Leo Strauss makes reference to the Ancients

Strauss is speaking of the classical understanding of man.

" [It is] a term that can be used in a fuller sense, as it was used by the Greek philosophers, and then it means those activities of man, which contribute to the perfection of man as man, to the perfection of man's nature. Now... but here is already a difficulty..."

I am uncertain what term Strauss is referring to, although it has been suggested to me, and I am now convinced it is"arete", meaning "virtue" or "excellence".

As Bloom points out in the lecture on Aristotle, the relation between a virtuous life of action as opposed to contemplation is one of rank. The gentleman thereby admires and respects those things that are higher than politics, but are not "heroic". I.e. Philosophy. The idea of the "perfection of man" is clearly a discovery or invention of political philosophy.

This is an authentic fragment of Strauss lecturing.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Leo
• Strauss;
• Political
• Philosophy;
• Allan
• Bloom;

[Phalces]

cool... wish there was more...

[ModernMaverick]

So do I. Thank you for posting!