ABSTRACT
To take judgment as a principal concept, activity and theme is to loosen the grip of causality and freedom upon our imagination of what is possible. Ronald Beiner observes that Arendt sees the true home of judgment sometimes in its exercise in practical affairs by an involved party, while at other times, without announcing a change of mind, she appears to recognise judgment only in our moments as detached or disinterested spectators. In her study of Willing, Arendt set out with the idea of thinking and willing as differing in mood. In thinking, one is in a different frame of mind from that in which one becomes willing to do what thinking might suggest. Arendt shows how modern forms of materialism, in their universal conception of things, mime the structures of the idealistic systems of a century before them. Thinking takes the centre stage and in a blaze of glory makes condescending gestures towards the minor characters: willing and judging.
