Sunday August 13th, 2023

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The Double Weaponization of Loneliness

The existential crisis facing humanity is likely neither the devastation of the earth from global warming nor the destruction of humanity by a rogue AI. Indeed, artificial intelligence, in its promise of exponential technological advance, may change the calculus of the most apocalyptic climate change models. But what AI does threaten to do is to make ever increasing numbers of human beings economically superfluous. As AI does many of the jobs that humans do better, more cheaply, and more efficiently, masses of people will struggle to find jobs. With the loss of jobs come the more consequential loss of meaning and the experience of existential loneliness.

The Power of Past Prejudices

Wolfram Eilenberger finds in Hannah Arendt’s encounter with Rahel Varnhagen a paradox between the rational individual and the power of past prejudices.

What we are listening to:

A new book from ‘recovering politician’ and democracy theorist Terry Bouricius. With 20 years in elected office and another decade as an election reform policy analyst, Bouricius explores the "Trouble with Elections." Read or listen to the chapters on Substack.

Quote of the Week

“This kind of dialogue, which doesn't need a conclusion in order to be meaningful, is most appropriate for and most frequently shared by friends.”

(The Promise of Politics, 2005: 63).

Jana Bacevic:

Dialogue without Conclusion

Read the full essay on our Medium Page here

Our Virtual Reading Group

meets next:

Friday Aug. 18

to discuss: Arendt on Friendship

Gershom Scholem

Found in: The Jewish Writings

Hans Jonas- Eulogy for Hannah Arendt

Hans Jonas- Hannah Arendt: An Intimate Portrait

Learn more about the VRG

Love the VRG and want more?

The VRG Dialogue Groups are smaller virtual gatherings to further explore the readings from Friday VRG meetings. HAC Themed Dialogue Groups focus on specific Arendt-related topics.

New Themed Dialogue Groups:

Arendt’s Conception of Experience

with Vigdis Kvam,

1st Thursdays @12-1:30 EDT (Sept. 7th- Jan. 4th)

The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal

with Wendy Chappel

2^nd Thursdays @ 12-1:30 EDT (September 14th & November 9th)

Questions regarding the Dialogue Groups?

Email Susan Oberman at cgns@susanoberman.com

Opportunities and Call for Papers

Funded opportunities in our Humanities Network

Are you a member of an OSUN Institution? Read about all the incredible opportunities we have for faculty, staff and students.

Call for Papers:

The Journal Laws is doing a special issue on Hannah Arendt’s Constitutionalism. Special editors are Roger Berkowitz and Shmuel Lederman. We are looking for essays addressing the place of law, constitutionalism, federalism, and republicanism. This can include her work on divided government and local councils as well as her writing on the American Constitution.

More Information here.

Call for Papers:

"Hannah Arendt and Michel Foucault: A Comparison of their Historical Methodologies"

This forthcoming special issue of the Journal of the Philosophy of History will explore Arendt's and Foucault's approaches to historical method (broadly conceived) and intellectual history and, relatedly, their approaches to modernity and "critique" in general.

The full CFP (as well as guidelines and more information) can be found on the Journal of the Philosophy of History's website

Call for Papers: Arendt Studies

The Journal accepts entries throughout the year, and works will be published online first.

Why "Amor Mundi"?

Hannah Arendt considered calling her magnum opus Amor Mundi: Love of the World. Instead, she settled upon The Human Condition."What is most difficult," Arendt writes, "is to love the world as it is, with all the evil and suffering in it." And yet she came to do just that. Loving the world means neither uncritical acceptance nor contemptuous rejection. Above all it means the unwavering facing up to and comprehension of that which is.

Every week, the Hannah Arendt Center Amor Mundi Newsletter will offer latest essays, readings, and more. These works will help you comprehend the world. And learn to love it.

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