Ordinary Perpetrators and the Banality of Evil

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dc.contributor.advisorWils, J-P
dc.contributor.advisorMertens, Th.
dc.contributor.authorAdriaanse, C.
dc.date.issued2017-07-20
dc.description.abstractArendt’s idea of the banality of evil is commonly interpreted as highlighting the ordinariness of perpetrators like Adolf Eichmann. In recent decades, the ‘ordinary perpetrator’ has become a prominent topic of historical and psychological research. This article discusses Arendt’s work on the banality of evil in light of this research and asks: to what extent are the banality of evil and the ordinary perpetrator synonymous? I argue that it is short-sighted to equate the two. While Arendt emphasises the ordinariness of perpetrators like Eichmann, her critique of moral philosophy is the most thought-provoking element in her analysis. Arendt focuses not on ordinariness but on the thoughtlessness and inability to judge which allowed ordinary perpetrators to do extraordinary evil.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://theses.ubn.ru.nl/handle/123456789/4358
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.thesis.facultyFaculteit der Filosofie, Theologie en Religiewetenschappenen_US
dc.thesis.specialisationSocial and Political Philosophyen_US
dc.thesis.studyprogrammePhilosophy: Research Masteren_US
dc.thesis.typeResearchmasteren_US
dc.titleOrdinary Perpetrators and the Banality of Evilen_US
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