Sunday Reading Circle: Leo Strauss, 'The Crisis of Our Time’

In this series of meetings, we'll come together to read and discuss some of the greatest texts and essays from the fields of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics: from the Nobel laureates, famous philosophers, both ancient and modern, and influential political theorists.

No academic background is required! Anyone is welcome – as long as you've read the text in advance ;)

All texts will be short (10-20 pages max) and easy to find upon a quick Google search. I will also make sure to share the direct links in advance.

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This time we will read ‘The Crisis of Our Time’, a short essay / lecture by Leo Strauss, originally delivered in the early 1940s.

Leo Strauss (1899–1973) was a German-Jewish political philosopher best known for his critique of modern relativism and his defense of classical political philosophy. Strauss taught for many years at the University of Chicago, where he became an influential teacher and mentor to generations of students. His major works include Persecution and the Art of Writing, Natural Right and History, and What Is Political Philosophy?

In the essay, Strauss postulates that the modern West is undergoing a crisis of meaning and legitimacy caused by the abandonment of classical natural right and the rise of historicism, relativism, and positivism.

According to Strauss, modern social science claims to be value-neutral and purely scientific, but in doing so it cannot justify moral or political principles. In turn, historicism (the idea that all values and truths are products of their historical context) undermines the possibility of objective standards of justice or the good life. As a result, modern societies lose the ability to defend liberal democracy on rational grounds, leaving them vulnerable to nihilism, authoritarianism, or ideological fanaticism. Strauss contrasts this with classical political philosophy (Plato, Aristotle), which openly asked normative questions about justice, virtue, and the best regime.

Join us to discuss!

Link:
https://archive.org/details/leo-strauss-the-crisis-of-our-time-1963/

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Location: we will meet in cafes, parks, or one another's living rooms throughout the summer. Together, we will discuss the great theories and ideas; think, debate, contemplate, deliberate, and by our joint effort we will aim to get one step closer towards understanding of this world.

This time we’ll meet at Justin’s home (Blahníkova 646/16). The names on the buzzer are “McCandless, Everett, Mainous,” go up to the 5th floor and if the button in the elevator gives you trouble then just ride it up to the 4th floor.

Meeting structure: each session will begin with a brief summary of the key ideas from the reading, followed by open discussion.

Please read the text in advance, make highlights, and write down any thoughts or questions that you find especially interesting and compelling.

Knowledge Will Break the Chains of Slavery
Veritas Vos Liberabit ✊