Podcasts about Leo Strauss

Right versus left. Democrat versus Republican. Liberal versus Conservative. These are the terms we are all too familiar with that practically serve to symbolize the political struggle between good and evil, freedom and tyranny, or big and small government. But if the last 50 years of politics have proven anything, it's that these labels mean shockingly little. Whether it's Reagan opening the nation's floodgates via amnesty under a Republican elephant or the supposedly anti-big corporation Democrats mandating an untested vaccine, both ideas functionally operate as little more than two sides of the same coin. The yard sign changes every four years, but the underlying assumptions and commitments to liberal democracy don't.Yet when you trace the intellectual formation of the American conservative identity you find that wasn't always the case. Something happened in the '60s and '70s that broke our connection to our English, Anglo, and Protestant past and made America into the degenerate war hawk it became in the '90s and early 2000s. Committed to a defense of Israel and esoteric readings of the Ancient Greek philosophers, influential academics like Leo Strauss and Harry Jaffa—alongside journalists like Irving Kristol—birthed a powerful new flavor of conservatism that took root in the American consciousness.This supposedly right-wing political thought had little differences with the left in its embrace of liberal democracy and equality, but served its purpose in turning America into a dominant foreign adversary alongside a compelling narrative about its embrace of creedal nationhood and the peoples of the world. But as the downstream effects of decades of universal suffrage and propositional nationhood come home to roost, neoconservatism offers shockingly little substance in the way of resistance or conserving our Christian European heritage. Populism and revolution are on the rise, and the strong gods are coming home.It's time to stop calling ourselves conservatives and falling into the same dialectical trap again and again. We are not neocons and we are not interested in the solutions of Mitt Romney, Ted Cruz, and Mitch McConnell. Like the Founding Fathers who risked it all to forge a new, self-governed future, we also need real and potentially radical solutions to our dilemma. Cutting taxes by 10% and another war in the Middle East isn't going to do it.Tune in now as we discuss Leo Strauss, American conservatism, and the coming right-wing revolution.MINISTRY SPONSORS:Reece Fund. Christian Capital. Boldly Deployedhttps://www.reecefund.com/Private Family Banking How to Connect with Private Family Banking: FREE 20-MINUTE COURSE HERE: View CourseSend an email inquiry to chuck@privatefamilybanking.comReceive a FREE e-book entitled "How to Build Multi-Generational Wealth Outside of Wall Street and Avoid the Coming Banking Meltdown": protectyourmoneynow.netSet up a FREE Private Family Banking Discovery call: Schedule HereMulti-Generational Wealth Planning Guide Book for only $4.99: Seven Generations LegacyWestern Front Books. Publishing for men on the right. Not churchy. Christian.https://www.WesternFrontBooks.com/Mid State Accounting Does your small business need help with bookkeeping, tax returns, and fractional CFO services? Call Kailee Smith at 573‑889‑7278 for a free, no‑obligation consultation. Mention the Right Response podcast and get 10% off your first three months. Kingsmen Caps Carry the Crown with Kingsmen Caps — premium headwear made for those who honor Christ as King. Create your custom crown or shop our latest releases at https://kingsmencaps.com. Squirrelly Joes Coffee – Caffeinating The Modern Reformation Get a free bag of coffee (just pay shipping): https://squirrellyjoes.com/rightresponse

Paul Axton Preaches: The theology undergirding Donald Trump's expansion of presidential power is that of Carl Schmitt and Leo Strauss, built upon nominalism and voluntarism, the opposite of Jesus Christ as Logos and Lord. In this understanding the rule of law through the political leader displaces Christ's defeat of death and evil, and leaves law and fear as primary and necessitates a sovereign political leader. (Register now for the course Colossians and Christology which will run from June 3rd to July 29th https://pbi.forgingploughshares.org/offerings) If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider donating to support our work. Become a Patron!  

In this episode I return to Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey's History of Political Philosophy, to look at Strauss' own examination of Machiavelli. I focus on Machiavelli's strategic deployment of virtue and vice, and his comparison of Christianity and Paganism.

In his perpetual quest to mildly trigger his Straussian pals, Josh invites fellow Millennial and Burkean conservative Greg Collins on to discuss how Leo Strauss misconstrued Edmund Burke's political views and lasting impact.  Also discussed are Burke's complex views on natural rights, manners, reform, revolution, social contract theory, classical liberalism, and Rousseau.  Fair warning, dear listener, this one gets nerdy in a hurry!   About Greg Collins From The Kirk Center Dr. Gregory Collins is one of the most celebrated Burke scholars of the rising generation. He is a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Program on Ethics, Politics, and Economics at Yale University. He recently received the Buckley Institute's 2024 Lux and Veritas Faculty Prize. His first book, Commerce and Manners in Edmund Burke's Political Economy, examined Edmund Burke's understanding of the connection between markets and morals. Greg has also published articles on Adam Smith, F.A. Hayek, Frederick Douglass, Eric Voegelin, Leo Strauss, and Britain's East India Company. His additional writings and book reviews can be found in Modern Age, Law & Liberty, National Affairs, National Review, and University Bookman.  You can follow Greg on Twitter @GregCollins111   About the Russell Kirk Center's School of Conservative Studies As is noted in the episode, Josh met Greg during a recent virtual course on Burke. In the month of February, the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal hosted two of the nation's foremost Burke scholars, Ian Crowe and Gregory Collins, as they taught a special class on Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France. This was a pilot course offered in anticipation of the official launch of the Russell Kirk Center's School of Conservative Studies in the Fall of 2025. For information about the School and future courses, sign up for the Center's e-letter and print newsletter, Permanent Things. https://kirkcenter.org/permanent-things/  

In this episode I review Aristotle's political and ethical premises with a focus on eudaimonia, arete, and the mixed regime, as described by Carnes Lord in Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey's essay collection, History of Political Philosophy.

