Leo Strauss, an influential political philosopher, sought to understand politics through the lens of both ancient and modern texts. His work focused on the idea of governance guided by wisdom, aiming to uncover enduring principles that transcend historical shifts. Strauss's examinations of political texts and his interpretations have significantly impacted conservative thought and philosophical discourse.

Early Life and Education

Born on September 20, 1899, in Kirchhain, Hessen, Germany, Leo Strauss grew up in an orthodox Jewish family. His education began with a classical curriculum at a Gymnasium, where he developed a strong foundation in various academic disciplines. By seventeen, Strauss had embraced Zionism, advocating for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. This interest in Jewish culture and history later permeated his writings. Strauss pursued higher education in philosophy and natural sciences at Marburg, Frankfurt, Berlin, and Hamburg, ultimately earning a Ph.D. from the University of Hamburg in 1921.

Strauss was deeply influenced by the philosophical teachings of Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger. Husserl, known for founding phenomenology, argued for a rigorous system of understanding phenomena akin to the natural sciences. Strauss also studied under Heidegger, who moved away from phenomenology towards existential questions about human existence and temporality. These intellectual encounters inspired Strauss to explore politics as a dynamic phenomenon subject to historical changes.

Academic Journey and Emigration

In 1932, Strauss received a Rockefeller grant to conduct research in Paris, focusing on medieval Jewish and Islamic philosophy. The rise of Adolf Hitler in 1933 made returning to Germany untenable, compelling Strauss to relocate to the United States in 1937. Initially, he served as a research fellow at Columbia University, followed by a position at the New School for Social Research. By 1949, Strauss was teaching political philosophy at the University of Chicago, where he would produce some of his most significant works.

Philosophical Contributions

Strauss's philosophical framework was heavily influenced by Husserl’s concept of the whole, which asserts that ideas are interrelated within a larger context. This holistic understanding became central to Strauss's efforts to demonstrate that effective governance is rooted in timeless ideas rather than historical accidents. Strauss's analyses suggest that while historical developments can obscure these foundational ideas, diligent scholarship can recover them.

Strauss initially delved into theology, examining the works of Thomas Hobbes and Baruch Spinoza, who challenged traditional religious and political norms. Like these thinkers, Strauss was interested in the tension between reason and revelation, a conflict he viewed as fundamental to Western civilization. His early writings laid the groundwork for his later exploration of how philosophical inquiry can both support and destabilize political systems.

Exoteric and Esoteric Philosophy

Allan Bloom, one of Strauss's notable students, identified three phases in Strauss’s career. During the first, Strauss authored important works like Spinoza’s Critique of Religion and The Political Philosophy of Hobbes, probing the balance between establishing a stable state and the philosopher’s pursuit of truth. Strauss believed that governments often justified their existence with "noble fictions" and engaged in coercion, a notion he considered philosophers should cautiously critique through exoteric and esoteric teachings.

In the second phase, Strauss refined his ideas on exoteric and esoteric philosophy, suggesting that great philosophers intentionally obscured some of their teachings. He proposed that accessible ideas were plainly stated, while more controversial concepts were hidden, intended for only those sophisticated enough to discern them. This dual-layered approach became a hallmark of Strauss's analyses, compelling readers to engage deeply with the texts.

Mature Works and Legacy

In his later works, Strauss applied his exoteric/esoteric method more explicitly, often concealing his arguments within his writings on historical philosophers. This...