Reading Hannah Arendt with Roger Berkowitz
This podcast offers close readings of Hannah Arendt's books alongside engaging interviews and thought-provoking conversations in the spirit of Hannah Arendt, who thought loving the world means neither uncritical acceptance nor contemptuous rejection, but the unwavering facing up to and comprehension of that which is. Visit The Hannah Arendt Center online at hac.bard.edu.
Episodes
Man, The Polis, and the Rise of the Social | The Human Condition
In discussing chapter two, sections 4–6, of Hannah Arendt's The Human Condition, host Roger Berkowitz argues that, for Arendt, freedom is not a right but an activity of speech and action among equals in a public sphere. He explains her claim that a translation shift to “social animal” obscured the Greek distinction between household necessity (oikos) and political freedom (polis), and that moderni
A World We Share | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, Jana Tirey (nee Mader) and Roger Berkowitz chat about his forthcoming book, A World We Share: Hannah Arendt and the Power of Friendship in a Broken World (Oct. 6, Yale University Press). Berkowitz traces the book’s origins to an Arendt Center conference on Friendship and Politics held shortly after Oct. 7, 2023, and to Arendt’s 1959 Lessing Prize speech on whe
Vita Activa | The Human Condition
Podcast host Roger Berkowitz introduces Arendt’s first chapters of The Human Condition as an inquiry into modern alienation shaped by science and Cartesian inwardness and a search for meaningful life amid irreversible losses. He outlines the vita activa—labor (biological life), work (durable worldliness), and action (speech and plurality, generating history/remembrance)—and Arendt’s shift from “hu
Solidarity and the Immigration Debate with David Lapp, Jim Robb, and Diego Sanchez | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, host Roger Berkowitz previews the 2026 Arendt Forum at Bard College on Solidarity, framing Arendt’s view of solidarity as an intellectual practice of building a common world through talk rather than sentiment. He is joined by Braver Angels co-founder David Lapp, NumbersUSA’s Jim Robb, and Presidents' Alliance's Diego Sanchez. They describe Braver Angels’ origi
Prologue | The Human Condition
We're onto our new read, Hannah Arendt’s The Human Condition (1958). Host Roger Berkowitz calls the book a meditation on “thinking what we are doing” as modern science transforms the modern world. In this close read of the prologue, he distinguishes the “modern age” (the scientific revolution from the 17th to early 20th century) from the “modern world” inaugurated by the atomic bomb, Sputnik, auto
Identity, Embodiment, and Politics with Nikita Nelin '09 | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode, host Roger Berkowitz speaks with writer and somatic coach Nikita Nelin '09 about identity, embodiment, and politics. Nelin describes his grandfather, who pursued acting only after being told to “take off the combat boots,” a metaphor for shedding protective armor that later constrains life. Connecting this to his coaching, Nelin contrasts bodily “compression” and exhaustion
Hannah Arendt's Unwritten Chapter on Judging with Samantha Fazekas | Bonus Episode
Roger Berkowitz speaks with Samantha Fazekas about her book Hannah Arendt’s Unwritten Chapter on Judging (De Gruyter Brill, 2025). Fazekas argues that judging became central for Arendt as she confronted unprecedented political events like World War II, the Holocaust, and the Eichmann trial, which “explode” inherited moral and political categories. They discuss Arendt’s use of Kant’s aesthetic refl
Home to Roost | Responsibility and Judgment
Host Roger Berkowitz closes our discussion of Hannah Arendt’s Responsibility and Judgment with her final public speech, “Home to Roost” (1975), presented as Arendt’s last assessment of the crisis of the U.S. republic. He highlights her claims that republics are fragile, that McCarthyism began a constitutional crisis by attacking due process and the civil service, and that Vietnam, foreign-policy f
The Deputy & Auschwitz on Trial | Responsibility and Judgment