J. D. Vance delivers a seismic geopolitical speech at the Munich Security Forum. Vance, Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy get into a shouting match before television cameras. Relations between the United States and Europe are deteriorating before our very eyes. In one of our best episodes of the year so far, we invited the great Ivan Krastev to help us understand what is happening.Ivan is one of the brightest minds in Europe — an incisive analyst, historian of ideas, and ever-present track-two diplomat who is always talking to absolutely everyone. He is chairman of the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, Bulgaria and Albert Hirschman Permanent Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. He writes regularly for the Financial Times and the New York Times.Ivan tells Shadi Hamid and Damir Marusic that Trumpism, and its policy toward Europe is not conservative or isolationist, but “a revolutionary movement.” This revolution is what reconciles the populist and libertarian elements of Trump's administration: “You're trying to fight bureaucracy by concentrating power in a charismatic leader. Less state, more emperor.” You can see this, Ivan argues, in the way Trump runs his coalition like an imperial court, where opposing figures — like Steve Bannon and Elon Musk — vie for the attention of the emperor. You can also see it in the fact that Trump himself says contradictory things: “A charismatic figure can contain contradictions.”What does this mean for Europe? “Empires fall when the center sees itself as a hostage not as a hegemon,” Ivan argues, and Trump, along with Republicans, long to divest themselves of the Empire. This means applying pressure on Europe to bend to its demands — be it about Ukraine, or Greenland, or immigration. It also means that, inadvertently, Trump has reawakened European nationalism: “The new European politics is nationalist, the populists are internationalist.”This is a rich episode, full of insightful koans from a longtime observer of international affairs. Damir takes the conversation in the direction of what exactly fuels the Right and its “enthusiasm for destruction.” Shadi presses Ivan on the recently overturned elections in Romania, and what this means about the future of European democracy.In our bonus section for paid subscribers, the three men discuss why charismatic political leaders can live with contradictions; the “fast track between [political] office and prison”; how Trump has inadvertently created a new US-European consensus on immigration and state intervention in the economy, and why “you can't stop a revolution by defending institutions. You need your own version of tomorrow.”Required Reading and Viewing:* J. D. Vance's speech at the Munich Security Forum (Foreign Policy). * Zelenskyy, Trump and Vance press conference (C-Span YouTube page). * Ivan Krastev and Leonard Benardo, “Democracy Has Run Out of Future” (Foreign Policy).* Shadi Hamid, “Why Half of America is Cheering for Chaos” (Washington Post). * “EU parliament votes to condemn overturning of Roe v. Wade” (Axios).* German Revolution of 1918-1919 (Brittanica). * Leo Strauss, “German Nihilism” (archive.org).* Daniel Kehlmann, German writer (Wikipedia).* “The Gender Gap is Growing and it Bodes Badly for American Politics and Culture” (The Hill). * 2024 Romanian Elections (Wikipedia).* Ezra Klein, Why We're Polarized (Amazon). * Eric Hobsbawm, Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century 1914-1991 (Amazon). * N.S. Lyons, “American Strong Gods: Trump and the End of the Long Twentieth Century” (The Upheaval).This post is part of our collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Governance and Markets. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wisdomofcrowds.live/subscribe

In this rerelease of The New Thinkery, the guys are back to help bring in the new year, and are joined by Dr. Richard Velkley, the Celia Scott Weatherhead Professor of Philosophy at Tulane University. They discuss Heidegger, Leo Strauss, and the underlying premises of philosophy. After you've heard the serious stuff, stick around for the lightning round Q&A at the end! Editor's note: please forgive the decreased audio quality of this episode. This was recorded before the guys had proper mics!

Subscriber-only episodeLeo Strauss and Historicism": In part three of my ongoing series on the legacy of the imagery of the Cave and Enlightenment, I discuss the thought of Leo Strauss and his imagery of "the pit/cave beneath the Cave" to describe postmodernity. I'm joined by @AlexPriou so that he can share his truly invaluable insight and expertise on the subject.

Subscriber-only episodeA discussion on Strauss with Alex Priou and Justin Gottschaulk.

Subscriber-only episodeThis is the first of two discussions where I discuss Pierre Manent's writings on Leo Strauss. Here I discuss Manent's analysis of the relationship between Nietzsche and Strauss, which unfolds into a broad introduction to the thought of Leo Strauss beginning with Rousseau and going back though Machiavelli and Hobbes into the Medieval Islamic and Jewish thinkers before returning to a critique of Hegel and entering into a discussion of Nietzsche.

Subscriber-only episodeContinuing my exploration of Manent's writings on Leo Strauss, here I discuss Manent's analysis of Strauss and Heidegger, which unfolds into a discussion of the meaning of history.

This week, David has once again died, but Alex and Greg have brought back Dr. Devin Stauffer, Professor and Associate Chair of Government at the University of Texas at Austin. Together, the group dive into chapter four of Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History. Stauffer unpacks Strauss' critique of relativism, his reflections on modernity, and his arguments for the enduring relevance of classical natural right. Whether you're new to Strauss or a seasoned reader, join the guys for a nuanced discussion about truth, morality, and the challenges of living in a postmodern world through thoughtful analysis of one of the 20th century's most influential philosophical texts.

USA:s konservativa tankesmedjor har förälskat sig i Leo Strauss teorier. Den tysk-amerikanske tänkaren går till frontalangrepp mot modernismen och ser tidlösa moraliska sanningar i judeo-kristen tradition. Skribenten Henrik Schildt Lundberg ger här en rapport från den nya amerikanska elitens tankefabriker. Inläsare: Magnus Thorén

durée : 00:23:17 - Les Nuits de France Culture - par : Albane Penaranda, Mathias Le Gargasson, Antoine Dhulster - Le néo-conservatisme américain s'appuie sur une vision morale et vertueuse de la politique, inspirée notamment par la pensée du philosophe Leo Strauss. Entre messianisme, religion et constitution, Strauss nourrit une réflexion sur les valeurs fondatrices des États-Unis et leurs limites. - réalisation : Massimo Bellini

This week, the guys are back and joined once again by Steven Lenzner & Svetozar Minkov to further discuss their latest edited volume, Leo Strauss' Published but Uncollected English Writings, which serves as the backdrop for this episode. This time around, the group primarily analyze Strauss' debate with Jacob Klein before turning to a quick look at what the editors think are the top five essays in their volume, and more!

This week, David has been brought back from the dead, but that didn't stop Greg and Alex from bringing two guests on for the show this week: Steven Lenzner & Svetozar Minkov. The two have a new volume out Leo Strauss' Published but Uncollected English Writings that collects Strauss' essays that had previously been circulated mostly in scattered, one-off PDFs online. The group discuss the process of collecting the works, before turning to Strauss' thoughts on the intentions of Rousseau, and close with a teaser for next week!

Happy New Year from The New Thinkery! This week concludes the Leo Strauss on Plato's Symposium panel from two weeks ago. The group jumps right into it with questions on tragedy and comedy, explores the definition of eros, and more, before wrapping up with the tiny little question, "what is philosophy?"   If you haven't already, listen to the first part of this panel to better understand the questions posed in this episode! 

