A Symposium on Leo Strauss

On Natural Right and History and Classical Political Philosophy‍

“If our principles have no other support than our blind preferences, everything a man is willing to dare will be permissible. The contemporary rejection of natural right leads to nihilism—nay, it is identical with nihilism…”

“[Classical political philosophy] reproduces, and raises to its perfection, the magnanimous flexibility of the true statesman, who crushes the insolent and spares the vanquished. It is free from all fanaticism because it knows that evil cannot be eradicated and therefore that one’s expectations from politics must be moderate. The spirit which animates it may be described as serenity or sublime sobriety.”

Leo Strauss’s writings point the way to a radical recovery of the full meaning of philosophy in the West. He wrote interpretations of works by a wide range of figures, including not only Plato, Aristotle, Thucydides, Marsilius of Padua, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Spinoza, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Nietzsche, Weber, and Carl Schmitt, but also the Bible, Aristophanes, Xenophon, Lucretius, Al-Farabi, Judah Halevi, Maimonides, Lessing, Moses Mendelssohn, Herman Cohen, and Heidegger. He is widely known for defending natural right, especially in its classical form, against the challenges of relativism and historicism, reopening the quarrel between the ancients and the moderns in political philosophy, emphasizing philosophy as a way of life, sharply criticizing value-free social science, stressing the centrality of the theological-political problem, and distinguishing between the exoteric and esoteric teachings of writers of the past.

Students will investigate these themes through some of Strauss’s works, including Natural Right and History and other essays on the art of writing, classical political philosophy, and late modernity. In addition to seminars, students will enjoy the opportunity to explore Austin and meet some special guests.

Details and requirements

Participants must be currently enrolled undergraduates at least 18 years old, or recent graduates no more than two years out from the date of their graduation.

Travel Stipend: All participants who reside outside of the greater Austin region will receive up to a $599 reimbursement in economy airfare.

Tuition & Expenses: Due to the generous support of our donors, tuition is free. Accommodations will be provided for participants living outside of Austin, TX. Meals are also provided to all participants. All other expenses, including the purchase of books and other travel, are the responsibility of participants.

Apply at the link below.