Focusing on two essays from Responsibility and Judgment—Arendt’s 1964 review of Rolf Hochhuth’s play The Deputy and her 1966 introduction to Bernd Naumann’s Auschwitz on Trial—podcast host Roger Berkowitz traces Arendt’s insistence that judgment be grounded in understanding individuals and contexts. Arendt critiques Pope Pius XII’s “rigid adherence to normality” and failure to mobilize moral autho
Reflections on Little Rock | Responsibility and Judgment
There's a shift in Hannah Arendt's Responsibility and Judgment from essays on moral and political responsibility to shorter essays of judgment about particular events, beginning with her controversial 1957 “Reflections on Little Rock.” In this episode of the podcast, host Roger Berkowitz situates the essay in the aftermath of Brown v. Board, and notes Arendt’s factual errors about the Little Rock
Collective Responsibility & Thinking and Moral Consideration | Responsibility and Judgment
In this episode of the podcast, host Roger Berkowitz discusses two essays from our summer read, Responsibility and Judgment: “Thinking and Moral Considerations” and “Collective Responsibility.” He explains Arendt’s post-metaphysical claim that shared morality and metaphysical truth have collapsed, separating solitary, negative moral thinking (“I will not”) from public political judgment. Prompted
A July Reflection on America and Arendt | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, recorded on July 5 from Marlborough, Massachusetts, host Roger Berkowitz reflects on Fourth of July patriotism, baseball, and a Lapham’s Quarterly podcast series, Revolutionary America, edited by Donovan Hohn. Berkowitz highlights Lewis Lapham's archival conversations with Jill Lepore on historians’ duty to face complexity and humility, and with Gordon Wood, w
Some Questions of Moral Philosophy, Sections 3 + 4 | Responsibility and Judgment
In this episode of the podcast, host Roger Berkowitz discusses the final sections of Hannah Arendt’s essay “Some Questions of Moral Philosophy,” focusing on Arendt’s post-Eichmann turn to thinking, morality, and the collapse of shared moral certainties. He presents Arendt’s claim that morality is Socratic and grounded in solitude—the “two-in-one” dialogue that makes personhood, memory, and integri
Some Questions of Moral Philosophy, Sections 1 + 2 | Responsibility and Judgment
In this episode of the podcast, host Roger Berkowitz introduces Arendt’s essay “Some Questions of Moral Philosophy,” compiled by Jerome Kohn from 1965–66 courses after Eichmann in Jerusalem. He explains Hannah Arendt’s late turn to morality as a response to Nazism’s revelation that morality could function as mere custom, enabling ordinary people to become criminals by following law and public opin
Personal Responsibility Under Dictatorship | Responsibility and Judgment
In this episode, host Roger Berkowitz walks us through the Prologue and first essay of our summer read, Responsibility and Judgment, a posthumous collection edited by Jerome Kohn. Introducing Arendt’s "Sonning Prize" lecture on persona, citizenship, and the exchangeable “mask” of public life, Berkowitz closely reads the opening essay, “Personal Responsibility Under Dictatorship,” framed by the con
AI and the Legacy of Hannah Arendt | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, host Roger Berkowitz reflects on two recent gatherings and their relevance to Hannah Arendt’s concerns about truth, technology, and world-building. He recounts a Santa Fe Institute workshop on AI and institutions, like universities and law, arguing that AI should remain a tool rather than a force that replaces human agency. He warns that AI already distorts re
Hannah Arendt: An American Hero with Shumaila Hemani and Shilpa Kamat | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, host Roger Berkowitz previews the Arendt Center’s collaboration with the International Human Rights Art Movement, including a June 5–7 New York City theater festival and the anthology Hannah Arendt: An American Hero. Drawn from 328 submissions from 64 countries and supported by NEH funding tied to the proposed “Garden of Heroes,” Berkowitz interviews contribut
What Are We Fighting For? | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, host Roger Berkowitz shares about his recent talks in Athens at the House of Beautiful Business conference, and about the Bard College commencement, honoring Marilynne Robinson—before turning to the Hannah Arendt Center’s 20th anniversary Arendt Forum (Oct. 15–17) on Solidarity: What Are We Fighting For? Drawing on Arendt’s account of a shattered Western tradi