In this special Christmas edition, Greg and Alex delve into John Ford's poignant Western, Three Godfathers. A tale of redemption, faith, and the enduring spirit of the holiday season, the film offers a unique lens on themes of sacrifice and grace. We're joined by Professor Adam Carrington, who brings his thoughtful perspective to this timeless story. Together, we reflect on its meaning and why it resonates as a holiday classic, despite westerns not typically being associated with Christmas.   You can get more of Prof. Carrington's thoughts by reading his review of Three Godfathers here.   Next week we'll be back with part two of our last week's Leo Strauss symposium!

93 MinutesPG-13Paul Gottfried was the Raffensberger Professor of Humanities at Elizabethtown College. He is the author of many books, including Leo Strauss and the Conservative Movement in America and Conservatism in America: Making Sense of the American Right.This a re-release of episode 285 published 7/15/19, and episode 880 published 4/11/23.A Paleoconservative Anthology: New Voices for an Old TraditionChronicles MagazinePete and Thomas777 'At the Movies'VideoSupport Pete on His WebsitePete's PatreonPete's Substack Pete's SubscribestarPete's VenmoPete's Buy Me a CoffeePete on FacebookPete on TwitterBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-pete-quinones-show--6071361/support.

Mona and the gang bid farewell to this format, discuss what will replace it, and offer a glimpse of future plans. Leave a comment Highlights / Lowlights:  Mona outlined the future of her new show. Bill previews his forthcoming book on political psychology. Linda: The Silver Candlesticks: A Novel of the Spanish Inquisition, Linda's forthcoming book, which you can pre-order now! Make sure you sign up for Linda's Substack. Damon: While Damon finishes his forthcoming book on Leo Strauss, go down the Straussian rabbithole at Notes from the Middleground. Referenced work: Bret Stephens's “Done With Trump” in the NYT

Web: https://thezman.com/wordpress/Gab: https://gab.com/TheZBlog Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealZBlogSubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/the-z-blog Substack: https://thedissident.substack.com/Comments: https://thezman.com/wordpress/?p= 33253 Contents·        Intro·        Liberalism·        Black Pilled ·        Leo Strauss·        Dissident Art·        Our Bolsheviks·        Juvenil Politics·        AI·        Cunning & Evil·        Music·        Marriage & Family ·        Civilizationalism·        Jewish Lobby & Christian·        Profilicity·        South Asians·        Populis Versus Dissident Right·        The Fuentes Business·        Video & Writing·        Christianity & Liberalism·        Israel & Jews·        Be Not AfraidBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-z-blog-power-hour--2589657/support.

This week, Greg and David take a break and let Alex do the talking, joined by multiple respected academics as the group gather to discuss Strauss' views on Plato's symposium, in part informed by panelist Rasoul Namazi and Svetozar Minkov's latest book, Leo Strauss on Religion: Writings and Interpretations.  This episode includes an homage to Christopher Bruell, who passed away just prior to the panel taking place, the opening talks of the panelists, and the beginning of back and forth discussion with moderator Hannes Kerber. Next week's episode will be focused on Christmas, but the following episode will be the second half of this panel discussion. 

Political theorist Carl Schmitt introduced the friend/enemy distinction in his book "The Concept of the Political," but as his work has gained notoriety, the concept has been heavily misrepresented. The author and political scholar Michael Millerman joins me to clarify the friend/enemy distinction and discuss Leo Strauss' thoughts on the works of Schmitt.  Follow on: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-auron-macintyre-show/id1657770114 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3S6z4LBs8Fi7COupy7YYuM?si=4d9662cb34d148af Substack: https://auronmacintyre.substack.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuronMacintyre Gab: https://gab.com/AuronMacIntyre YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/AuronMacIntyre Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-390155 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@AuronMacIntyre:f Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auronmacintyre/ Today's sponsors:  Visit https://isi.org/ to learn more about internships, fellowships, and resources to help conservative students. Visit https://www.jobstacking.com/masterremote Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the introduction to my latest addition for the "Technology and Nihilism" series on my AthensCorner.com website.In moving from Thucydides to Aristotle and Heidegger, here I discuss the importance of Plato and Aristotle for any and all accounts of the things we all too casually refer to as "technology" and "science" as if we fully understand them.At issue in this discussion is the unfolding of what it means for man to be the creature of speech, the creature of logos, and what that means for our pursuit of knowledge which we refer to as "science" and its counterpart "technology." This unfolding entails, among other things:(1) The significance of rhetoric for philosophy in Plato, Aristotle, and Heidegger(2) The contours of what is meant by the beautiful, the just, and the good with respect to the soul of man and its relation to, first, being and, second, the possibility of articulating that relation of soul and being for the flourishing of political community.(3) The unity and diversity of so-called "practical" and "theoretical" knowledge in the various fields of knowledge.(4) The hierarchy of pleasures attendant in the distinguishing of mind and passion in the soul of man attendant upon any clarified understanding of the beautiful.(5) The significance of number in both Plato and Aristotle for virtue in the attempt to clarify the good life.(6) The way in which all of the above informs the various "return" movements to the Greeks in postmodern philosophy, whether of Nietzsche, Heidegger, or Leo Strauss

This week, Alex and Greg temporarily replace David with friend of the show Professor Patrick Deneen, who teaches at the University of Notre Dame. The group dive right into Strauss' Three Waves of Modernity, dissecting its arguments and unpacking relevant backstory. Plus, if you can't get enough of Strauss, apply for UATX's upcoming Symposium on Leo Strauss and/or register for a virtual Leo Strauss on Plato's Symposium!

The philosopher Leo Strauss claimed that many of the great texts of Western philosophy can be read in two ways. There's the message intended for everybody, but also a deeper level, accessible only to those who can see it. Taking this as a starting point, Matthew Sweet grapples with the closed world of social media tribes, the challenges posed by conspiracy theory, and the history of thinking in allegorical symbols. With: Marianna Spring, the BBC's Disinformation Correspondent Lisa Bortolotti, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Birmingham Daniel Herskowitz, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Theology & Religion, University of Oxford Hugh Cullimore, PhD student at the Warburg InstituteAnd Constantine Sandis, Director of Lex Academic discusses the shortlist for the 2024 Nayef Al-Rodhan Book Prize in Transdisciplinary Philosophy. The shortlisted books are: Chris Armstrong, Global Justice and the Biodiversity Crisis (Oxford University Press). Mazviita Chirimuuta, The Brain Abstracted: Simplification in the History and Philosophy of Neuroscience (The MIT Press). Shannon Vallor, The AI Mirror: How to Reclaim Our Humanity in an Age of Machine Thinking (Oxford University Press).https://royalinstitutephilosophy.org/book-prize/Producer: Luke Mulhall

This week, the guys return once again to the prophetic teachings of Leo Strauss. This time, the focus is on Strauss' understanding of Genesis, which the guys dissect in an effort to disentangle the Ancient Greek and biblical influences that went into Strauss' interpretation. 

