A few highlights from recent supplementary discussions on Allan Bloom (his takes on Nietzsche and Freud among other topics) and two new readings originally meant for ep. 193: Leo Strauss's "Mass Education and Democracy" (1967) and Richard Rorty's "Democracy and Philosophy" (2007). Plus, you can help determine the future of PEL audioplays! Become a PEL Citizen or $5 Patreon Continue Reading …
Ep. 193 Follow-Up: Strauss and Rorty on Liberal Education and Democracy (Citizens Only)
Wes and Dylan discuss two articles selected but later rejected for ep. 193: Leo Strauss's "Mass Education and Democracy" (1967) and Richard Rorty's "Democracy and Philosophy" (2007). Must philosophical training, or liberal education more generally, necessarily be restricted a privileged minority? Thanks for being a PEL Citizen and supporting this extra discussion! Continue Reading …
Leo Strauss: Three Waves of Modernity
The crisis of modernity reveals itself in the fact … that modern western man no longer knows what he wants—that he no longer believes that he can know what is good and bad, right and wrong. –Leo Strauss Leo Strauss (1899–1973) was a German-Jewish political philosopher who, like earlier conservatives and later postmodernists, challenged the central contention of the Continue Reading …
Leo Strauss Political Philosophy Courses at Openculture.com
Via openculture.com, check out this writeup on 15 courses by this controversial figure. "Intellectual godfather of the neo-conservative political movement," y'all! -Mark Linsenmayer Continue Reading …
The Quarrel Between the Thomists and the Straussians
Brian Leiter bizarrely endorses this idiotic review by Aristotle scholar Peter Simpson of Richard G. Stevens' Political Philosophy: An Introduction. It's clear that the logic behind this endorsement is that Simpson criticizes the book because it has been written by a Straussian, and Leiter despises Straussians. Unfortunately, the logic behind the review is that Simpson is a Continue Reading …