America's Constitutional Crossroads with Peter Rosenblum | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, host Roger Berkowitz welcomes Peter Rosenblum, a professor of international law and human rights at Bard College, to discuss their constitutional law course, which is taught as a liberal-arts, critical-thinking class rather than pre-law. Beginning with Aristotle, Montesquieu, the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers, and Arendt, it asks what a constitution i
The Spirit of Philadelphia with Chris Gibson | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode, host Roger Berkowitz interviews Chris Gibson, former U.S. Army colonel, Purple Heart recipient, ex–three-term congressman, former Williams College professor and Siena College president, and author of The Spirit of Philadelphia: A Call to Recover the Founding Principles. Gibson explains the “spirit of Philadelphia” as the coalescing energy of collaboration and compromise that
The World in Pieces with Walter Russell Mead | Live Bonus Episode
Recorded live at Bard College, this bonus episode features Roger Berkowitz in conversation with Walter Russell Mead, the Alexander Hamilton Professor of Strategy and Statecraft at the Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida and Global View columnist for The Wall Street Journal. They discuss whether the post-1945 American-led liberal world order has fractured
The Emergency with George Packer | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode, Roger Berkowitz welcomes George Packer—National Book Award–winning author of The Unwinding, staff writer for The Atlantic and contributor to The New Yorker—to discuss his 2025 novel The Emergency and his upcoming appearance at The Arendt Forum (October 15–17, 2026), the Hannah Arendt Center's 20th anniversary fall gathering on Solidarity. Packer explains that the pandemic an
Home to Roost | Bonus Episode
In this episode of the Reading Hannah Arendt podcast, Roger Berkowitz discusses Hannah Arendt’s final speech/essay “Home to Roost” (May 20, 1975), published in Responsibility and Judgment and widely received at the time. He explains Arendt’s rejection of celebrating “America” in favor of the Republic, emphasizing the United States as a plural republic rather than an ethnic nation-state, and her cl
Thoughts on Politics and Revolution | Crises of the Republic
In this episode of the podcast, Roger Berkowitz concludes our reading of Crises of the Republic by introducing Arendt’s 1970 interview “Thoughts on Politics and Revolution.” Framing it through recent wars and Arendt’s claim that declining power invites violence, he emphasizes Arendt’s diagnosis of a “revolutionary situation” in which power has lost legitimacy and lies “in the streets,” yet would-b
On Violence III | Crises of the Republic
In this episode of the podcast, Roger Berkowitz summarizes part three of Hannah Arendt’s “On Violence,” reviewing the essay’s structure: action (not only violence) can interrupt historical processes; power and violence are opposites, and violence rises when power is in jeopardy. In section three, Arendt rejects social-scientific views that treat violence as beastly or irrational, arguing it can be
The Hell That is War Has Lost Its Power | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, Roger Berkowitz revisits and updates his latest columns on “The Hell That is War Has Lost Its Power,” arguing that modern war, though more precise and destructive, no longer resolves conflicts or stabilizes political order. Drawing on Clausewitz’s view of war as politics by other means and Arendt’s distinction between power and violence, he claims total war co
On Violence II | Crises of the Republic
In this week's episode of the podcast, Roger Berkowitz focuses on the second section of Hannah Arendt's essay "On Violence" called “Power." Recapping part one’s claim that modernity has vastly expanded the means of violence while blurring its political rationality, prompting intellectuals to rationalize violence as manageable and creative, he explains Arendt’s central distinctions among power, str
Urgent Futures with Roger Berkowitz | Bonus Episode