In this episode I revisit History of Political Philosophy to look at Leo Strauss' examination of the political theory of Plato. I look at the attempts to define Justice, the viability of absolute communism, and make my first foray into Plato's theory of ideas.

Leo Strauss was a German-Jewish emigrant to the United States, an author, professor and political philosopher. Born in 1899 in Kirchhain in the Kingdom of Prussia to an observant Jewish family, Strauss received his doctorate from the University of Hamburg in 1921, and began his scholarly work in the 1920s, as well as participating in the German Zionist movement. In 1932, a recommendation letter from the jurist and later Nazi party member Carl Schmitt enabled Strauss to leave Germany on a Rockefeller Foundation grant, shortly before Adolf Hitler came to power. Strauss continued his work in France and England before settling in the United States in 1937, teaching at the New School and other colleges, and then becoming professor of political science at the University of Chicago in 1949. It is in America that Strauss wrote his most famous works, including Persecution and the Art of Writing, On Tyranny, Natural Right and History, The City and Man, What Is Political Philosophy?, and many other works. His work typically takes the form of interpretations of ancient authors, especially Plato.  Over the years, Strauss attracted many dedicated students, who became known as “Straussians,” spreading his influence not only within academia but eventually into the American government. Straussians would attain such prominence and eventually cause such controversy, that, decades after Strauss' death, the field of political science was gripped by what would become known as “the Strauss wars.” Strauss wrote in a difficult, densely layered and evasive style that has led to long-lasting disputes about whether his apparent endorsement of liberal democracy was genuine, or whether his work contains an esoteric teaching about human hierarchies, one that might justify illiberal and anti-democratic Machiavellian coups. Heightening the urgency of figuring out what Strauss truly stood for is the widespread view that Straussians who worked in the State Department and Defense Department and who came to be called “Neoconservatives” were instrumental in launching the Iraq war in 2003, and are otherwise associated with hawkish, not to say hubristic and imperial U.S. foreign policy. But, leaving the neocons aside; Leo Strauss, Jewish Nazi? Could such a charge possibly be fair? Who is the real Leo Strauss? These are the questions that bring us to this author and this book. William Henry Furness Altman is a retired public high school teacher and author of many articles and books on figures including Plato, Cicero, Plotinus, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and indeed, Leo Strauss.  The book we are discussing today is entitled The German Stranger: Leo Strauss and National Socialism (Lexington Books, 2010). William Altman's first published book is an extensively researched and exhaustively footnoted work substantiating his charge that Leo Strauss, the revered and influential Jewish emigre, and recipient of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, did indeed harbor a lifelong commitment to the principles of Nazi ideology and that such indeed is Strauss' secret teaching. Joseph Liss is an independent scholar based in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. His studies focus on ancient religion, philosophy, political theory, critical theory, and history. He can be reached at Joseph.Nathaniel.Liss@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Leo Strauss was a German-Jewish emigrant to the United States, an author, professor and political philosopher. Born in 1899 in Kirchhain in the Kingdom of Prussia to an observant Jewish family, Strauss received his doctorate from the University of Hamburg in 1921, and began his scholarly work in the 1920s, as well as participating in the German Zionist movement. In 1932, a recommendation letter from the jurist and later Nazi party member Carl Schmitt enabled Strauss to leave Germany on a Rockefeller Foundation grant, shortly before Adolf Hitler came to power. Strauss continued his work in France and England before settling in the United States in 1937, teaching at the New School and other colleges, and then becoming professor of political science at the University of Chicago in 1949. It is in America that Strauss wrote his most famous works, including Persecution and the Art of Writing, On Tyranny, Natural Right and History, The City and Man, What Is Political Philosophy?, and many other works. His work typically takes the form of interpretations of ancient authors, especially Plato.  Over the years, Strauss attracted many dedicated students, who became known as “Straussians,” spreading his influence not only within academia but eventually into the American government. Straussians would attain such prominence and eventually cause such controversy, that, decades after Strauss' death, the field of political science was gripped by what would become known as “the Strauss wars.” Strauss wrote in a difficult, densely layered and evasive style that has led to long-lasting disputes about whether his apparent endorsement of liberal democracy was genuine, or whether his work contains an esoteric teaching about human hierarchies, one that might justify illiberal and anti-democratic Machiavellian coups. Heightening the urgency of figuring out what Strauss truly stood for is the widespread view that Straussians who worked in the State Department and Defense Department and who came to be called “Neoconservatives” were instrumental in launching the Iraq war in 2003, and are otherwise associated with hawkish, not to say hubristic and imperial U.S. foreign policy. But, leaving the neocons aside; Leo Strauss, Jewish Nazi? Could such a charge possibly be fair? Who is the real Leo Strauss? These are the questions that bring us to this author and this book. William Henry Furness Altman is a retired public high school teacher and author of many articles and books on figures including Plato, Cicero, Plotinus, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and indeed, Leo Strauss.  The book we are discussing today is entitled The German Stranger: Leo Strauss and National Socialism (Lexington Books, 2010). William Altman's first published book is an extensively researched and exhaustively footnoted work substantiating his charge that Leo Strauss, the revered and influential Jewish emigre, and recipient of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, did indeed harbor a lifelong commitment to the principles of Nazi ideology and that such indeed is Strauss' secret teaching. Joseph Liss is an independent scholar based in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. His studies focus on ancient religion, philosophy, political theory, critical theory, and history. He can be reached at Joseph.Nathaniel.Liss@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Leo Strauss was a German-Jewish emigrant to the United States, an author, professor and political philosopher. Born in 1899 in Kirchhain in the Kingdom of Prussia to an observant Jewish family, Strauss received his doctorate from the University of Hamburg in 1921, and began his scholarly work in the 1920s, as well as participating in the German Zionist movement. In 1932, a recommendation letter from the jurist and later Nazi party member Carl Schmitt enabled Strauss to leave Germany on a Rockefeller Foundation grant, shortly before Adolf Hitler came to power. Strauss continued his work in France and England before settling in the United States in 1937, teaching at the New School and other colleges, and then becoming professor of political science at the University of Chicago in 1949. It is in America that Strauss wrote his most famous works, including Persecution and the Art of Writing, On Tyranny, Natural Right and History, The City and Man, What Is Political Philosophy?, and many other works. His work typically takes the form of interpretations of ancient authors, especially Plato.  Over the years, Strauss attracted many dedicated students, who became known as “Straussians,” spreading his influence not only within academia but eventually into the American government. Straussians would attain such prominence and eventually cause such controversy, that, decades after Strauss' death, the field of political science was gripped by what would become known as “the Strauss wars.” Strauss wrote in a difficult, densely layered and evasive style that has led to long-lasting disputes about whether his apparent endorsement of liberal democracy was genuine, or whether his work contains an esoteric teaching about human hierarchies, one that might justify illiberal and anti-democratic Machiavellian coups. Heightening the urgency of figuring out what Strauss truly stood for is the widespread view that Straussians who worked in the State Department and Defense Department and who came to be called “Neoconservatives” were instrumental in launching the Iraq war in 2003, and are otherwise associated with hawkish, not to say hubristic and imperial U.S. foreign policy. But, leaving the neocons aside; Leo Strauss, Jewish Nazi? Could such a charge possibly be fair? Who is the real Leo Strauss? These are the questions that bring us to this author and this book. William Henry Furness Altman is a retired public high school teacher and author of many articles and books on figures including Plato, Cicero, Plotinus, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and indeed, Leo Strauss.  The book we are discussing today is entitled The German Stranger: Leo Strauss and National Socialism (Lexington Books, 2010). William Altman's first published book is an extensively researched and exhaustively footnoted work substantiating his charge that Leo Strauss, the revered and influential Jewish emigre, and recipient of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, did indeed harbor a lifelong commitment to the principles of Nazi ideology and that such indeed is Strauss' secret teaching. Joseph Liss is an independent scholar based in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. His studies focus on ancient religion, philosophy, political theory, critical theory, and history. He can be reached at Joseph.Nathaniel.Liss@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Leo Strauss was a German-Jewish emigrant to the United States, an author, professor and political philosopher. Born in 1899 in Kirchhain in the Kingdom of Prussia to an observant Jewish family, Strauss received his doctorate from the University of Hamburg in 1921, and began his scholarly work in the 1920s, as well as participating in the German Zionist movement. In 1932, a recommendation letter from the jurist and later Nazi party member Carl Schmitt enabled Strauss to leave Germany on a Rockefeller Foundation grant, shortly before Adolf Hitler came to power. Strauss continued his work in France and England before settling in the United States in 1937, teaching at the New School and other colleges, and then becoming professor of political science at the University of Chicago in 1949. It is in America that Strauss wrote his most famous works, including Persecution and the Art of Writing, On Tyranny, Natural Right and History, The City and Man, What Is Political Philosophy?, and many other works. His work typically takes the form of interpretations of ancient authors, especially Plato.  Over the years, Strauss attracted many dedicated students, who became known as “Straussians,” spreading his influence not only within academia but eventually into the American government. Straussians would attain such prominence and eventually cause such controversy, that, decades after Strauss' death, the field of political science was gripped by what would become known as “the Strauss wars.” Strauss wrote in a difficult, densely layered and evasive style that has led to long-lasting disputes about whether his apparent endorsement of liberal democracy was genuine, or whether his work contains an esoteric teaching about human hierarchies, one that might justify illiberal and anti-democratic Machiavellian coups. Heightening the urgency of figuring out what Strauss truly stood for is the widespread view that Straussians who worked in the State Department and Defense Department and who came to be called “Neoconservatives” were instrumental in launching the Iraq war in 2003, and are otherwise associated with hawkish, not to say hubristic and imperial U.S. foreign policy. But, leaving the neocons aside; Leo Strauss, Jewish Nazi? Could such a charge possibly be fair? Who is the real Leo Strauss? These are the questions that bring us to this author and this book. William Henry Furness Altman is a retired public high school teacher and author of many articles and books on figures including Plato, Cicero, Plotinus, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and indeed, Leo Strauss.  The book we are discussing today is entitled The German Stranger: Leo Strauss and National Socialism (Lexington Books, 2010). William Altman's first published book is an extensively researched and exhaustively footnoted work substantiating his charge that Leo Strauss, the revered and influential Jewish emigre, and recipient of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, did indeed harbor a lifelong commitment to the principles of Nazi ideology and that such indeed is Strauss' secret teaching. Joseph Liss is an independent scholar based in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. His studies focus on ancient religion, philosophy, political theory, critical theory, and history. He can be reached at Joseph.Nathaniel.Liss@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/german-studies

