Violence as a Philosophical Problem

Robert PIŁAT

Abstract

In the present article I advance a thesis about a close relation between violence and fear, as understood by Søren Kierkegaard. I critically refer to Hannah Arendt’s interpretation of violence, questioning her idea about violence resulting directly from the disintegration of a system of power. I comment on Arend’s popular conclusions expressed in her Eichmann in Jerusalem and On Violence, as well as on Margarethe von Trotta’s recent movie Hannah Arendt. I perceive the junction between fear and power in that fear provides the basis for a self-determination of the subject, which necessarily refers to a sense of power. This power, as opposed to force or authority, manifests itself in breaking the resistance perceived in other subjects as such. Violence exhibits a tendency to annihilate another subjectivity. The relation between this sense of violence and crimes against life is contingent, albeit very strong. The way to reduce violence involves a rejection of power-based identity, which, however, has not found support in our civilization and is insufficient in our culture.

Translated by Dorota Chabrajska