We met the host of the Urgent Futures podcast, Jesse Damiani, last year, and were thrilled when he came to our 2025 conference on JOY: Loving the World in Dark Times. Afterwards, Roger Berkowitz sat down with Jesse at the Arendt Center to discuss finding joy in dark times and what Hannah Arendt can teach us today, and we're thrilled to share their conversation now on our Reading Hannah Arendt podc
On Violence I | Crises of the Republic
In this episode of the podcast, Roger Berkowitz introduces Part One of Hannah Arendt’s 1969 essay “On Violence” from Crises of the Republic, situating it amid contemporary civil unrest, AI debates, and a new Middle East war. He outlines the essay’s three-part structure and argues that Arendt critiques “preachers of violence” by insisting that all collective action—not violence alone—can interrupt
The Case for Citizen Rule with Helene Landemore | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode, host Roger Berkowitz interviews Helene Landemore about her new book, Politics Without Politicians: The Case for Citizen Rule, with a focus on how her argument for citizens’ assemblies expands beyond epistemic “better decisions” to emphasize “civic love” and the bonding, trust, and transformation she observed in French assemblies and the Yellow Vests. They discuss Landemore’s
Civil Disobedience III | Crises of the Republic
We continue our reading of Hannah Arendt’s essay “Civil Disobedience” from Crises of the Republic. Host Roger Berkowitz frames it through Mary McCarthy’s critique that civil disobedience is fundamentally conscientious, citing Socrates, Thoreau, and Gandhi. Berkowitz explains Arendt’s radical distinction between conscience (singular, inner dialogue) and politics (plural, public), arguing that groun
Civil Disobedience I-II | Crises of the Republic
In this episode of the podcast, Roger Berkowitz introduces Hannah Arendt’s essay “Civil Disobedience” from Crises of the Republic. Framed by Eugene Rostow’s question about citizens’ moral relation to law in a society of consent, Berkowitz explains Arendt’s argument that civil disobedience is not an individual act of conscience or a legal test case, but a nonviolent political practice carried out p
Planetary Politics with Lucy Benjamin | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, Roger Berkowitz and Lucy Benjamin discuss her book Planetary Politics: Arendt, Anarchy, and the Climate Crisis. They explore how Arendt's concepts of plurality and earthliness relate to contemporary environmental challenges. Benjamin emphasizes the importance of integrating Arendt's political theories with the urgent need to address climate change. They delve
Lying in Politics III-V | Crises of the Republic
In this episode, Roger Berkowitz discusses the second parts of Arendt’s essay "Lying in Politics" from her book Crises of the Republic. Berkowitz explains Arendt’s critique of the Vietnam War policymakers, focusing on their detachment from reality and reliance on abstract problem-solving techniques. He highlights Arendt's argument that these policymakers substituted judgment with calculations, lea
Lying in Politics I-II | Crises of the Republic
In this first episode of our new read, Roger Berkowitz introduces Hannah Arendt's Crises of the Republic. The book, written in 1972, delves into the crises facing the American Republic, including the Vietnam War, civil disobedience, and the ethos surrounding violence. Berkowitz emphasizes Arendt's focus on the relationship between lying and politics, particularly in the context of the Pentagon Pap
Candor without Hypocrisy | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, Roger Berkowitz discusses his essay "Candor Without Hypocrisy," which explores the current political landscape and the dangers of unrestrained candor. He examines the paradox of Donald Trump's perceived truth-telling and its impact on the liberal world order and democratic institutions. Berkowitz warns against the erosion of trust and the normalization of mili
The World in Time with Lapham's Quarterly | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the Reading Hannah Arendt podcast, we're sharing a conversation we did with our friends at Lapham's Quarterly. Their podcast, The World in Time, explores stories and insight from today's writers and thinkers.