Leo Strauss was a German-Jewish emigrant to the United States, an author, professor and political philosopher. Born in 1899 in Kirchhain in the Kingdom of Prussia to an observant Jewish family, Strauss received his doctorate from the University of Hamburg in 1921, and began his scholarly work in the 1920s, as well as participating in the German Zionist movement. In 1932, a recommendation letter from the jurist and later Nazi party member Carl Schmitt enabled Strauss to leave Germany on a Rockefeller Foundation grant, shortly before Adolf Hitler came to power. Strauss continued his work in France and England before settling in the United States in 1937, teaching at the New School and other colleges, and then becoming professor of political science at the University of Chicago in 1949. It is in America that Strauss wrote his most famous works, including Persecution and the Art of Writing, On Tyranny, Natural Right and History, The City and Man, What Is Political Philosophy?, and many other works. His work typically takes the form of interpretations of ancient authors, especially Plato.  Over the years, Strauss attracted many dedicated students, who became known as “Straussians,” spreading his influence not only within academia but eventually into the American government. Straussians would attain such prominence and eventually cause such controversy, that, decades after Strauss' death, the field of political science was gripped by what would become known as “the Strauss wars.” Strauss wrote in a difficult, densely layered and evasive style that has led to long-lasting disputes about whether his apparent endorsement of liberal democracy was genuine, or whether his work contains an esoteric teaching about human hierarchies, one that might justify illiberal and anti-democratic Machiavellian coups. Heightening the urgency of figuring out what Strauss truly stood for is the widespread view that Straussians who worked in the State Department and Defense Department and who came to be called “Neoconservatives” were instrumental in launching the Iraq war in 2003, and are otherwise associated with hawkish, not to say hubristic and imperial U.S. foreign policy. But, leaving the neocons aside; Leo Strauss, Jewish Nazi? Could such a charge possibly be fair? Who is the real Leo Strauss? These are the questions that bring us to this author and this book. William Henry Furness Altman is a retired public high school teacher and author of many articles and books on figures including Plato, Cicero, Plotinus, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and indeed, Leo Strauss.  The book we are discussing today is entitled The German Stranger: Leo Strauss and National Socialism (Lexington Books, 2010). William Altman's first published book is an extensively researched and exhaustively footnoted work substantiating his charge that Leo Strauss, the revered and influential Jewish emigre, and recipient of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, did indeed harbor a lifelong commitment to the principles of Nazi ideology and that such indeed is Strauss' secret teaching. Joseph Liss is an independent scholar based in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. His studies focus on ancient religion, philosophy, political theory, critical theory, and history. He can be reached at Joseph.Nathaniel.Liss@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

