Mental Life

"The most intelligent mind of the twentieth century." — The Boston Globe
"Hannah Arendt's most compelling and thought-provoking work." — The New York Times Book Review
"A mind full of passion and human wisdom, exploring the fundamental questions of how the mind works." — Newsweek

Introduction by Yeh Hao (Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, National Chengchi University)

Hannah Arendt is one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century. Her book The Origins of Totalitarianism is a classic in the fields of twentieth-century political philosophy and political science, and her original ideas in many of her works are widely cited.

The Life of the Mind is Arendt's last posthumous work, exploring the three mental activities of human beings: thinking, willing, and judging, with a more philosophical approach, subtly echoing the three great critical theories of the great philosopher Kant: Critique of Pure Reason, Critique of Practical Reason, and Critique of Judgment. The complete book is divided into two parts, Volume I "Thinking" and Volume II "Willing". Volume I was originally a lecture given by Arendt at the Gifford Lectures at the University of Aberdeen in the UK in 1972. The speakers at these lectures were all well-known, such as Dewey, Bergson, William James, Whitehead, and others; the beginning of Volume II "Willing" was also a lecture delivered at the same occasion. Both volumes were organized and published posthumously by Mary McCarthy, as a friend and literary executor, in 1978. In this work, Arendt differs from her other political theory works, examining "thought" and returning to philosophical reflection, exploring the various facets of thought in contemporary life – considering "thought" as the most basic mental activity of human beings, namely thinking, willing, and judging. Arendt conducts philosophical exploration within the framework of "the world of action," examining whether thought can enhance human action, discern truth, and distinguish beauty from ugliness.

The Life of the Mind is Arendt's shift from her past focus on external affairs to internal philosophical reflection. It is a rare and valuable philosophical legacy she left to posterity, not only another important work by Arendt but also can be regarded as her ultimate conclusion to her own thoughts.