The Socratic practice in Hannah Arendt and Leo Strauss
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الممارسة السقراطية, التأويل, التقليد, الحياة النشيطة, الطبيعة والقانون Socratic Practice, Interpretation, Tradition, Active Life,, Nature and Law
Abstract
This article examines how Leo Strauss and Hannah Arendt reinterpret the political and intellectual history of Western civilization to confront the modern crisis caused by the collapse of categories of thought and standards of judgment. The crisis in political philosophy emerges when the search for humanity’s purpose is replaced by an emphasis on power and emotional control. To address this, both thinkers turn to Socrates as a pivotal figure for rethinking tradition and uncovering new tools within Western history. Yet, while Socrates serves as a shared model, Strauss and Arendt diverge sharply in their interpretations of his life, and these differences underscore the profound gap between their philosophical projects.
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