Leo Strauss was a German-Jewish emigrant to the United States, an author, professor and political philosopher. Born in 1899 in Kirchhain in the Kingdom of Prussia to an observant Jewish family, Strauss received his doctorate from the University of Hamburg in 1921, and began his scholarly work in the 1920s, as well as participating in the German Zionist movement. In 1932, a recommendation letter from the jurist and later Nazi party member Carl Schmitt enabled Strauss to leave Germany on a Rockefeller Foundation grant, shortly before Adolf Hitler came to power. Strauss continued his work in France and England before settling in the United States in 1937, teaching at the New School and other colleges, and then becoming professor of political science at the University of Chicago in 1949. It is in America that Strauss wrote his most famous works, including Persecution and the Art of Writing, On Tyranny, Natural Right and History, The City and Man, What Is Political Philosophy?, and many other works. His work typically takes the form of interpretations of ancient authors, especially Plato.  Over the years, Strauss attracted many dedicated students, who became known as “Straussians,” spreading his influence not only within academia but eventually into the American government. Straussians would attain such prominence and eventually cause such controversy, that, decades after Strauss' death, the field of political science was gripped by what would become known as “the Strauss wars.” Strauss wrote in a difficult, densely layered and evasive style that has led to long-lasting disputes about whether his apparent endorsement of liberal democracy was genuine, or whether his work contains an esoteric teaching about human hierarchies, one that might justify illiberal and anti-democratic Machiavellian coups. Heightening the urgency of figuring out what Strauss truly stood for is the widespread view that Straussians who worked in the State Department and Defense Department and who came to be called “Neoconservatives” were instrumental in launching the Iraq war in 2003, and are otherwise associated with hawkish, not to say hubristic and imperial U.S. foreign policy. But, leaving the neocons aside; Leo Strauss, Jewish Nazi? Could such a charge possibly be fair? Who is the real Leo Strauss? These are the questions that bring us to this author and this book. William Henry Furness Altman is a retired public high school teacher and author of many articles and books on figures including Plato, Cicero, Plotinus, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and indeed, Leo Strauss.  The book we are discussing today is entitled The German Stranger: Leo Strauss and National Socialism (Lexington Books, 2010). William Altman's first published book is an extensively researched and exhaustively footnoted work substantiating his charge that Leo Strauss, the revered and influential Jewish emigre, and recipient of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, did indeed harbor a lifelong commitment to the principles of Nazi ideology and that such indeed is Strauss' secret teaching. Joseph Liss is an independent scholar based in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. His studies focus on ancient religion, philosophy, political theory, critical theory, and history. He can be reached at Joseph.Nathaniel.Liss@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Leo Strauss was a German-Jewish emigrant to the United States, an author, professor and political philosopher. Born in 1899 in Kirchhain in the Kingdom of Prussia to an observant Jewish family, Strauss received his doctorate from the University of Hamburg in 1921, and began his scholarly work in the 1920s, as well as participating in the German Zionist movement. In 1932, a recommendation letter from the jurist and later Nazi party member Carl Schmitt enabled Strauss to leave Germany on a Rockefeller Foundation grant, shortly before Adolf Hitler came to power. Strauss continued his work in France and England before settling in the United States in 1937, teaching at the New School and other colleges, and then becoming professor of political science at the University of Chicago in 1949. It is in America that Strauss wrote his most famous works, including Persecution and the Art of Writing, On Tyranny, Natural Right and History, The City and Man, What Is Political Philosophy?, and many other works. His work typically takes the form of interpretations of ancient authors, especially Plato.  Over the years, Strauss attracted many dedicated students, who became known as “Straussians,” spreading his influence not only within academia but eventually into the American government. Straussians would attain such prominence and eventually cause such controversy, that, decades after Strauss' death, the field of political science was gripped by what would become known as “the Strauss wars.” Strauss wrote in a difficult, densely layered and evasive style that has led to long-lasting disputes about whether his apparent endorsement of liberal democracy was genuine, or whether his work contains an esoteric teaching about human hierarchies, one that might justify illiberal and anti-democratic Machiavellian coups. Heightening the urgency of figuring out what Strauss truly stood for is the widespread view that Straussians who worked in the State Department and Defense Department and who came to be called “Neoconservatives” were instrumental in launching the Iraq war in 2003, and are otherwise associated with hawkish, not to say hubristic and imperial U.S. foreign policy. But, leaving the neocons aside; Leo Strauss, Jewish Nazi? Could such a charge possibly be fair? Who is the real Leo Strauss? These are the questions that bring us to this author and this book. William Henry Furness Altman is a retired public high school teacher and author of many articles and books on figures including Plato, Cicero, Plotinus, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and indeed, Leo Strauss.  The book we are discussing today is entitled The German Stranger: Leo Strauss and National Socialism (Lexington Books, 2010). William Altman's first published book is an extensively researched and exhaustively footnoted work substantiating his charge that Leo Strauss, the revered and influential Jewish emigre, and recipient of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, did indeed harbor a lifelong commitment to the principles of Nazi ideology and that such indeed is Strauss' secret teaching. Joseph Liss is an independent scholar based in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. His studies focus on ancient religion, philosophy, political theory, critical theory, and history. He can be reached at Joseph.Nathaniel.Liss@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Leo Strauss was a German-Jewish emigrant to the United States, an author, professor and political philosopher. Born in 1899 in Kirchhain in the Kingdom of Prussia to an observant Jewish family, Strauss received his doctorate from the University of Hamburg in 1921, and began his scholarly work in the 1920s, as well as participating in the German Zionist movement. In 1932, a recommendation letter from the jurist and later Nazi party member Carl Schmitt enabled Strauss to leave Germany on a Rockefeller Foundation grant, shortly before Adolf Hitler came to power. Strauss continued his work in France and England before settling in the United States in 1937, teaching at the New School and other colleges, and then becoming professor of political science at the University of Chicago in 1949. It is in America that Strauss wrote his most famous works, including Persecution and the Art of Writing, On Tyranny, Natural Right and History, The City and Man, What Is Political Philosophy?, and many other works. His work typically takes the form of interpretations of ancient authors, especially Plato.  Over the years, Strauss attracted many dedicated students, who became known as “Straussians,” spreading his influence not only within academia but eventually into the American government. Straussians would attain such prominence and eventually cause such controversy, that, decades after Strauss' death, the field of political science was gripped by what would become known as “the Strauss wars.” Strauss wrote in a difficult, densely layered and evasive style that has led to long-lasting disputes about whether his apparent endorsement of liberal democracy was genuine, or whether his work contains an esoteric teaching about human hierarchies, one that might justify illiberal and anti-democratic Machiavellian coups. Heightening the urgency of figuring out what Strauss truly stood for is the widespread view that Straussians who worked in the State Department and Defense Department and who came to be called “Neoconservatives” were instrumental in launching the Iraq war in 2003, and are otherwise associated with hawkish, not to say hubristic and imperial U.S. foreign policy. But, leaving the neocons aside; Leo Strauss, Jewish Nazi? Could such a charge possibly be fair? Who is the real Leo Strauss? These are the questions that bring us to this author and this book. William Henry Furness Altman is a retired public high school teacher and author of many articles and books on figures including Plato, Cicero, Plotinus, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and indeed, Leo Strauss.  The book we are discussing today is entitled The German Stranger: Leo Strauss and National Socialism (Lexington Books, 2010). William Altman's first published book is an extensively researched and exhaustively footnoted work substantiating his charge that Leo Strauss, the revered and influential Jewish emigre, and recipient of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, did indeed harbor a lifelong commitment to the principles of Nazi ideology and that such indeed is Strauss' secret teaching. Joseph Liss is an independent scholar based in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. His studies focus on ancient religion, philosophy, political theory, critical theory, and history. He can be reached at Joseph.Nathaniel.Liss@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