Last summer, Donovan Hohn sat down for a conversation with Roger Berkowitz to discuss the life and work of Hannah Arendt and two essays that share the title “Civil Di
Operation Lightness with Teju Cole | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, we share a talk from our fall conference on JOY: Loving the World in Dark Times. Teju Cole is a novelist, essayist, and photographer, whose talk "Operation Lightness" explored joy and literary arts. Cole's talk emphasized the redemptive power of lightness, weaving through themes of humor, transformation, and the delicate balance between horror and beauty. In
The Revolutionary Tradition and its Lost Treasure (Parts III-IV) | On Revolution, Chapter 6
In this final episode of 2025, Roger Berkowitz discusses the concluding chapters of Hannah Arendt’s On Revolution. He elaborates on Arendt's exploration of what she regards as the 'most mature' articulation of her political philosophy, particularly focusing on the concepts of freedom and meaningful life. The discussion delves into the importance Arendt places on public appearance, speech, and acti
Truth in Politics: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Hannah Arendt's Death | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, host Roger Berkowitz explores the complex relationship between truth and politics. Speaking from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he attended the Riyadh International Philosophy Conference, Berkowitz discusses the erosion of public trust in institutions that were once considered impartial. He delves into the philosophical roots of this distrust, tracing it back to
Arendtian Praxis in Gay Politics with Blake Smith | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode, recorded in collaboration with Radio Kingston, Roger Berkowitz talks with Blake Smith, a historian, essayist, and translator, about the impact of Hannah Arendt’s philosophy on gay politics. Smith provides insights into the life and work of Michael Denneny, an influential figure in gay publishing and a former student of Arendt. They discuss Denneny's career, his relationship
The Revolutionary Tradition and Its Lost Treasure (Parts I-II) | On Revolution, Chapter 6
In this episode, host Roger Berkowitz discusses the first two parts of the last chapter of Hannah Arendt’s On Revolution, in which Arendt argues that the American Revolution was successful due to its emphasis on stable, lasting institutions like the Constitution, the Senate, and the Supreme Court. Arendt contrasts this with the French Revolution, which failed to incorporate such institutions. The
Foundation II: Novus Ordo Saeclorum | On Revolution, Chapter 5
In this episode, host Roger Berkowitz leads a close reading of Chapter 5 of Hannah Arendt's On Revolution, specifically focusing on the American Revolution. Berkowitz emphasizes Arendt's distinction between power and authority, explaining how the Founders' experiences and the act of foundation contributed to the Constitution's revered status. He delves into the problematic perception of democracy
JOY: Loving the World in Dark Times | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode, the Center's Director of Academic Programs Jana Mader sits down with podcast host Roger Berkowitz to talk about highlights from our recent conference and provide a peek into the process of developing next year's event! Then, we share Roger's talk from JOY: Loving the World in Dark Times.
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Foundation I: Constitution Liberatis | On Revolution, Chapter 4
In this episode, Roger Berkowitz delves into Chapter 4 of Hannah Arendt's On Revolution, emphasizing its relevance to contemporary politics. Berkowitz highlights Arendt's view that the American Revolution uniquely succeeded in founding political freedom, unlike other revolutions, and argues for the importance of understanding public freedom and the creation of a new system of power to sustain demo
The Pursuit of Happiness | On Revolution, Chapter 3
In this episode, Roger Berkowitz discusses Chapter 3 of Hannah Arendt’s On Revolution, including her interpretation of the American and French Revolutions, centered around the concept of 'public happiness.' Berkowitz explains how Arendt argues that the American Revolution was focused on founding political freedom, whereas the French Revolution diverted towards eradicating poverty, which led to its
The Social Question, Parts IV-VI | On Revolution, Chapter 2
In this episode, we finish Chapter Two of Hannah Arendt's On Revolution. Roger Berkowitz elaborates on Arendt's distinctions between social and political revolutions, highlighting her critique of the French Revolution for focusing on social equality at the expense of political freedom, unlike the American Revolution which aimed to establish lasting institutions of freedom. The discussion covers Ar
Joy and Fearlessness in Dark Times with Lisa Cypers Kamen | Bonus Episode
This week we're sharing a two-part episode we did with our friends at Harvesting Happiness, a positive psychology lifestyle podcast for the pursuit of happiness and well-being. Lisa Cypers Kamen, MA, Adv. CASAC, SUDCCII, RYT-200, is an advocate and trailblazer for a new frontier of happiness, health, and well-being for everyone, and she conducts the interview with Roger Berkowitz.
