Post-Schna-ulations

A critical look at the present

For those of you who don't read Morphogensis, Jon's blog, I'm posting this here:

I think that a major step in creating this critical history of the present moment would be to read the works of Leo Strauss, who, as many of you know, is a major philosophical figure behind the current right-wing coalition's political agenda; certain high-ranking Cabinet members, including Paul Wolfowitz, were actually students of Strauss's at the University of Chicago before his death in the early 1970s. In order to correctly evaluate the present and be able to take informed action, I think that we need to unearth the genealogy of the forces and ways of thinking that have constituted this moment; this is, in fact, what I have been referring to as a "critical history of the present."
So, I would like to, if possible, set up a reading group on Strauss in order to facilitate the construction of this genealogy. We needn't even meet in person; we could set up another blog or other online forum in which to discuss these works. Is anyone else interested in this?

I think this sort of intellectual endeavor is really important, and while I recognize that time is limited for just about everybody, I don't think that this would be too much to add (or put another way, I think that this would be worth fitting into a schedule). And, from a totally self-serving standpoint, your participation and input would make it a better experience for me. :) Let me know if you're interested, and I will pass the word along to Jon (actually, as he reads this and the comments, I'm sure I won't have to pass the word along). This goes for people outside of Pittsburgh too, as that is the benefit of discussion via blog - it transcends spatial distances. :)

posted by Schna @ 9:14 AM