Leo Strauss Philosophy as Rigorous Science and Political Philosophy ‘Whoever s concerned wih politcal philosophy must faethe fact tha in the lst two generations poitial philosophy has oat its credibiy, Polite! Philosophy his lost its eredibilty in peoporton a pole iself hes become ‘more philosophic than ever ina sent. Almost throughout it whe story politcal philosophy was universal while pois was particule, Palit! losoty was concerned with the best or jut order of solely which by ature best or just everywhere or alwaye, whl plits concerned withthe bing and wellbeing of tis or tat paula society (pols, nai, a empire) that isin beingat a given pac for sometime, Nota ew mew hare reamt of rule overall human beings by themsetves or oters but they were ‘reamers or at est regarded as such bythe philosophers, In our age om the other hand pots has infact become univera. Untet in wha is ioosely, otto say demagopcaly, called the ghetto ofan American city has repeat sions in Moscow, Peking, Johanesburg, Hanoi London, and other fa ‘way places and ilinked with them; whether he likage ty admited oF ot ‘makes no diference, Simultaneously poiteal pilesophy has disappeared ‘Thinisqiteobviousin the East whet the Communists themselves eal hit ocrine ther ideology. As Tor the contemporary West, the illestual owes peculiar ti ate neo-postivsm and extras. Posts ut ‘asses existentialism by fr in academic infuence and existent su ‘asses poitiviam by arin popula infuene,Postviem may be describe as {he view acording to which only scent Knowledge genuine noladgey since scene knowledge is unable to validate or invalidate ay vale judgments, and pottical philosophy most certainly i concerned witht erin nepal of Pal Phisopy 2.1,‘lida of sound vale judgments nthe ination of wound oes, stivism most eet polite pos asada ureter {ten appens ina eet arto gies but one Wl tear wide ofthe [bark fae defies contasineion to posts the view cording {owhichal principles fandestandng snd con are storal, ave tether pound than groundless man decision or fates pesto ‘cnc trom bgt ont Kno ein rowed, ulate rot ‘Sirhan one form among many of isin the worl these forse {he same tpn Since according to extent ll human thot ‘stone inte seme nated, extents msec! pots poo- hy a ral whist, PMEcnalum ia "movemen” whch te al sch movements bs & Aah periphery ans arOcetr. hater athe thought of Heeger {To tu thoupht oe exitenaiam owes importance oneal ‘especie Tere ino fom fr police psopy i Heieqgers ‘for an say wel be bet he fact tht he fom ia question is ‘apie by por tn gos Tis does ot nea hat Heeger whol tier pli: he ema ieeoon 0 935 de hy ad er pied any ter cntemporry pola ello il pad ational Sut fom fr er ad Ween ted and Hel ler had been trans formed into Hell Unbe! We cannot help boldg these facts apni ‘eideger. Moreover, ones bound to mundestand Heeger’ thought ‘daly ane dos not se thei innatecomeston with te core of Bs ilsopic hoop. Neverthe, hey afford oo sal» fas forthe Proper undestaing of thoght Afr 8am sc, he ofthe opinion That sone of hs cs and tome of is followers bas understood hin equate bv hat he right ors the same wot alo te, more ot icra oustanding thinkers? Tas oes ot dps ws, oweve, ee {king stand twa for we J thi an ate imp i ‘ape we ur no grein nak than exposing ours to idle and ag i ne pes mgt may ngs tha ake ough 1 appeaing ono ‘many omtemporara his scepting the premise tat whe as Me nd {ought scaly stor History ota ational proses. Ava on Sequence, he demes that one cam undeatand a thinker beter than be ‘Shtocéhimlt anderen she understood hime geat hiker il derstand aver tinker of ak cree by tnsorming bis though and ence by understanding him lcm tan Re undemiood met One cold hardy oberve ths tstormation fone cold nt ee the orginal form, Above al scoring to Heveqgr a tikes prior 10 mfr been obvi ofthe taco al round, he fandamental {bya This seron imps hela tha nthe decsive respect eidenaet ersten ns pet redeteoreter ha they understood emseves, Pilea gros Sone a Inordrtoundersand