So far I have examined a set of thinkers that could be classified in the same school of thought as “Voegelinian”: Eric Voegelin, Ellis Sandoz, Gerhart Niemeyer, and John H. Hallowell. In their different styles and approaches to teaching, each of them sought to show their students the true, the beautiful, and the good in a manner devoid of ideological thinking. Eric Voegelin invoked
I read your wonderful paper and have some minor comments that are more questions. Strauss and his readings of Plato baffle me in respect to thinking about the Good (Agathon) and consequently Truth, Beauty, and education. If Strauss is not held by a transcendent Divine Ground and this is difficult to determine in that his understanding of Divinity is obscured by his thoughts regarding revelation the question arises as to how the Good can be consciously invoked as truth. Truth becomes aloof and philosophy as something that arises in wonder in response to moving critically outside the community of Being (what today we call society). Strauss speaks of philosophy not in terms of the Agathon (think about Plato’s writing 492c I believe in The Republic and his understanding of Divine providence in breaking chains and drawing our souls up and in) but in terms of esoteric writing. What is secretive in such writing pertains also to his miss reading of what is wrongly translated as the noble lie. Philosophy thus moves into a logos of strange language bound by esoteric secrets that have no basis in transcendent consciousness. This important because in the end a science of the polis and existence in openness slides into obscurity
Strauss is one of very few prominent university educators who encouraged students to realize that properly human ends, or the human being as an end, require openness to divine ends open to humanity.
Hi Lee:
I read your wonderful paper and have some minor comments that are more questions. Strauss and his readings of Plato baffle me in respect to thinking about the Good (Agathon) and consequently Truth, Beauty, and education. If Strauss is not held by a transcendent Divine Ground and this is difficult to determine in that his understanding of Divinity is obscured by his thoughts regarding revelation the question arises as to how the Good can be consciously invoked as truth. Truth becomes aloof and philosophy as something that arises in wonder in response to moving critically outside the community of Being (what today we call society). Strauss speaks of philosophy not in terms of the Agathon (think about Plato’s writing 492c I believe in The Republic and his understanding of Divine providence in breaking chains and drawing our souls up and in) but in terms of esoteric writing. What is secretive in such writing pertains also to his miss reading of what is wrongly translated as the noble lie. Philosophy thus moves into a logos of strange language bound by esoteric secrets that have no basis in transcendent consciousness. This important because in the end a science of the polis and existence in openness slides into obscurity
Strauss is one of very few prominent university educators who encouraged students to realize that properly human ends, or the human being as an end, require openness to divine ends open to humanity.