The Trial and Banality of Evil in Hannah Arendt

Abstract

This paper discusses the possibility of making moral and historical judgements, and if these transcend the sheer legal judgment by using the works of Hannah Arendt: Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Study of Evil’s Banality. In addition, I consider Arendt’s theory of the banality of Evil and the relationship of this with other kinds of judgments implicit in the alleged process of Jerusalem. I also consider the incapacity of casting judgment, and the consequences that this bears when incapacitates for reflection and personal responses to moral conflict. I also relate the historical judgment with the question about the impact of individual actions in history.