Zwyczajni ludzie, niezwyczajne zbrodnie. Aktualność i ograniczenia tezy Hannah Arendt o banalności zła
Ordinary People, Extraordinary Crimes: The Relevance and Limitations of Hannah Arendt’s Thesis on the Banality of Evil

Summary/Abstract: The article analyzes Hannah Arendt’s concept of the banality of evil and addresses the controversies surrounding her interpretation of Adolf Eichmann’s attitude and behavior. The author presents the main criticisms directed at Arendt, particularly those concerning her depiction of Eichmann as an unreflective executor of orders, and discusses the views of selected critics and commentators of her thought. The text also explores issues of ideology, conformism, and lack of empathy as possible sources of evil. The article raises the question of the relevance and universality of Arendt’s concept in the context of contemporary analyses of genocide and mechanisms of dehumanization. It also considers whether the philosopher’s thesis can be examined independently of Eichmann himself.

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