Studies in Platonic Political PhilosophyUniversity of Chicago Press, 2022 M06 22 - 268 pages One of the outstanding thinkers of our time offers in this book his final words to posterity. Studies in Platonic Political Philosophy was well underway at the time of Leo Strauss's death in 1973. Having chosen the title for the book, he selected the most important writings of his later years and arranged them to clarify the issues in political philosophy that occupied his attention throughout his life. As his choice of title indicates, the heart of Strauss's work is Platonism—a Platonism that is altogether unorthodox and highly controversial. These essays consider, among others, Heidegger, Husserl, Nietzsche, Marx, Moses Maimonides, Machiavelli, and of course Plato himself to test the Platonic understanding of the conflict between philosophy and political society. Strauss argues that an awesome spritual impoverishment has engulfed modernity because of our dimming awareness of that conflict. Thomas Pangle's Introduction places the work within the context of the entire Straussian corpus and focuses especially on Strauss's late Socratic writings as a key to his mature thought. For those already familiar with Strauss, Pangle's essay will provoke thought and debate; for beginning readers of Strauss, it provides a fine introduction. A complete bibliography of Strauss's writings if included. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 75
Page 1
... means qualify as a substitute for what Strauss would have said . I must go further : I am certain that I do not yet have a completely clear understanding of the fundamental intention which guided Strauss in this and all his mature works ...
... means qualify as a substitute for what Strauss would have said . I must go further : I am certain that I do not yet have a completely clear understanding of the fundamental intention which guided Strauss in this and all his mature works ...
Page 2
... means to engage in philosophizing of this kind . Strauss's New Interpretation of the " Ideas " To carry on Platonic political philosophizing , as Strauss understands it , is not to limit oneself to studying the works of Plato , although ...
... means to engage in philosophizing of this kind . Strauss's New Interpretation of the " Ideas " To carry on Platonic political philosophizing , as Strauss understands it , is not to limit oneself to studying the works of Plato , although ...
Page 5
... mean , as the being which looks not only at the beings but at itself looking , exists and is known in a way different from the other beings --- more immediately but , as a consequence , in the greater fullness of its mystery . For the ...
... mean , as the being which looks not only at the beings but at itself looking , exists and is known in a way different from the other beings --- more immediately but , as a consequence , in the greater fullness of its mystery . For the ...
Page 6
... mean to bring into doubt the very existence of the thing in question ; but in asking about the virtues , and ... means , and the capacity for sacrifice , is dictated by the human concern for virtue or excellence . The virtues are ...
... mean to bring into doubt the very existence of the thing in question ; but in asking about the virtues , and ... means , and the capacity for sacrifice , is dictated by the human concern for virtue or excellence . The virtues are ...
Page 9
... means by " philosophy " so long as we try to conceive of philoso- phy as merely a method of thought , or an assemblage of intellectual tools , or even as the most comprehensive sort of reflection which culminates in a " total world ...
... means by " philosophy " so long as we try to conceive of philoso- phy as merely a method of thought , or an assemblage of intellectual tools , or even as the most comprehensive sort of reflection which culminates in a " total world ...
Contents
1 | |
Abbreviations | 27 |
1 Philosophy as Rigorous Science and Political Philosophy | 29 |
2 On Platos Apology of Socrates and Crito | 38 |
3 On the Euthymedus | 67 |
4 Preliminary Observations on the Gods in Thucydides Work | 89 |
5 Xenophons Anbasis | 105 |
6 On Natural Law | 137 |
9 Notes on Maimonides Book of Knowledge | 192 |
10 Note on Maimonides Letter on Astrology | 205 |
11 Note on Maimonides Treatise on the Art of Logic | 208 |
12 Niccolo Machiavelli | 210 |
13 Review of CB Macpherson The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism | 229 |
14 Review of J L Talmon The Nature of Jewish History | 232 |
15 Introductory Essay for Hermann Cohen Religion of Reason out of the Sources of Judaism | 233 |
Leo Strauss 18991973 a Bibliography | 249 |
7 Jerusalem and Athens | 147 |
8 Note on the Plan of Nietzches Beyond Good and Evil | 174 |
Index | 259 |
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according accusers Alkibiades Anabasis ancient aphorism Apology of Socrates army Athenians Athens become beginning believe Bible biblical Book Brasidas brothers called chapter character Cheirisophos claim Cohen command concerned creation Crito Cyrus daimonion dialogue difference Dionysodoros Discourses divine doctrine eternal ethics Euthydemos evil fact fundamental God's gods Greeks Ha-Torah hence Hobbes holy human interpretation Jewish Judaism justice kind king kingly art Kleinias knowledge Kriton Ktesippos live Livy Lord Machiavelli Maimonides man's means mentioned Mishneh Torah modern moral nations natural law natural right Nietzsche Nietzsche's Nikias noble oracle particular Persians Plato Political Philosophy possess Prince prophets protreptic Proxenos punishment question refutation regarding Religion of Reason repentance Reprinted Republic sacrifices seems sense Seuthes silent society soldiers soul Spartans speak speech Strauss teaching things thinking thought Thucydides tion Tissaphernes true truth understand understood University virtue whole wisdom wise wish Xenophon Zeus