Arendt Studies

ONLINE FIRST

published on August 31, 2017

Celso Lafer

On the Confluence of Thinking, Judging, and Action
An Experience with the Thought of Hannah Arendt

The text is an analysis by a former student of Hannah Arendt, with the living experience of her thought in public life. As Brazil’s Foreign Minister on two occasions and as Ambassador to Genève, the Author discusses how her thought shaped many facets of his outlook in dealing with the challenges of international life. Diplomatic judgement as a reflective judgement is the unifying thread of the issues discussed. Among them, environment and sustainable development, human rights, nuclear disarmament, authority, power, violence, factual truth and lies.