Abstract:
The first three sections of this essay deal with certain aspects of Arendt's theory of action that are central to her idea of a truly ethical (i.e. virtuous) life. Considerable attention is given to her view of action as intrinsically self-revelatory and political, i.e. performative and dramaturgical. The self-revelatory and performative nature of action means that it should not be interpreted in expressivist terms. Nor should one judge it in terms of its utility or according to fixed religious or moral norms. Actions are to be judged solely in terms of their "greatness" or excellence, which for Arendt is akin to the virtuosity that one finds in the performing arts. The fourth section of the essay deals with the seemingly strong resemblance between Arendt's work and Richard Sennett's The Fall of Public Man (1976). The concluding section summarises Arendt's idea about an authentically ethical life and the kind of virtuousness that it implies.
