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Leo Strauss: Philosophy Between the Lines (In-Person) is unfortunately unavailable

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Brooklyn Institute for Social Research See all classes by this school @ 315 E 91st St, New York, NY

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Leo Strauss: Philosophy Between the Lines (In-Person)

Dive into the provocative ideas of Leo Strauss, exploring his critique of modernity, liberalism, and Enlightenment rationality. Engage with his concept of the “theologico-political predicament” and the tension between religion and philosophy. Examine Strauss’s esoteric reading methods and his enduring influence on political thought across ideological spectrums.

  • All levels
  • 21 and older
  • $335
  • Earn 10% Rewards
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  • 1016 Beverley Rd, Brooklyn, NY
  • 12 hours over 4 sessions

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  • $335/person
  • 12 hours over 4 sessions
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Class Description

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What you'll learn in this history lesson:

Obscure in his lifetime, Leo Strauss came to posthumous notoriety as the house philosopher of the George W. Bush administration. The more malevolently the administration behaved, the more sinister Strauss appeared, his name becoming a byword for reactionary esoterica—for reading philosophy “between the lines” for meanings deliberately concealed from the benighted masses. Yet, to reduce Strauss to his supposed method is to overlook a depth of thought that took as its object nothing less than (what Strauss saw as) the fundamental crisis of modernity. For Strauss, Enlightenment rationality had dissolved the theological foundation of politics, substituting faith in revelation with a far more malign illusion—the belief in progress. But what are the consequences of our “theologico-political predicament?” How can we understand the alleged tension between what Strauss calls “Jerusalem and Athens”—i.e., religion and philosophy? How does Strauss’s diagnosis of modernity connect to his (in)famous practice of esoteric reading and its emphasis on the “noble lie?” And given its deep critique of liberalism, is there anything Strauss’s work can offer for not only conservative thought, but for left-wing political theory as well?

This course is a rigorous introduction to Leo Strauss’s most provocative ideas. We will situate Strauss’s work in its Weimar German context, especially as it shaped his attitude toward “Jerusalem and Athens”—the dual metaphorical foundations for his political thinking. We will consider how the rise of Nazism and Zionism impacted Strauss’s political thought, including his critique of modernity and liberalism. And, as we range over Strauss’s corpus, we’ll examine his “great conversation” with the canonical Western philosophers—from Plato and Machiavelli to Spinoza, Hobbes, Hegel, and Nietzsche—and how (and why) he “reads between the lines” with the aim of discovering a thinker’s secret teaching. Can Strauss himself be read esoterically? Finally, we’ll consider Strauss’s revival of the old quarrel between ancient and modern philosophy, as well as his critique of historicism, relativism, and liberal democracy in that context. Why, for Strauss, was the Enlightenment critique of religion the very cause of rationality’s self-destruction? Is nihilism the inevitable condition of modernity? And, as we ourselves read Strauss, what are we to make of his legacy and continued influence, from the invasion of Iraq to the pervasive presence of “west-” and “east-coast” Straussians in the hallways and recesses of right-wing U.S. politics and power?

Refund Policy

  • Upon request, we will refund less 5% cancellation fee of a course up until 6 business days before its start date.
  • Students who withdraw after that point but before the first class are entitled to 75% refund or full course credit.
  • After the first class: 50% refund or 75% course credit.
  • No refunds or credits will be given after the second class.

In any event where a customer wants to cancel their enrollment and is eligible for a full refund, a 5% processing fee will be deducted from the refund amount.

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Brooklyn Institute for Social Research

The Brooklyn Institute for Social Research was established in 2011 in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. Its mission is to extend liberal arts education and research far beyond the borders of the traditional university, supporting community education needs and opening up new possibilities for scholarship in the...

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Brooklyn Institute for Social Research

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