Heidegger’ thought and thereforein particulars posture toward politics and pot piosopy. one must not neglect the ‘ork ot his teacher Huser The asus to Huse! at rendered if ty any fale sep ike thse taken by Heidegger in 193 and 1953.1 have ead sad though thal the Haserian equate! was is conversion, not proceeding from conviction o Chrsuan. I ths were proven fo be ase would becomes tak for acai of exceptional giao conser te ‘dmrtes and similares ofthe two kinds of at and Yo weigh heir respective demerts and merit. ‘When I ws slums! «boy, Huse explained o me who at hat tine essa doubting and” dubious adherent of the Marbury soo of Reo Kanani, the charsctersticof is wn work in aout these tee “the “Marburg scot beglas withthe rot, ie I hein with the foundation” “This meant that or the school o Marburg he sole task ofthe fndamental pat of philosophy was the theory af lente expecene, the analy of Senite thought! Huuer however had eslzed more profoundly thn 'nybny else that the scenic understand he worl fa om being the perfection of our natural understanding, i deriae rom he ter ‘ay so make w oblnour of te ver Tounstonr oT HE nrg of parc onde mst armour mm Understanding the world rom ou undestandngottheweldsseas Percept Hcp ent mchana Inthe same dren: he primary theme oot the objet of pereption but the al ings expert spr of the india bute content India word oi tong’ The fal hing ht enol tn ‘ite ofthe primary an secnday qualia welt alse uate the ordinary meaning of tat term but aso of qualities Ie sced oF profane: the ul phenomenon of acov sora ind costed mach more bythe sarednesofthecow than by any othe qulityor aspect. Tiss {halt one can no longer peak of “stra undersning of the wor, very underanding ofthe worlishioil.”Corespondng on mst fp tac behind ene human rom the sulpny fore, rom no mae,” language. Accordingly there aie he phiosopic WK of ndectandiag the ener structure sommoo to al Rstreal words Yetfne ght thhistorisy fal thought reseed, {he understanding ofthe univer or essential sucrose ‘ocr muntbesciompaniedendins way gtedy tat sigh Tismesns “huttbe understanding of the een srr ofall Nato worst be undemiood a esently elongng oa pete sonal content toa ‘pede histo period. The curate ofthe Ror ght rs coe:syndy caer of he sd wih tens. The ait Tei th ia an tess htt evel al ener ho aa eee doce apna at there mo posit of ‘hoe ptt hang inte our which woul ender bolt oat teeter ht Ar tess ight ms elo Tike stole moment hoy. tna word, be iiety feted ‘Sete seg to artes oe gest what in the eo 2) ‘Seeman woul be cl psy of so. "Se te moment my bee serine momen sim rth bate nomen eal previous sty. Tatts th abolte moment sen ad nthe omenton of Hegel Hisytem psy, the al poo tip he prec solu fal piso problems belongs tthe ment ht, mun hs solved eal pole probe by esate Teyoncevluonary sate state 1 recog te eqel ianty of hora ig esch Ts sls peak ory beng the emt SeceRarc sae tine he tegining ofthe al deine, Inti eet ‘feeperhas mee broupt ot estimate cones of Hep hou Setbaer nrlore tt ast cveryoe rebel aginst Hegel. Noone {Eo ume efecvely than Mas, Mare cme to hve lta with Salty the mystery of al histoy, ning the present ad the inet fare, Sao te out fc order which wat bound some a in SASS ad eough wich mer would be able or competed ote Bs ne {Diet aly human nee More ree for Mart hua sory, 0a fom novi been compltd, ha ot even fp: what wel story abe pre hstory of may. Questioning the setlement which Hegel ad seeded ern e foowed the vison of word sockty which Pupp and exis laren the complet vicory of the own vet The ebay, of the mobile over the deeply ried, of te spt of the ‘Oca oe he spt ofthe Oven he member ofthe word soci Chchieno longer pole vce arefre an eau andaroin the ist Ttybecaus specication, i disin oar hs en way othe {a devcopmest of vero. Repro of wheter or ot etc fnew of Man’ writgs, he uetoned the emmons vl ive ale thn ayone che. He ‘Eteutea the mon fhe commons word it the st ma, asin ‘Me Stmox aepadation without “specs,” without the brsnes of Nltaton