“The adjective “political” in “political philosophy” designates not so much the subject matter as a manner of treatment; from this point of view, I say, “political philosophy” means primarily not the philosophic study of politics, but the political, or popular, treatment of philosophy, or the political introduction to philosophy—the attempt to lead qualified citizens, or rather their qualified sons, from the political life to the philosophic life.”

—  Leo Strauss

Source: What is Political Philosophy (1959), p. 93

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Leo Strauss 78
Classical philosophy specialist and father of neoconservati… 1899–1973

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