In part 1, Roger
The Social Question, Parts I-III | On Revolution, Chapter 2
In this episode, host Roger Berkowitz focuses in on the first three sections of Chapter Two: "The Social Question" of Hannah Arendt's On Revolution. The discussion highlights Arendt's tendency to make significant distinctions—in this case, between the social and the political, and between poverty and misery. Berkowitz elaborates on Arendt's controversial take that the American Revolution succeeded
The Meaning of Revolution | On Revolution, Chapter 1
In this episode, host Roger Berkowitz leads a close reading of Chapter 1, "The Meaning of Revolution" from Hannah Arendt's book, On Revolution. He discusses Arendt's distinction between liberation and freedom, the essence of political revolutions, and the crucial role of founding a new polity in times of broken authority. Berkowitz highlights Arendt's focus on the difference between the American a
War and Revolution | On Revolution, Introduction
Our Virtual Reading Group is now reading Hannah Arendt's seminal On Revolution. In this first episode of the new text, host Roger Berkowitz covers Arendt's analysis of political revolutions, freedom, power, and the quest for founding a new polity amidst the breakdown of traditions and authority. Berkowitz touches on the challenges of modern revolutions, the importance of a foundational authority,
Conclusions, Sections 13, 14, and 15 | The Life of the Mind, Book II Willing, Chapter IV
We finish our reading of Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind with the final sections of Book II. Host Roger Berkowitz delves into Arendt's critique of the Western tradition's understanding of the will, focusing on the contributions of key philosophers like Augustine, Aquinas, Nietzsche, and Heidegger. He highlights Arendt's argument that political freedom and action should be divorced from philos
Unpacking Trump's Revolution with Roger Berkowitz | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode, host Roger Berkowitz reads from and discusses his two recent essays, 'The Revolution Against Legitimacy' and 'No Question Marks, Just Exclamation Points,' to analyze the revolutionary aspects of Trumpism. Berkowitz argues that Donald Trump's movement is not conservative or isolationist but rather a revolutionary effort aimed at dismantling the liberal intellectual order and
The Power of Voice with Sonita Alizadeh (Bard '23) | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode, host Roger Berkowitz interviews Sonita Alizadeh, a global Rhodes Scholar, human rights activist, rapper, and author. Sonita shares her journey from being born under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, surviving two attempted child marriages, to becoming a global icon with her viral rap "Daughters for Sale." She discusses her new memoir Sonita, My Fight Against Tyranny and My
Examining Totalitarian Trends with Greg Feldman | Bonus Episode
This week we're sharing an episode we did with our friends at Today's Totalitarianism, a podcast that seeks to offer an accessible, academically informed commentary on troubling developments around the globe variously described as fascist, majoritarian, or authoritarian. Greg Feldman, who's a professor in sociology at the University of Windsor, conducts the interview with Roger Berkowitz. They to
Plato and the Tyrant with James Romm | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode, host Roger Berkowitz engages in a rich conversation with James Romm, a Professor of Classics at Bard College, about his new book Plato and the Tyrant: The Fall of Greece's Greatest Dynasty and the Making of a Philosophic Masterpiece. The discussion covers the historical and political context of the book, focusing on Plato's interactions with tyrants Dionysius the Elder and t
Will and Intellect, Sections 11 and 12 | The Life of the Mind, Book II Willing, Chapter 3
In this week's episode, host Roger Berkowitz guides us through the next close chapter reading of Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind. The discussion covers the second part of Book II on Willing, emphasizing the differences between the originally published manuscript and the newly edited version. Berkowitz explains Arendt's exploration of the will, focusing on Augustine, Aquinas, and Duns Scotus,
Quaestio mihi factus sum, Sections 9 and 10 | The Life of the Mind, Book II Willing, Chapter 2
This episode's chapter reading of Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind, focuses on the critical exploration of the concept of willing, examining its historical development from Greek to Christian philosophers like Epictetus, St. Paul, and Augustine. Host Roger Berkowitz discusses the nuances between thinking and willing, and the role of love in unifying internal conflict, and the spontaneity of hu
Quaestio mihi factus sum, Sections 7 and 8 | The Life of the Mind, Book II, Willing, Chapter 2
