The Truth about Leo Strauss

Political Philosophy and American Democracy

Catherine H. Zuckert, Michael P. Zuckert

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Hardback

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English

University of Chicago Press
25 September 2006

Social & political philosophy; Political science & theory

Is Leo Strauss truly an intellectual forebear of neoconservatism and a powerful force in shaping Bush administration foreign policy? The Truth about Leo Strauss puts this question to rest, revealing for the first time how the popular media came to perpetuate such an oversimplified view of such a complex and wide-ranging philosopher. More important, it corrects our perception of Strauss, providing the best general introduction available to the political thought of this misunderstood figure.

Catherine and Michael Zuckert—both former students of Strauss—guide readers here to a nuanced understanding of how Strauss’s political thought fits into his broader philosophy. Challenging the ideas that Strauss was an inflexible conservative who followed in the footsteps of Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Carl Schmitt, the Zuckerts contend that Strauss’s signature idea was the need for a return to the ancients. This idea, they show, stemmed from Strauss’s belief that modern thought, with its relativism and nihilism, undermines healthy politics and even the possibility of real philosophy. Identifying this view as one of Strauss’s three core propositions—America is modern, modernity is bad, and America is good—they conclude that Strauss was a sober defender of liberal democracy, aware of both its strengths and its weaknesses.

The Zuckerts finish, appropriately, by examining the varied work of Strauss’s numerous students and followers, revealing the origins—rooted in the tensions within his own thought—oftheir split into opposing camps. Balanced and accessible, The Truth about Leo Strauss is a must-read for anyone who wants to more fully comprehend this enigmatic philosopher and his much-disputed legacy.

By: Catherine H. Zuckert, Michael P. Zuckert
Imprint: University of Chicago Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 24mm, Width: 16mm, Spine: 2mm
Weight: 539g
ISBN: 9780226993324
ISBN 10: 0226993329
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 25 September 2006
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Catherine and Michael Zuckert are both Nancy R. Dreux Professors of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. Catherine is the author of two books, including Postmodern Platos, also published by the University of Chicago Press. Michael is the author of three books, including Natural Rights and the New Republicanism.

Reviews for The Truth about Leo Strauss: Political Philosophy and American Democracy

"""The Truth about Leo Strauss is the most balanced and insightful book yet written about Strauss's thought, students, and political influence. It dispels myths promulgated by both friends and foes and persuasively traces the conflicting paths that American thinkers indebted to Strauss have taken."" - William Galston, Brookings Institution ""The late emigre philosopher Leo Strauss has achieved a great deal of posthumous notoriety, demonized by the Left as the cynical spiritual father of imperialist U.S. policies. Strauss's thought deserves better - and gets it, in The Truth about Leo Strauss."" - National Review"""