Basic Knowledge
The book “Human Condition” uncovers how human activities influence man’s reasoning and behavior during active and contemplative life. Arendt’s discourse is based on distinguishing and comparing work, labor, and action. She presents her rationale through phenomenological expression, qualitative research, and eloquence, which has enhanced my rhetorical and intellectual capacity in communication.
Her phenomenological approach is evident in her classical explanation of labor, citizenship, and politics against mere human welfare. In chapter three, labor is defined as the human effort to survive, which can be directly linked to the scientific theories of adaptation and the human cycle (Arendt 13). This approach has enhanced my knowledge of rhetoric communication. I have discovered that an author can align a rationale with intellectual expression, qualitative facts, and eloquence to convince the audience to support an idea.
Her use of qualitative research through exegetical comparison of theories from other philosophers has fulfilled Aristotle’s combination of three appeals in writing; ethos, logos and pathos because it is an appealing, convincing and realistic piece. (Arendt 1). The sophisticated diction also creates a professional level of writing that corresponds to the quality standards of philosophical writing. These two factors have given me insights into delivering unique content in writing.
Metaphor and Argument
The central questions in “human condition” include whether comparative life is more valuable than active life, considering the multifactorial conditions in which life occurs (Arendt 1). Another guide is the implication of radical innovation to the political arena. The last guide is life as the human condition because it births the social, political and economic dynamics. The dominant themes in the book include freedom, Life and Work, which have been presented using various ideas (Arendt 14). This theory also applies to freedom and life because only the deserving or the most valuable is granted to an individual.
My response to Arendt’s political rationale is that it is baffling. The reason is that her passion for questioning the established norms is unjustified because it is biased. My assumption of her views on political standpoint is that her elitist perspective outweighs her democratic standpoint (Arendt 20). Furthermore, I assume that this treatise addresses a political system with neither leaders nor the ruled. For instance, in addressing labor, she explains that every man is a new start and has the power to act in a unique as they please. However, through the limitations of imperialism, man is limited to exploring his potential beyond limits set by his government.
Relevance
Arendt’s work is a classical communication guide for all experts desiring excellence in their field. I have learned some communication techniques: rhetoric techniques, clarity of purpose, consistency of message, and perceived realism. When communicating in the marketplace or the classroom, it is essential to consider these factors to make complex information compelling to the target audience (Arendt 1). For example, rhetoric techniques such as metaphoric situations have been used to link the incomparable so that the author can effectively communicate their purpose. I can apply this rule by using the proper expressions when communicating through verbal or written forms to maintain eloquence and meaningful content.
Clarity of purpose is another strategy applied in the book when the author states that personal experiences shape how people interact. This claim is relevant because it aligns with other philosophical theories, such as the theory of action, which claims that ethics depends on what the agent is tuned to do. Lastly, the consistency of the message is evident in the book because it is all about man’s actions during his vita active and vita contemplative phase (Arendt 26). Finally, perceived realism is whereby an individual uses relatable scenes to steer comprehension, such as sharing anecdotes.
Works Cited
Arendt, Hannah. The human condition. 2nd ed., University of Chicago Press, 1998.