hon soit an reste are imposible In cordance with Unbe dened ta theft of he human rc predetermined. THe Strate ete lst man te overman, 2 pe of man suranga ‘teen al peevios haan tye in ete and oli he ore ‘an he tre wl bere bly y the pire of he tre. ‘ring to israel anvegabtarann Niece’ von of posse (rein seme more proton polities th Mar vow ike the Poop 8 Rigo Sic 7 ‘ical Cominetal European conservative Niche sw in commis nly the completion of democratic cgltarianiim and of the Hoeraie demand for teedom which not "readom fr” but only a "eedom from.” But in contadtinton to those cntervatives be ed that one. ‘aan as sch doomed, ice ll erly efrave poston, al erly brekmardTokingendenvor ae domed The fre sexed te wth democracy and ational, Boh were repaded by Nicusche a inconpa be with what he hel 10 Be he tak of he twenbeth entay. He the {rene century an age of wo wats aig upto planar. Iman-ere tv ftre that rile woul ave be eerie y une Europe. The enonmous tasks of ths unprecedented oa age ould at Pony be dachargedby werk nd unt goverment cpecig Publ opinion. The new stuaton clothe emerges one 9 {ys nobly formed by anew ea: the nobility ofthe oven, Nite ‘che enim wo have dasovered with fay the mystery ofa hoy, ‘ncading the potent, ue the atermative whch now confronts man, of the ‘tos dgredaton athe highest exaaon Te posit of upaiing Std overcoming sl previous human ype eveas ee tothe prs, let teaus the present isoperor all ps ages than beats itithe moment ‘tthe pretest anger and che for th reason ofthe greatest ho Heidege'pilonphy of history hs the ame ctr ts Mar and [Nietache™ the moment in which The fal ight arvng opens the ‘schoo prospect But Heeger mich se to Net than 0 ‘Mare Bothhinkersepardas eee thei which acorn them {ez in Pato or before)Christanty beng oly Plato othe peo. e—and who ultimate comequenc ste present dey Hitbero every {rat age of humanity grew out of Boden (otednee inthe sa) Yetthe reat age clasia Greece ave tho away of ning which ‘np endangered Bodesaigtc tro he bepnning aod in i i Ite contemporary consequences about odesoy the at eso tat ‘dion of man geste Hedeacrspilwophy bong othe fr fntly dangerour moment when mans ins restr danger than ve Deloe ‘of fxing is humanity and therefre—danger and sation toning together—philesophy cn have te ak of eontibting owned every ‘rretwnof Bodentandghito rate of repaig amen} novel ot ‘odenstinhe a Bodentundihe beyond he mont exreme Boden keiabeingsthome beyond the mst creme homeless. Nahr ae reasons for thinking tat cording to Heeger the word ha neve et ben inorder or thought hs never yet been simply man A snlogve teweenthe most profound thinker fhe Oe! nde mort proond thinkers ofthe Orem and in parila East Ai may Tend Yt come Summation prepared sccompaiedorfolowedby atu ofthe gos That Sitoge an cverthing that tet, Dt rarely no pla action o anyo one inspite He eben a inh es aay hrc hr Mee Open we ge stad the 159 mre roy ny Siete epee tn oy. crates oop tm act fw Pita cl sw te = Pe iia sien ate pony a mp ytd a esng, ter any eet eda ests oma ry “Pay Ren 5 SEES ce de ot ot oer Sex muy inert cg rar mon pr ‘eo oon whee mete ei ur Sy sed he lr pot ess sch sth eaen te*Po ‘Sn tsp he ta be ra ne sent eh cmos sis Tein een iaineutocieeerepen epost PRC tited y's osm Tui ho oh ‘ei nt einen ‘=ERak oy cn eves Puh See hswtpecn. oy Peon oe Sisco emreneil hs trae he cnt ete in ania een aon he poe coe Scere tan sep mprant) ht y ghd ernst poe es ‘ts ey sinister he ce tie Re een tse aoe Spec nan ee cing sph iro onthe coppson Rew al ns ‘rc yy ee Hae pecs aon rain tcnpa ane ieaootssptoy ome en ‘pnts end ono apy ems Ae ‘Sete hl marten seer Ser aoe glia on nen ew cr wi er fears gapsne eo sr Sc ir tty ate se 2a ae be aon Gd Eine ey Ree ‘act a op Pilsen Rr Sine 7 “pe eit Haan Sento, “ue cre serene eo Simei come et OSE lea Soe eee gage tet are nc eee Rapoatetamsa att dacgtencta pater Snanvatrea seater geen ae Seneca ence cnet ys, Sy concerned with the nay ar, exudes In more Se ee oral en Spite recpematar ae nr