Sókratés v myslení Hannah Arendtovej I. Filozofia v službách plurality (Socrates in the Thought of Hannah Arendt I. Philosophy in the Service of Plurality)

Abstract

The article deals with Hannah Arendt’s early rendition of Socrates’ philosophy in the essay Socrates. As is generally known, she was critical towards Western tradition of philosophy influenced by the trial and death of Socrates, since it overlooked specific political experiences and subjected the political sphere to inadequate philosophical standards. In Socrates, in contradistinction to Platonic severe distortion of the political, she presents the image of Socrates as respectful towards the fact of human plurality and his philosophy as unsuccessful attempt to attune philosophical thinking with political action. This kind of philosophizing aimed at improving citizens of Athens and restoring the political space as common through establishing friendly relations among them. Arendt’s account, however, remains highly selective, since she downplays Socratic problematicity and negativity.

Keywords

• hannah arendt
• socrates
• philosophy and politics
• friendship
• thinking
• conscience