Ethics of the political realm in Hannah Arendt's thought

Abstract

This thesis seeks to explore the "unwritten" ethics of Hannah Arendt's political theory. It argues that even though Arendt is adamant in banishing morality from the political realm, her political theory consists of an ethical conduct that requires engaging in certain activities. This ethics differs from the morality that Arendt dismisses from politics in designating aproper way ofexisting in the world, rather than oertainine to certain normative universals. Arendt utilizes the - metaohor of "home" for designating such proper way of existing or dwelling in the world, but indicates that the main characteristics of the modern age permeate homelessness. The claim of this thesis is that Arendt's ethics is revealed in her discourse on properly responding to the homelessness of the modern age and make homely dwelling in the world possible. This response consists, most prominently, of the activity of thinking, since it is the primary activity modem homelessness directly invokes. But this activity has its own "dangers" and it is inadequate in providing a proper way of existing in the world. Political action and judgment have to follow thinking and establish one's relation with the political realm. The exercise of these three activities in their distinct relations to the political realm promises to establish home from within homelessness.