Get access to The Backroom Exclusive podcasts by becoming a Patron:  ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/OneDime⁠ In this episode of 1Dime Radio, I am joined by Victor Bruzzone of the Pill Pod (Plastic Pills Podcast) to discuss forms of radical democracy such as Sortition - “the lot system” in which representatives are selected at random by lottery. It was used in Ancient Athens and for a time also in the Republics of Florence, Venice and Genoa.  Sortition is not the same thing as “direct democracy,”  such as assembly (which was also used in Athenian Democracy). The Marxist Paul Cockshott also proposes the sortition system in his book, “Towards a New Socialism.”  In The Backroom, Victor proposes his own variant of sortition, which he has been working on, which I found quite fascinating and innovative. You don't want to miss it.  Timestamps:  00:00 Preview of The Backroom 03:02 A Radical Form of Representative Democracy 07:20 Sortition in Athens and the Italian City States 12:24 Pros and Cons of Sortition 41:01 Leo Strauss and The Aristocratic Reading Method 54:12 Intelligence and Epistocracy 01:04:33 Sortition vs Elections Outro Music by Karl Casey The book I was refering to was called “Principles of Representative Government” by Bernard Manin Read More with Speechify: https://share.speechify.com/mzrxH5D Check out the Academic Edgelord podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3509RjVqJgSvEXC0X94Bri Check out the Pill Pod (Plastic Pills podcast)  https://www.youtube.com/@PillPod Follow Viktor Bruzzone on X: https://x.com/victorbruzzone Follow me on X:  https://x.com/1DimeOfficial Check out the 1Dime videos if you haven't already: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@1Dimee/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Become a Patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/OneDime⁠⁠⁠⁠ to support the show Be sure to give 1Dime Radio a 5-star rating if you enjoy the show!

In this episode I revisit Thucydides as discussed by David Bolotin in the classic History of Political Philosophy edited by Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey. I focus on Alcibiades, Nicias, and the Sicilian Expedition.

   Philosophy teacher and scholar Michael joins me to talk about dangerous ideas, being an outsider, Alexander Dugin, Leo Strauss, Plato, Heidegger, which thinkers should be banned, how to read someone you hate, responsibility for hard ideas, liberalism, individualism, transhumanism, being “in”'a body, why everyone not liberal gets called “fascist”, Medieval times,  mystical experience, the embodiment of philosophy, and the business of philosophy. A very very deep episode.     Find out more about Michael here: https://millermanschool.com/  ------------------------------------------------------------------------    Michael Millerman is a renowned teacher of political philosophy. He is the founder of MillermanSchool.com, which offers online courses in classical and contemporary political thought. He's the author of two books, Beginning with Heidegger, and Inside 'Putin's Brain': The Political Philosophy of Alexander Dugin. ------------------------------------------------------------------------     Subscribe to Mark's new Feral Philosophy You Tube channel here: https://youtube.com/@feralphilosophy_mw?si=PHJcNwK4GYpRSflK    Join Mark for in-person workshops – https://embodimentunlimited.com/events-calendar/?utm_source=TEP&utm_medium=Description&utm_campaign=Events    Join free coaching demos sessions with Mark – https://embodimentunlimited.com/free-coaching-with-mark/?utm_source=TEP&utm_medium=Description&utm_campaign=Demo    Find Mark Walsh on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/warkmalsh/