Host Roger Berkowitz leads a discussion on Hannah Arendt's book, The Life of the Mind, focusing on the sections dealing with Aristotle and St. Paul's views on the will. They discuss the philosophical evolution of the will, its significance in Christian thought, and its implications for understanding freedom, desire, and political action. The conversation explores Arendt's critique of internalizing
About Reading Hannah Arendt (Trailer)
The Philosophers and the Will, Sections 4, 5, and 6 | The Life of the Mind, Book II, Willing, Chapter 1
In this week's chapter reading of Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind, host Roger Berkowitz, focuses the session on Part II, Willing, Chapter 1, The Philosophers and the Will. Discussing the difficulties accessing the will in philosophy, Berkowitz addresses its role in the context of freedom, new beginnings, and evil. He delves into the historical viewpoint of the will from Aristotle to Hegel, an
Montez Press Radio: The Politics of Friendship with Uday Mehta | Bonus Episode
This week we're sharing a recording from our friends at Montez Press Radio, an experimental broadcasting and performance platform founded in 2018 with the goal of fostering greater experimentation and conversation between artists, writers, and thinkers through the medium of radio. In the first of their new series, Love Thy Network, one of three excellent new segments on friendship, gossip, and pu
Staying Decent in an Indecent Society with Ian Buruma | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode, host Roger Berkowitz speaks with Ian Buruma, a writer, journalist, educator, and award-winning thinker, as well as the Paul W. Williams Professor of Human Rights and Journalism at Bard College. Buruma shares his insights on civility and decency in society, drawing from his personal experiences in post-Nazi-occupied Europe. They discuss the harsh judgment against collaborator
Willing, Sections 1, 2, and 3 | The Life of the Mind, Introduction and Syllabus
We begin the second book in Hannah Arendt's unfinished manuscript, The Life of the Mind. This week's episode provides an overview of Part II on Willing, focusing on the concept of the will and its importance to her larger project of political thinking. Host Roger Berkowitz discusses the historical development of the will from the Greeks to the Christians and moderns, and its role in freedom and ac
Can Deliberation Cure Democracy? with James Fishkin | Bonus Episode
In this conversation between Roger Berkowitz and James Fishkin, a Stanford University expert on deliberative polling and deliberative democracy, they discuss the effectiveness for addressing the ills of democracy. Fishkin highlights four primary problems in modern democracy: the difficulty in determining the will of the people; extreme partisan polarization; the lack of deliberative voting; and li
Where Are We When We Think? Sections 20-21 | The Life of the Mind, Chapter 4
In this episode, Roger Berkowitz leads a discussion on the concluding sections of the book on Thinking, part of Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind. Berkowitz elaborates on Arendt's insights into the nature of thinking and its relation to the real world. Berkowitz highlights Arendt's belief that thinking interrupts conventional processes and challenges us to be autonomous and independent. He emph
What Makes Us Think? Sections 18-19 | The Life of the Mind, Chapter 3
This episode centers on Hannah Arendt's exploration of Socrates as a model for thinking, outlined in Sections 18 and 19 of Chapter 3 in The Life of the Mind. Arendt argues that Socratic thinking, characterized by the internal dialogue of the 'two in one,' is crucial for understanding human thinking. Host Roger Berkowitz contrasts this with Greek and Roman perspectives on thinking, highlighting tha
What Makes Us Think? Sections 16-17 | The Life of the Mind, Chapter 3
In this episode, Roger Berkowitz continues with a close reading of Sections 16-17 of Hannah Arendt's unfinished book, The Life of the Mind. Berkowitz explores the key themes of the first part of the book, Thinking, focusing on Chapter 3, titled What Makes Us Think? He discusses the three driving questions of Arendt's work: whether thinking prevents us from doing evil, how thinking as an action int
What Makes Us Think? Sections 14-15 | The Life of the Mind, Chapter 3
We're on to Chapter III of The Life of the Mind: What Makes Us Think? In this episode, we examine Sections 14 and 15. Roger Berkowitz discusses key themes, such as the relationship between being and appearance, the authenticity and fallacy of the thinking ego, and thinking's quest for meaning. He delves into the importance of metaphors in language to link thought to the world, and outlines the dis
Exploring the New Critical Edition of The Life of the Mind | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode of the podcast, we're sharing a discussion between host Roger Berkowitz and one of the General Editors of the Critical Edition of Hannah Arendt's Complete Works, Thomas Wild, and two of the co-editors of the new edition of The Life of the Mind, Thomas Bartscherer and Wout Cornelissen. The conversation explores the significance of the Critical Edition, the distinction between
