Leo Strauss e o Straussianismo, uma polêmica

Abstract

Since his death in 1973, Leo Strauss' work has become a site of debates and interpretive quarrel that have spawned a controversial current of thought called Straussianism. As with every legacy that becomes an “ism”, the question that arises is: would Straussianism be endorsed by Professor Strauss? My objective in this paper is to analyze the profound differences between the so-called Straussians and to show that what is meant by Straussianism is more a mystique created around the appropriation of Strauss' thought than an epistemologically consistent content. Therefore, this study is divided into three parts: in the first, I will present some specific points of Strauss' intellectual biography and his behavior in relation to the politics of his time. In the second part, I will analyze the contact of the supposed Straussians with north american politics. Finally, I will try to demonstrate some of the main interpretive differences between Straussians, in order to show two things in this field: (1) it makes no sense to talk about Straussianism as a cohesive group that shares the same ideas and values, so it is more coherent to talk about “Straussianisms”; (2) in addition to the differences between the Straussians, there is an even deeper and more radical quarrel between their views and the teaching of Strauss.