In "Leo Strauss and the Rediscovery of Maimonides", Kenneth Hart Green explores the critical role played by Maimonides in shaping Leo Strauss' thought. In uncovering the esoteric tradition employed in Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed, Strauss made the radical realization that other ancient and medieval philosophers might be concealing their true thoughts through literary artifice. Maimonides and al-Farabi, he saw, allowed their message to be altered by dogmatic considerations only to the extent required by moral and political imperatives and were in fact avid advocates for enlightenment. Strauss also revealed Maimonides' potential relevance to contemporary concerns, especially his paradoxical conviction that one must confront the conflict between reason and revelation rather than resolve it. An invaluable companion to Green's comprehensive collection of Strauss' writings on Maimonides, this volume shows how Strauss confronted the commonly accepted approaches to the medieval philosopher, resulting in both a new understanding of Maimonides and a new depth and direction for his own thought. It will be welcomed by anyone engaged with the work of either philosopher.

About the Author
Kenneth Hart Green is associate professor in the Department for the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto. He is the author of Jew and Philosopher: The Return to Maimonides in the Jewish Thought of Leo Strauss

Reviews
"Kenneth Hart Green rigorously retraces the stages by which Strauss came to see Maimonides and his teachings in a new light. Leo Strauss and the Rediscovery of Maimonides is an ambitious attempt to see Strauss's preoccupation with Maimonides as a manifestation of his overall philosophical concerns." (Ralph Lerner, University of Chicago)"



Book Information
ISBN 9780226307015
Author Kenneth Hart Green
Format Hardback
Page Count 224
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 454g
Dimensions(mm) 24mm * 15mm * 2mm