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The Enduring Importance of Leo Strauss
Author(s): Laurence Lampert (Author)
- Publisher: University of Chicago Press
- Publication Date: 27 Aug. 2013
- Edition: 1st
- Language: English
- Print length: 344 pages
- ISBN-10: 022603948X
- ISBN-13: 9780226039480
Book Description
In The Enduring Importance of Leo Strauss, Laurence Lampert takes on the crucial task of separating what is truly important in the work of Leo Strauss from the ephemeral politics associated with his school. Lampert focuses on exotericism – the use of artful rhetoric to simultaneously communicate a socially responsible message to the public at large and a more radical message of philosophic truth to a smaller, more intellectually fit audience. Largely forgotten after the Enlightenment, exotericism, he shows, deeply informed Strauss both as a reader and as a philosopher. Examining Strauss’ most important books and essays through this exoteric lens, Lampert reevaluates not only Strauss but the philosophers – from Plato to Homer to Halevi to Nietzsche – with whom Strauss most deeply engaged. Ultimately he shows that Strauss’ famous distinction between ancient and modern thinkers is primarily rhetorical, one of the great examples of Strauss’ own exoteric craft. Celebrating Strauss’ achievements but recognizing one main shortcoming – a lack of proper grounding in modern science, which Nietzsche would remedy – Lampert illuminates Strauss as having even greater philosophic importance than generally realized.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“A valuable book for students of political philosophy. . . . Highly recommended.”– “Choice”
“
The Enduring Importance of Leo Strauss offers a major and provocative contribution to Strauss scholarship, but this is not the most important thing it offers. Laurence Lampert makes a persuasive case for the ‘new history of philosophy, ‘ which invites us to radically rethink the whole ‘tradition.'”–David Janssens, Tilburg UniversityAbout the Author
Laurence Lampert is professor emeritus of philosophy at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He is the author of several books, most recently How Philosophy Became Socratic, also published by the University of Chicago Press.
