Abstract
Throughout the philosophical tradition that stems from Plato, Socratic irony has represented an enigma that all interpreters of the Platonic dialogues have had to face from different points of view. In this article I aim to present the peculiar Straussian reading of Socratic irony. According to Leo Strauss, Socratic irony is a key element of Plato’s political philosophy, linked to the «logographic necessity» that rules his texts. I will therefore examine the genesis and the main features of Straussian hermeneutics. I will end the article by highlighting the relevance of the esoteric interpretation of Platonic thought as a conceptual tool that responds to the crisis of modern political philosophy.
Highlights
Socratic irony remains a fascinating enigma for Platonic scholars
What exactly does his irony mean, to whom is it addressed and what is its role in the work of Plato? The question of whether Socrates is ironic as a character is different from the question of whether Plato is ironic as an author
There, I aim to show that Strauss’s account of Socratic irony as esotericism has literary consequences, and esotericism has a deep meaning for the contemporary renewal of political philosophy
Summary
Socratic irony remains a fascinating enigma for Platonic scholars. For centuries readers and interpreters of the dialogues have faced the difficulties related to understanding this central element of Socrates’s character. Strauss’s attempt to separate Plato from Platonism open up a perspective that could help to overcome the traditional alternative between the dogmatic or skeptical approach to the dialogues.[11] the significance of Strauss’s recovery of Plato’s political philosophy cannot be reduced to the field of ancient studies; its ultimate aim is to rehabilitate a philosophical question on human affairs in contemporary times. To this end, I will first present the meaning of Socratic irony in Strauss’s reading of Plato. There, I aim to show that Strauss’s account of Socratic irony as esotericism has literary consequences, and esotericism has a deep meaning for the contemporary renewal of political philosophy
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