into the 20th century, we have Hannah Arendt (1903-1975), brought to human condition to a political aspect In short, his defense, above all, was for pluralism in politics.

Who was Hannah Arendt?

Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) was a German political philosopher of Jewish origin who, because of her representativeness, came to be considered one of the most important political philosophers in the world. most influential philosophers of the 20th century She graduated in Philosophy in Germany in 1933 and took up her position in the fight against nationalism in Germany.

Soon after, due to the rules by the Nazi regime, Hannah ended up in prison and without nationality, making her stateless in 1937. Soon after, she emigrated to the United States, when, in 1951, she became an American citizen.

In summary, Hannah Arendt was a reference for developing an innovative form of reflection on politics To do this, he fought against traditional concepts about police, such as, for example, the question of "right" and "left" in philosophy.

Therefore, it was author of several books However, he published other important works, such as:

  • "The Origins of Totalitarianism" (1951)
  • "Between Past and Future" (1961)
  • "From the Revolution" (1963)
  • "Eichmann in Jerusalem" (1963)
  • "On Violence" (1970)
  • "Men in Dark Times" (1974)
  • "The Life of the Spirit" (1977)

The human condition for Hannah Arendt

In summary, for Hannah Arendt, contemporary humanity was a prisoner of its own needs, without moral and social motivations. That is, without any responsibility for social-political issues. Thus, ethical thoughts conflicted with human relations.

Despotism, tyranny and dictatorship

In the meantime, the aspect of human condition in the fascist regime This fact makes this policy repugnant and despicable.

Thus, Arendt focuses on the fact that it is only through a mutual liberation of our actions that men will continue to be free agents. In other words, man must seek constant evolution in order to change your mind and start over .

It is worth pointing out that Arendt emphasizes that the desire for revenge is overly automatic and predictable. Thus, she understands that forgiveness is more human than the animalistic reaction of revenge. Thus, this fact is what prevents human lives from coming into conflict.

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Labor, Work, and Action

Therefore, Arendt points out that labor, work, and action Then, labor refers to the activity of living, growing, that is, that the condition of human labor is its own life. Soon after, he understands that labor is a way to stay alive, without futility.

Finally, it indicates that action is the activity that does not require a thing or matter. Thus, it becomes the essence of human beings, who always seek to do things in order to be recognized before others. As a result, this human condition makes us rediscover glory.

The work "Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition

In his work "The Human Condition", a inspiring theory, about birth and action Thus, human nature is all about being born and dying, which can bring about the destruction of mortal beings. And this destruction is only avoided through the being's right to act.

In other words, men are not born just to live or die, but to begin a new life, one that resignifies their lives. Being born is a miracle, but glory comes through our actions and thoughts. Thus, it will be able to have moral, social and political values.

Thus, with this innate capacity for freedom to make decisions, our actions may not be predictable. Thus, it is understood that life is an improbability, which occurs on a regular basis.

However, the human condition In this sense, we end up renouncing our privilege to act in things that can, in fact, change the world around us. In other words, we only act for our own benefit.

In this way, Arendt indicates that what we are is our body, but who we are is basically revealed in our words and actions. Finally, Arendt leaves an important message: that only through love We will be energized to have an effect on public life, which by its nature is unworldly, individualized, and apolitical.

Did you like the content and want to know more about the human condition? Leave your comment below, how your actions reflect on your life, what you understand about being born and dying, or even if you have any questions on the subject.

See_also: Psychology of Adolescence: some characteristics

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George Alvarez

George Alvarez is a renowned psychoanalyst who has been practicing for over 20 years and is highly regarded in the field. He is a sought-after speaker and has conducted numerous workshops and training programs on psychoanalysis for professionals in the mental health industry. George is also an accomplished writer and has authored several books on psychoanalysis that have received critical acclaim. George Alvarez is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise with others and has created a popular blog on Online Training Course in Psychoanalysis that is widely followed by mental health professionals and students around the world. His blog provides a comprehensive training course that covers all aspects of psychoanalysis, from theory to practical applications. George is passionate about helping others and is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of his clients and students.