论阿伦特作品中的“生物必然性”概念

On the concept of “biological necessity” in Hannah Arendt's works

从人类早期的繁重劳动,到扼杀"以自由立国"之可能的贫困问题,再到消费时代里陷溺于欲望满足,阿伦特将"生物必然性"这一概念从漫长的历史演进中理出。她认为,早期人类致力于获取生存必需品而难以追求更富价值的公共生活;而现代社会虽脱离生存窘境却又沉溺于消费,这也导致人们逐渐忘记了自由的真正含义。她指出,生物必然性因其强烈的私人性而与先天要求公共性的自由之间存在巨大张力。透过对这种张力的考察,阿伦特在宏大的历史变迁中钩沉出人类的命运和理想,同时也再次表达了反极权的勇气。

Hannah Arendt gives an incisive analysis of the concept of“biological necessity”in history through the examination of the arduous labor in ancient times,the poverty that killed the possibility of establishing a state through freedom as well as the indulgence in the desires in the consumer society.Arendt holds that the early men seeking life necessities could not pursue a more valuable public life,while modern men usually face no survival dilemmas but indulge in consumption which has gradually led to their oblivion of the true meaning of freedom.She points out that there is a huge gap between the biological necessity and freedom,for the former is concerned with the purely private space while the latter demands a public realm.By examining such innate tension,Arendt explores the fates and ambitions of mankind and reasserts her determination in the career of anti-totali-tarianism.