Between Athens and Jerusalem

David Janssens

Description

Praised as a major political thinker of the twentieth century and vilified as the putative godfather of contemporary neoconservatism, Leo Strauss (1899–1973) has been the object of heated controversy both in the United States and abroad. This book offers a more balanced appraisal by focusing on Strauss's early writings. By means of a close and comprehensive study of these texts, David Janssens reconstructs the genesis of Strauss's thought from its earliest beginnings until his emigration to the United States in 1937. He discusses the first stages in Strauss's grappling with the "theological-political problem," from his doctoral dissertation on Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi to his contributions to Zionist periodicals, from his groundbreaking study of Spinoza's critique of religion to his research on Moses Mendelssohn, and from his rediscovery of medieval Jewish and Islamic philosophy to his research on Hobbes. Throughout, Janssens traces Strauss's rediscovery of the Socratic way of life as a viable alternative to both modern philosophy and revealed religion.
List of Abbreviations
Leo Strauss’s Early Years: Chronology of Major Events and Writings (1899–1937)
Introduction

1. “In the Grip of the Theological-Political Predicament”

The Theological-Political Problem and the Jewish Question
Back to Reality: Emancipation, Assimilation, and Zionism
“God and Politics”
Biblical Politics, Biblical Science, and the New Theology
Quaestio Iuris: The Legacy of Spinoza

2. The Shadow of Spinoza

“A Humanly Incomprehensible Betrayal”
Before the Tribunal: Biblical Science and the Critique of Religion
Spinoza’s Twofold Strategy
Maimonides: The Limits of Reason and the Interest in Revelation
Calvin: “Like Clay in the Potter’s Hand”
Happiness and Ridicule: The Epicurean Connection
Farewell to Spinoza

3. The Second Cave

The Crisis of the Enlightenment: Jacobi, Mendelssohn, and the Pantheism Controversy
Atheism, Intellectual Probity, and the Love of Truth
The Socratic Question and the Fate of Philosophy

4.  The Order of Human Things

Medieval Enlightenment: Nomos and Platonic Politics
Between the Lines: The Art of Writing
“A Horizon Beyond Liberalism”: The Debate with Carl Schmitt

5. Socrates and the Leviathan

Hobbes’s Motive
“The Right Order of Society”
Fighting the Kingdom of Darkness

6.  Epilogue

The Surface and the Core
The Problem of Socrates
Machiavelli’s Oblivion
Natural Right and the Socratic Question
From Jerusalem to Athens (and Back)

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Philosophie politique
• Philosophie de la religion
• Philosophy of religion

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791478707
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Between Athens and Jerusalem

SUNY series in the Thought and Legacy of Leo Strauss Kenneth Hart Green, editor

Between Athens and Jerusalem

Philosophy, Prophecy, and Politics in Leo Strauss’s Early Thought

David Janssens

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2008 David Janssens

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu

Production by Judith Block and Eileen Meehan Marketing by Anne M. Valentine

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Janssens, David, 1971– [Tussen Athene en Jerusalem. English] Between Athens and Jerusalem : philosophy, prophecy, and politics in Leo Strauss’s early thought / David Janssens. p. cm. — (SUNY series in the thought of Leo Strauss and his legacy) Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-7914-7391-7 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Strauss, Leo. I. Title. B945.S84J3613 2008 181'.06—dc22 2007017443

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For Margot and Camille

Idesthe tôde tô kasignètô, philoi

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List of Abbreviations

Leo Strauss’s Early Years: Writings (1899–1937)

Introduction

Contents

Chronology of Major Events and

C HAPTER 1. “In the Grip of the Theological-Political Predicament” The Theological-Political Problem and the Jewish Question Back to Reality: Emancipation, Assimilation, and Zionism “God and Politics” Biblical Politics, Biblical Science, and the New Theology Quaestio Iuris: The Legacy of Spinoza

C HAPTER 2. The Shadow of Spinoza “A Humanly Incomprehensible Betrayal” Before the Tribunal: Biblical Science and the Critique of Religion Spinoza’s Twofold Strategy Maimonides: The Limits of Reason and the Interest in Revelation Calvin: “Like Clay in the Potter’s Hand” Happiness and Ridicule: The Epicurean Connection Farewell to Spinoza

vii

ix

xi

1

7 7 8 11 18 26

31 31 37

42 54

62 66 71

viii

CONTENTS

C HAPTER 3. The Second Cave The Crisis of the Enlightenment: Jacobi, Mendelssohn, and the Pantheism Controversy Atheism, Intellectual Probity, and the Love of Truth The Socratic Question and the Fate of Philosophy

C HAPTER Order of Human Things4. The Medieval Enlightenment:Nomosand Platonic Politics Between the Lines: The Art of Writing “A Horizon Beyond Liberalism”: The Debate with Carl Schmitt

C HAPTER and the Leviathan5. Socrates Hobbes’s Motive “The Right Order of Society” Fighting the Kingdom of Darkness

C HAPTER 6. Epilogue The Surface and the Core The Problem of Socrates Machiavelli’s Oblivion

Natural Right and the Socratic Question

From Jerusalem to Athens (and Back)

Notes

Bibliography

Index

77 77

90 96

109 109 123 133

149 149 153 165

173 173 177 187 190 192

195

241

251

AAPL CM EW FPP GS 1 GS 2 GS 3 JPCM LAM NRH OT PAW PL PPH RCPR SA SCR SPPP TM WPP

Abbreviations

The Argument and the Action of Plato’s Laws

The City and Man

The Early Writings

Faith and Political Philosophy

Gesammelte Schriften, Vol. 1

Gesammelte Schriften, Vol. 2

Gesammelte Schriften, Vol. 3

Jewish Philosophy and the Crisis of Modernity

Liberalism Ancient and Modern Natural Right and History On Tyranny Persecution and the Art of Writing Philosophy and Law

The Political Philosophy of Hobbes

The Rebirth of Classical Political Rationalism

Socrates and Aristophanes

Spinoza’s Critique of Religion

Studies in Platonic Political Philosophy

Thoughts on Machiavelli

What Is Political Philosophy?

ix