Niccolò Machiavelli has become infamous for his realistic and brutal approach to political philosophy. Many credit the Italian writer with giving birth to modern political thought, but did he create a permanent break by abandoning previous moral traditions? Athenian Stranger joins me to discuss Leo Strauss' book "Thoughts on Machiavelli" and the struggle between the ancients and the moderns.   Follow on: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-auron-macintyre-show/id1657770114 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3S6z4LBs8Fi7COupy7YYuM?si=4d9662cb34d148af Substack: https://auronmacintyre.substack.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuronMacintyre Gab: https://gab.com/AuronMacIntyre YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/AuronMacIntyre Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-390155 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@AuronMacIntyre:f Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auronmacintyre/ Today's sponsors:  Visit https://www.jobstacking.com/startnow Visit https://isi.org/ to learn more about internships, fellowships, and resources to help conservative students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The AUXORO Podcast, Michael Millerman and Zach discuss the “degenerate” opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Donald Trump assassination attempt and how Trump reacted in the heat of the moment, the ideas of Plato and Heidegger, the philosophy behind standup comedy, Michael's exciting and dangerous adventures with the ‘Travelling Mystic,' and more. Guest Bio: Michael Millerman teaches political philosophy and is the founder of the Millerman School where he gives lectures ranging from Plato's Republic to Heidegger's 'Being and Time' to Leo Strauss' 'On Tyranny.' He is also the author of 'Beginning With Heidegger' and 'Inside Putin's Brain.' SUPPORT THE AUXORO PODCAST BY SUBSCRIBING TO AUXORO PREMIUM (BONUS EPISODES & EXCLUSIVE CONTENT): https://auxoro.supercast.com/ MICHAEL MILLERMAN LINKS:X: https://x.com/M_Millerman Millerman School: https://millermanschool.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp19_tJlXTN8kXoHJx7mIXQInside Putin's Brain: https://bit.ly/3Mh7Se6Beginning With Heidegger: https://amzn.to/3XccGHOTravelling Mystic (Substack Article): https://millermanschool.substack.com/p/travelling-mystic THE AUXORO PODCAST LINKS: Apple: https://apple.co/3B4fYjuSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3zaS6sPOvercast: https://bit.ly/3rgw70DYoutube: https://bit.ly/3lTpJdjAUXORO Premium: https://auxoro.supercast.com/Website: https://www.auxoro.com/ AUXORO SOCIAL LINKS: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auxoroYouTube: https://bit.ly/3CLjEqFFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/auxoromagNewsletter: https://www.auxoro.com/thesourceYouTube: https://bit.ly/3CLjEqF To support the show, please leave a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. This nudges the algorithm to show The AUXORO Podcast to more new listeners and is the best way to help the show grow. It takes 30 seconds and the importance of getting good reviews cannot be overstated.  Thank you for your support: Review us on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/458nbhaReview us on Spotify: https://bit.ly/43ZLrAt 

In this episode I return to Strauss and Cropsey collection, History of Political Philosophy, to focus on Alan Bloom's examination of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the general will, and the potential conflict between nature and custom.

What do Trump's controversial appearance before black journalists, the Olympics controversy over the gender of boxers, and the protean identity of Kamala Harris have in common? Simple—they are all an aspect of what Steve believes is the central political and moral-philosophical issue of our age: human nature. Everyone seems to think Trump blundered by questioning the authenticity of Harris's changing ethnic identity, but Steve and Lucretia—in rare heated agreement—think it was a masterstroke, albeit with Trump's usual heavy-handed and perhaps clumsy way. And we use for our article of the week the usually sound Abigail Shrier's Free Press article, "Republicans, You're Going After Kamala All Wrong," that we think gets the matter exactly backwards.But it when we turn to the controversy over gender identity in the Olympics that we deepen the story. Take in at your leisure the case of Caster Semenya, a genuinely "intersex" South African 800-meter runner born with female genitalia who is not allowed to compete in the Olympics track and field competition because of high male testosterone levels. This is the same extremely rare anomaly as the Algerian boxer at the center of controversy right.  (Also note the holder of the women's 800 meter world record, Jarmila Kratochvílová, set back in 1983—currently the oldest track and field world record.  Kratochvílová is thought to have been heavily doped up, as was common with Eastern European athletes in those days, but it is hard to say.)Steve's theory about how the left's war on human nature also applies to why Harris is such a miserable boss—hardly a rare trait among leftists. John doesn't quite buy the metaphysical explanation, but we're used to this my now.Finally, Steve offers a brief homily about moral education drawn from a short passage from Leo Strauss's classic essay "What Is Political Philosophy" to make a point about what's wrong with the left's narrative about the Israel-Gaza War.

Conspiracy theory or actual conspiracy? Today we investigate how a small cabal of philosophers managed to take over America and caused the invasion of Iraq based on the writings of eminent political philosopher Leo Strauss.  Listen ad-free, for free, and get the source readings at https://www.patreon.com/plasticpills

The guys take this week to close out their mini-series on Leo Strauss' What is Political Philosophy? Listen in as they unpack Strauss' analysis of modernity, his critique of historicism, and his defense of classical political philosophy. Thankfully, there are less calls to "whip it" this time.  

Join the guys for an enlightening continuation of last week's discussion on Leo Strauss' What is Political Philosophy? This week, they delve into part two of the book, focusing on the classical solution to political philosophy. Their exploration reveals timeless insights about the nature of political thought and its enduring relevance, as well as reminding you to "whip it."

In this episode, the guys delve into the profound insights of Leo Strauss' seminal work, What is Political Philosophy? while cracking their hallmark lewd jokes. Join them as they explore Strauss' examination of the nature and purpose of political philosophy, setting the stage for a deep dive into his enduring influence on contemporary thought.    Learn more about this episode's sponor, Ralston College, and their immersive Humanities MA!

This week, Alex and Greg join a live panel hosted by Michigan State University to explore the perspective of Leo Strauss on two towering figures of philosophy and political thought: Friedrich Nietzsche and Alexis de Tocqueville. The guys are joined by Raul Rodriguez, a dean's research associate at MSU, to delve into the nuanced interpretations and critiques that Strauss offers, shedding light on these thinkers' profound impact on modern philosophy and political theory. Plus: the panelists take questions from the audience.

This episode could be mistaken for the Three Martini Happy Hour, because this week's episode comes with a tangy twist. John Yoo is away this week, so we brought in a ringer to take his place: Prof. Hadley Arkes! Thus this episode become a Positivism-Free Zone, in which we review the deepest ground of the natural law unencumbered by John's usual alarums, excursions, and errors.The episode comes in three parts: Hadley made some news yesterday, celebrating the retirement of the noted Notre Dame Law professor Gerard V. Bradley, who will be joining Hadley at the James Wilson Institute on Natural Law and the American Founding. From there Hadley proceeds to answering the question that we've been kicking around ever since the Dobbs decision, namely, just how should pro-life politicians break out of their self-imposed muteness about abortion. Hadley has the strategy.Finally, we spend some time toward the end getting down some of Hadley's "origin story" that brought him to Leo Strauss's classroom at the University of Chicago back in the 1960s, and key friendships made along the way—especially our late friend and unsung hero Michael Uhlmann.Note: We had some internet glitches while recording this episode that weren't easily edited or smoothed over, so we ask listeners' indulgence with these hiccups, in return for which we'll present this installment ad-free.

Join us as we delve into the profound insights of political philosopher Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History featuring returning special guest Devin Stauffer, Professor and Associate Chair at UT Austin. In this episode, the group unravel the complexities of Chapter 5, Part 1, exploring Thomas Hobbes' enduring impact on political theory.