Description
The Good and the City: Fundamental issues. Philosophy and politics in the thought of Leo Strauss This course will reflect on the relationship between philosophy and political life, taking the contribution of the philosopher Leo Strauss (1899–1973) as a central theme. To this end, different texts by this author will be studied, focusing on questions such as the possibilities of philosophy, the characteristics of the political condition, liberal education, natural law and historicism. Strauss’s interpretations of ancient, medieval and modern political philosophy will also be discussed, and he will be the subject of debate alongside some of the most important political thinkers of the 20th century. In this way, the course should enable students to familiarise themselves with some of the central philosophical and political issues of our time, as well as to establish a personal and argued point of view on them.
Type Subject
Optativa
Semester
Second
Credits
5.00
Previous Knowledge
Objectives

Within the Philosophy itinerary of the Master’s Degree, this subject presents themes and authors from the area of Moral Philosophy and Political Philosophy, with the aim of broadening and deepening the themes already initiated in the Degree, while also providing the tools to undertake autonomous research.

Contents

UNIT 1. Introduction

Topic 1: Leo Strauss. Biographical notes and presentation of the author.

UNIT 2. Philosophy and politics in the thought of Leo Strauss

Topic 2: Athens and Jerusalem: the debate between reason and faith.
Topic 3: Modernity and the intellectual situation of the present.
Topic 4: The return to classical political philosophy.
Topic 5: A forgotten art of reading and writing.
Topic 6: The search for natural law and the debate with historicism.
Topic 7: Philosophical life and political life. The debate with Alexandre Kojève.
Topic 8: Liberal education and civic responsibility.

UNIT 3. Controversies and debates surrounding the work of Leo Strauss

Topic 9: Who was Leo Strauss really?

Methodology

In-person methodology

The teaching methodology to be used in the teaching of the subject is as follows:

Classroom work:

1. Lectures. Lectures refer to a presentation by the lecturer of the theoretical contents of the subject, orientation of the students on basic and advanced readings, as well as complementary sources of information and the establishment of guidelines and keys for carrying out the theoretical-practical tasks.
2. Continuous assessment Assessment is an integrated part of the teaching-learning process. In this subject there will be continuous assessment that will combine the submission and presentation of assignments with the development of objective (written) tests throughout the semester. At the same time, the teacher will give feedback on the student’s progress.

Work or activities outside the classroom:

3. Autonomous work by students. The autonomous work of students consists, on the one hand, of reading selected texts and preparing outlines, summaries, concept maps, etc. based on them; and on the other hand, of preparing individual work , especially essays and oral presentations.
4. Tutorial sessions. All students will have the possibility of requesting individual or group tutorials, by appointment, from the teaching staff. These tutorials may be aimed at resolving doubts regarding both the content and the preparation of the assignments.

Evaluation

1. Participation and quality of interventions in class. The ability to locate philosophical problems in the readings worked on in class will be assessed, as well as the students' skill in offering argued positions on these issues. 20%

2. Presentation in class on a chapter/article to be chosen from the proposed readings indicated by the subject teacher. The details and the delivery date of the activity will be available to students, on the virtual campus, from the first day of class. The understanding of the commented text will be assessed, as well as the reasoned criticisms made by the student. 20%

3. Essay on an issue linked to the thought of Leo Strauss. The details and the delivery date of the activity will be available to students, on the virtual campus, from the first day of class. The student's understanding of the chosen issue, the ability to relate it to other reflections of Strauss himself and other thinkers, will be assessed, in addition to the skill shown when taking a critical position on the topic discussed. 40%

4. Final test of text commentary, theoretical content and reasoned reflection. The details and the date of the activity will be available to students, on the virtual campus, from the first day of class. Reading comprehension, knowledge of the theoretical content studied during the course and the student's ability to analyze a problem and take a rational position on it will be assessed, using critically, when necessary, the contributions of other authors. 20%

Evaluation Criteria

In order to be evaluated in the ordinary exam session, all the activities subject to evaluation must have been carried out. The evaluable activities must be handed in on the dates indicated by the teacher. If for some duly justified reason and communicated to the teacher, they could not have been delivered within the set period, it may be done before the date of the subject exam, so that the teacher can qualify them, although in this case they will not be obliged to send the student their comments on those activities.

On the other hand, the student has the right to take the final written test, even if they have not handed in all the other activities subject to evaluation, but the final grade for the subject will only be calculated if they have handed in all the activities and according to the evaluation criteria and weightings established in this teaching guide. In the event of not having delivered or carried out any activity subject to evaluation, it will appear in the minutes as "Not presented" in the call.

EXTRAORDINARY EXAM SESSION:

The assessment criteria are the same as in the ordinary exam, so all the assessment activities considered in the course must be provided. Marks will be kept for all the activities carried out, pending the completion of any pending activities. The same weighting criteria will be applied in this assessment as in the ordinary assessment.

ON THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS:

The use of AI is prohibited in this course. Thus, the use of these tools by students will be considered fraud and will entail the application of the copy regulations of La Salle Campus Barcelona.

Basic Bibliography

Books on Leo Strauss*:

- STRAUSS, L., The Early Writings (1921-1932). New York: State University of New York Press, 2002.

