Product Description

In this classic work, Leo Strauss examines the problem of natural right and argues that there is a firm foundation in reality for the distinction between right and wrong in ethics and politics. On the centenary of Strauss's birth, and the fiftieth anniversary of the Walgreen Lectures which spawned the work, Natural Right and History remains as controversial and essential as ever. "Strauss ...makes a significant contribution towards an understanding of the intellectual crisis in which we find ourselves ...[and] brings to his task an admirable scholarship and a brilliant, incisive mind."--John H. Hallowell, American Political Science Review Leo Strauss (1899-1973) was the Robert Maynard Hutchins Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in Political Science at the University of Chicago.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #343477 in Books
• Published on: 1965-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Customer Reviews

The Hallmark of an intellectual epoch
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Leo Strauss, allow me to fill in the gaps. Leo Strauss was a Neo Conservative philosopher who escaped Nazi Germany only to go on to become a senior Professor of Philosophy at The University of Chicago. This work is perhaps the best introduction to his line of thought.
An expert on classical philosophy, Strauss highlighted the perilous and inconclusive nature of postmodernism, and the general shortsightedness of Liberal thinking. The phrase "Man's efforts to make man at home in this world have led to man being made homeless in this world" epitomize this work. Strauss argues against the optimistic humanistic tradition of sanctioning wrongdoings and equivocating evil actions on the basis of short sighted optimism and an almost blinding desire to believe in the redeemability of humans. Arguing strongly for a distinction of right and wrong Strauss outlines the paradox of non value judgements saying that to speak of values is to subconsciously make a value judgement.
For anyone who is disenfranchised with the paradoxical Marxist view of human nature (all humans are instinctively good but corrupted by society??? So how is society bad in that case??) or disenchanted with the post modernist, particularly Nietzschean, reassessment of morals, this book is a must read.
Strauss may have died in 1973, but the fruit of his work lives on in various institutions, not least of which is the Pentagon. Highly recomended.

Love him or hate him, you should read Strauss at some point
I am not a neo-con and I strongly disagree with their ideology. However like Marx said "I am not a Marxist", well Leo Strauss isn't realy a neo-con.

Don't get me wrong, Strauss makes very clear anti-liberal points in his work, some of which are ghastly and unjust. But even from a left-wing stance, much of his work can make sense and be respected. In a social sense, Strauss has made bold but correct statements, but too many right-wingers have used his work alongside some very shoddy free-market economics which is a complete contradiction really.

Strauss is a good read for understanding radical political philosphy if you dont want to be left in the dark. I would recommend Strauss more to left-wingers more than right because the right tend to misunderstand or dangerously intensify his work to the point of oblivion. If you are looking for economic answers don't be mixed up in Strauss - read some Fukuyama or some Galbraith. I've always found that by reading both sides of the spectrum then you get a balanced view and can argue better.

High brow
After watching the new series on TV "Nightmare", the exploration of social manipulation via the media, I thought I would do some background reading so as to give some balance to the program.

Whilst I consider myself well read and intelligent I found reading this collection of essays hard work and ultimitly unenlightning beyond the basic ideas.
Please dont take this as an attack on this book but be aware that this is a heavy tome and as such is not, in my opinion, suitable for the casual reader.

Could one who is versed in this subject point us mere mortals to a book which is more suitable.

As a foot note I study cryptography and think the first chapter is a perfect example of hiding a message in background noise.