stoclstatrtlee aroun Ser igae tomers ett Sta oani eee erator cede SESE er eat sca any Bees stem igen ties ene SAMS ree eeanoatan reine Feeeelip peers Soisutcee mansion Sica ieee tear, en iis comes Sa er omens, oe ae cfoty nt er eae ean gece meieme neceaines Sete Soro ne pec Oey tong ana Re Sons ante ee Sos seca cau Semareraneeienternicns ss siamese er STS tay ee sane ce se = ae coe‘of extence. In accordance with thi the stay ofthe ie ofthe mind as Practiced by the tought historias oes tothe pilsoper 4 more ‘rpm and therefore ore undamental materia of ingiry han he sty ‘ot mature * this io, the soy of men's religous ie most be of renter Dhiloropic relevance than the sy of ate ‘Powopy at rigorous science was helene inthe second place by 2 ‘way of thinking which unde the infoensof storm was about are ito mere Weltnschaamgiphlosophie. Wetinschawng i ie-experence ‘fa igh order Tt icudee not ony experene of te word Bat also ‘eliious, esthetic eth, plea, pracaltechnial ete experienc. The tan who poteses ach experience ona ery igh vel cll wise oi hilo poues a Welichnnng, Hust can therfore speak of "wadom ‘or Welanschaung" According to him wisdom or Wehonshawurg ian tie ttm ea wh ye mean he of pret vite or bythe ide a humanity, Wetionchouunapior ‘phi comes ini being when the atta a made 10 conceptualize wisdom {oF to ge a logialelaborton or, more simply, pie ithe form of Science! ths ordinary goes togeer with the step se theresa of the apeil ences materi Thi kind of plonophy, when aking on {heform of ona hoe ofthe peat systems presets rll most Defeat ofthe idles fife nd the mors. The tadional hor pues Sec ibe stint Weowchtnpicophi tnd cee Dhlosophies sins te objectives of wisdom on he on and and of rigors fcienceontheoter had no et been lee separated from one anor But for th modera consciousness the seperation othe ess of wisdom and ‘ofrignooe scene har become fart and thy remain encforth separate forall eternity. The Men of We rs rom epoch epoch tle the iden of sce spate). One might tink tht the Teazationt ofthe two idem would approsch cach othe asymptotically 3 ie inte Yetwe cannot wai”; we need “eualtauon and consolation” ow; we need some kind of stem to ie By, only Weanchawng © Welarchauangphlsophe can sas thseJostiied demas” Sutly Dlonophy a goour sence cannot mat them: ha barely Depa ‘lee centres, i oot milena, unl tenders poebe i rgard 0 ‘hi and eligi life regulted by pare rational norms,” ifitis oat Limes eseaally incomplete end in need of ratcal revisions. Hence the temptation fo foie hin favor of Welochenngiphiovphae ver) reat, From Hoses point of view one would have to say that Hebegpe ‘Proved unable wo rei that tempation. “The refton on the relation othe two Kinds of plxophyobvouly belongs tothe phere of poopy as goous scence. comes closet © Poop a igre Sine » {wing Huset's contbton opal piosophy, Hed ot go on to one wheter the single-minded prt posoy wegen ‘ould nt have an adver eect on Weluuchaenpheoon ee ost nen need ove by thers onthe scales lc esse ‘at Kind of phos serve, nthe ft plas in the pacnone ot plilonophy at gros scence bt secondary ao al to ai ‘eprevedby thc pracitn, Neen tobe len oped? there wllaaye be svar of Webancha ‘hu pee fly ens within one andthe me soy Heid not poy atenden ects ta ipo gle Wluschaung or Welunehoane nae peo ath meres antrth esr a let plle "eorooricece. Nov dle cose hat eves nse at ee” Indes many Weouchaunge does iis By vitae Stone fel Wetarschag 4 issn manne continued este moxie thereon we ave Seen ekig sow under he impact of ren sh eal nt oe Noted or orerbeard n' lure delved Pree ae ee “Thon who me cone coment th heaton mde oop buan beings wil pt ost, dsr eho {Ske pice in the sphere of pote power, Alcady athe Sooner Phitophypescon sen The en tho ie toward hoe oe Bhsphy ae outewe. And ees ne Soge tana et ower” overt ae the ato btwn phony mM ‘cece ante atemave tote one mistiokat hepa oe Sere the estonia enental chance cee eect todo oe canoe cary Oh eal cso ase als “pny a ison ees sn Std hn Mca cre Ph,