Friendship: Allan Bloom and Harvey Mansfield

Bloom and Mansfield were close friends. Many of their students were lucky enough to study with both of them, encouraged by the other.

In this short interview Mansfield speaks about the classics, his encounter with Strauss, and philosophy. The was the ground of that friendship, as well as a common concern for condition of their country.

The first work of Plato's that Mansfield read with Strauss, as far as I know, was the Laches, "on courage". It obviously made a profound impression on Mansfield. That was in California, sometime in the very early sixties, I think. He read it in a reading group that Strauss held in his home while teaching in California. Supposedly Mansfield traveled far to partake in those sessions. It was worth it.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Harvey Mansfield
• Leo Strauss
• Allan Bloom
• Friendship
• Plato
• Aristotle

[Bnjolly]

What's that lovely piece of music?

[MrAllanBloom]

@Bnjolly

That is a segment from a Vivaldi lute concerto.

I thought it appropriate to accompany the theme of friendship.

Bloom loved, above all however, Mozart's Horn Concertos - which for some reason he felt was a mirror of his being.

[DAVID3766]

Please sir can we have some more

[llapole]

more Mansfield

[Bnjolly]

@MrAllanBloom

Thanks! I agree, it's a very nice piece of music and complements the video very well. I also love Mozart's Horn Concertos, although now I'm curious what it was in particular about them that Bloom related to so strongly.

[aes229]

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