Tanguay's Bird's-eye View

In: Perspectives on political science, Volume 37, Issue 2, p. 109-111

Abstract

Despite Strauss's solitary and Herculean effort to recover and revive the theological-political problem and establish the bar of judgment for settling the issue (e.g., 157-66), Strauss ultimately failed to answer the questions in a manner that satisfies either reason or revelation.3 Tanguay does not allow his readers to be squeamish: the points of view of theology and philosophy are 'inexpugnable,' and at the end of the day Strauss's rhetoric merely papers over their incorrigible differences (204). The predisposition to assume the superiority of the contemplative life and the necessity of exoteric teaching should make us weary that the same predisposition does not finally prevent us from accepting an inadequate resolution to our initial inquiry: The division between an esoteric and exoteric teaching permits the [Farabian] reconciliation of these two spiritual powers on the political plane.