The Human Condition Between Technical Mastery and Introspection: An Arendtian Critique of Modern Rationality

Modernity emerges as an era in which the correlation between intelligence and technical mastery becomes the central axis of social and cultural development. These two concepts function as the leitmotif of the modern age, shaping the way human beings understand themselves and the world. Drawing on Hannah Arendt’s analysis in The Human Condition, this article examines how technical rationality has transformed the philosophical tradition and the foundations of scientific thought. The relationship between observation and thought undergoes a profound reconfiguration, contributing to the re-formation of a “new human being.” Paradoxically, introspection becomes a central source of meaning, mediating the tension between thought and action, intelligence and mastery. The principle of utility, a pillar of utilitarian philosophy, plays a dual role: it drives technical progress while simultaneously exposing the limitations of modern thought. This article clarifies the internal tensions of modernity and demonstrates how the modern age ultimately contradicts its own foundational claims.