The intellectual legacy of Leo Strauss (1899-1973)

Abstract

Leo Strauss revitalized the potential of political philosophy, which had been buried by positivism and historicism. Strauss was both impressed by and dissatisfied with the contemporary criticism of rationalism. Studying the history of political philosophy, he discovered that classical rationalism is not open to the criticism of rationalism because it does not begin by assuming the goodness of philosophy. Classical political philosophy overcomes nihilism not by proving the existence of universal rules of conduct, but by seeing what is highest in man. Modern philosophers departed from the classical approach in an unsuccessful attempt to meet the challenge of revealed religion. This failure led them to engage in a political-scientific project whose ultimate purpose was to refute revealed religion. Although the project failed, it led to the concealment of the most fundamental problems of human beings. The recovery of those problems is Strauss's great legacy.