Theodore John “Ted” Kaczynski was arrested in 1995 after many years of bombings. The FBI labeled him a terrorists in part because of the bombings and mayhem he created but also his demands that his manifesto be published. Once his manifesto was published it appeared that the author (Kaczynski) was seriously mentally ill. After his arrests this mental state was confirmed.
In the manifesto Kaczynski has moments of clarity closely following many famous philosophers including Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) particularly his work Vom Wesen der Wahrheit (“On the Essence of Truth”, 1930) and Die Frage nach der Technik (“The Question Concerning Technology”, 1954). Heidegger is also infamous for his involvement with the Nazi party during WWII. The Kaczynski manifesto also contains resemblances to writings from Hans-George Gadamer.
Question: If Kaczynski started his bombing campaign today would he still be labeled a domestic terrorists? Using materials and examples you have been exposed to in this class and any outside materials, please explain your position if Kaczynski would or would not be considered a domestic terrorists.