Mental Activities in a World of Appearances, Section 13 | The Life of the Mind, Chapter 2
In this episode, we continue exploring Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind, focusing on the nature, meaning, and purpose of thinking. Host Roger Berkowitz emphasizes Arendt's exploration of thinking as an end in itself, comparing it to the breath of life. He discusses the limitations of language and metaphors in capturing the ineffable nature of thought, the dangers of overly persuasive metaphors
Mental Activities in a World of Appearances, Sections 11-12 | The Life of the Mind, Chapter 2
In this episode, we discuss Sections 11-12 of Chapter 2 of The Life of the Mind, Hannah Arendt's final work. Host Roger Berkowitz emphasizes the notion that thinking involves a radical withdrawal from the world of appearances, and examines metaphors as fundamental to philosophical language. Berkowitz touches on how philosophical thinking, unlike everyday thinking, operates through abstract ideas t
Mental Activities in a World of Appearances, Sections 9-10 | The Life of the Mind, Chapter 2
In this episode, we focus on the second chapter of Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind. The discussion is a critical exploration of Arendt's examination of thinking as an integral, yet radically autonomous, aspect of human life that is separated from the world of reality and appearances. Host Roger Berkowitz highlights Arendt's premise that thinking can be dangerous due to its detachment from rea
Appearance, Section 8 | The Life of the Mind, Chapter 1
This episode of Reading Hannah Arendt with Roger Berkowitz continues our analysis of the first chapter of Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind. Roger Berkowitz discusses Arendt's exploration into the nature of thinking, how it differs from contemplation, and its elusive appearance in the world. He delves into Arendt's belief that thinking is an activity disconnected from the search for truth, aimi
Hannah Arendt's Legacy with Celso Lafer | Bonus Episode
This bonus episode of the podcast features an in-depth conversation with Celso Lafer, a former student of Hannah Arendt. The discussion covers Lafer's experiences studying with her at Cornell University, as well as his contributions to translating her works into Portuguese, and the influence of her ideas on his multifaceted career in academia and politics. The conversation includes Arendt's teachi
Appearance, Sections 6-7 | The Life of the Mind, Chapter 1
This episode of Reading Hannah Arendt with Roger Berkowitz focuses on a close reading of sections 6 and 7 of the first chapter of Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind. Berkowitz, speaking from Buenos Aires, dives into Arendt's inquiries into the nature of thinking, how it relates to reality, and its appearance in the world. Key topics include the enigmas surrounding section 7 of the book, the Cart
Appearance, Sections 4-5 | The Life of the Mind, Chapter 1
In this episode, the discussion centers around Sections 4-5 of the first chapter of Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind. The conversation delves into Arendt's exploration of thinking, willing, and judging, and their impact on understanding justice, reason, and responsibility. Roger Berkowitz highlights the distinction between the soul and the mind, the concept of appearance versus being, and the
Appearance, Sections 1-3 | The Life of the Mind, Chapter 1
In this episode, we close read Chapter 1 of Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind, examining the concept of Appearance. Our discussion touches upon Arendt's departure from traditional philosophical disdain for appearances and their importance, and the inherent relationship between appearance and reality. Roger Berkowitz highlights Arendt's critique of the scientific and philosophical focus on under
Thinking, Introduction | The Life of the Mind, Volume One
This episode inaugurates a new book! Now we're reading Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind. Arendt's book, published posthumously in 1978 and, now, the new Critical Edition, delves into the nature of thinking, willing, and judging. Roger Berkowitz outlines the book's unfinished state, Arendt's editorial history, and her intention to compare English and German manuscripts. The episode highlights A
On the Revolutionary Spirit with Neil Roberts and Jess Feldman | Bonus Episode
In this bonus episode recorded in collaboration with Radio Kingston, we share a preview of our spring conference on Hannah Arendt and Black Revolutionary Thought, organized by Jess Feldman, where Neil Roberts will give the 3rd annual DeGruyter-Arendt Center keynote lecture on March 27th at Bard College. The lecture is open to the public, and global listeners can tune in to the livestream on our Yo
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