– Spinoza’s Critique of Religion. New York: Schocken Books, 1982.

– Hobbes’s Critique of Religion and Related Writings. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2011.

– Philosophy and Law: Contributions to the Understanding of Maimonides and His Predecessors. New York: State University of New York Press, 1995. [Ed. Or. 1935].

– The Political Philosophy of Hobbes. Its Basis and Its Genesis. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1952. [Ed. Or. 1936]

– What is Political Philosophy? And Other Studies. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1988.

– Persecution and the Art of Writing. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 1988.

– On Tyranny. Chicago and London, The University of Chicago Press, 2013 (Or. Ed. 1948)

– Natural Right and History. Chicago and London, The University of Chicago Press, 1953.

— Thoughts on Machiavelli. Glencoe (Illinois): The Free Press, 1958.

– On Plato’s Symposium. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2001. [Ed. Or. 1959].

– The City and Man. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1978. [Ed. Or. 1964].

– Socrates and Aristophanes. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1966.

– Liberalism Ancient and Modern. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 1995. [Ed. Or. 1968].

– Xenophon’s Socratic Discourse. An Interpretation of the Oeconomicus. South Bend (Indiana): St. Augustine’s Press, 1988. [Ed. Or. 1970]

– Xenophon’s Socrates. South Bend (Indiana): St. Augustine’s Press, 1988. [Ed. Or. 1972].

– The Argument and the Action of Plato’s Laws. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1975.

– Studies in Platonic Political Philosophy. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1983.

– The Rebirth of Classical Political Rationalism. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1989.

– STRAUSS, L., SCHOLEM, G., Correspondencia 1933-1973. Valencia: Pre-Textos, 2009.

– STRAUSS, L., CROPSEY, J., History of Political Philosophy. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1987.

*Para artículos académicos de Strauss y/o traducciones de sus obras al catalán o al castellano, el alumnado puede consultar al profesor de la asignatura.

Additional Material

Texts and correspondence by Strauss edited by other authors:

– YAFFE, M.D., RUDERMAN, R.S. (Eds.) Reorientation: Leo Strauss in the 1930’s. New York: MacMillan, 2014.

– MEIER, H., Carl Schmitt and Leo Strauss: The Hidden Dialogue. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1995.

– EMBERLEY, P., COOPER, B., Faith and Political Philosophy: The Correspondence between Leo Strauss and Eric Voegelin, 1934-1964. Columbia and London: University of Missouri Press, 1993.

– HART GREEN, K., Leo Strauss on Maimonides: The Complete Writings. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2013.

– STRAUSS, L., KENDALL, W., “Willmoore Kendall–Leo Strauss Correspondence” a MURLEY, J.A., ALVIS, J.E., Willmoore Kendall. Maverick of American Conservatism. Lanham, Maryland: Lexignton Books, 2002. Pp. 191-262.

– GILDIN, H. (Ed), An Introduction to Political Philosophy: Ten Essays by Leo Strauss. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1989.

Comments on the work of Leo Strauss:

– BEHNEGAR, N., Leo Strauss, Max Weber, and the Scientific Study of Politics. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2003.

– BRAGUE, R., “Athens, Jerusalem, Mecca: Leo Strauss’ Muslim Understanding of Greek Philosophy”, Poetics Today, 19 (1998) 2, pp. 235-259.

– DRURY, S., The Political Ideas of Leo Strauss: Updated Edition. New York: MacMillan, 2005 (Ed. Or. 1988).

– Leo Strauss and the American Right. New York: Saint Martin’s Press, 1999.

– FERRY, L., Filosofía Política I: El derecho: la nueva querella de los antiguos y los modernos. México D.F.: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1991 (Ed. Or. 1984).

– HILB, C., Leo Strauss: El arte de leer. Buenos Aires: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 2005.

– JANSSENS, D., Between Athens and Jerusalem. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2008.

– LAMPERT, L., Leo Strauss and Nietzsche. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1996.

– The Enduring Importance of Leo Strauss. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2013.

– LURI, G., Erotismo y prudencia: biografía intelectual de Leo Strauss. Encuentro: Madrid, 2012.

– MCALLISTER, T.V., Revolt against Modernity. Lawrence, Kansas: The University Press of Kansas, 1995.

– MONTSERRAT, J., SALES, J., Introducció a la lectura de Leo Strauss. Barcelona: Barcelonesa d’edicions, 1991.

– PANGLE, T., Leo Strauss: An Introduction to his Thought and Intellectual Legacy. Baltimore: The John Hopkings University Press, 2006.

– ROSEN, S., Hermeneutics as Politics. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987.

– SHEPPARD, E.R., Leo Strauss and the Politics of Exile. Hannover and London: University Press of New England, 2006.

– SMITH, S.B., Leo Strauss: Politics, Philosophy, Judaism. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2006.

– (Ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Leo Strauss. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

– TANGUAY, D., Leo Strauss: An Intellectual Biography. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2007.

– VELKLEY, R., Heidegger, Strauss, and the Premises of Philosophy: On Original Forgetting. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2011.

– ZUCKERT, M., ZUCKERT, C. The Truth about Leo Strauss: Political Philosophy and American Democracy. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2006.