Keyes studied with the great Straussian, Allan Bloom, who once called him the sharpest student he ever taught.
But Keyes broke with the more sceptical East Coast Straussians decades ago, over the very matters mentioned here, among them the truth of the Christian Religion, and the dangers of merely attending to the social utility of religion. One consequence of this is that he argues much more forcefully on abortion than guys like Bill Kristol or Walter Berns, and another is that he admires Lincoln more wholeheartedly than Kristol or his father do. Of the great students of Strauss in current academic circles, Keyes is most like Harry Jaffa, though Jaffa is not Christian.
IMHO, Strauss remains a powerful, and on the whole, beneficial influence on Republican and American thought, but Keyes is way beyond being a "disciple." He is his own man, and must be judged as such.
Nice to see you so learned on these things, BTW!
Cheers,
Richard F.
I would not say that I am learned, but I attended a number of ISI seminars, and got acquainted with Berns, Russell Kirk, and Mel Bradford, among many others. That reminds me, maybe we could start a thread for conservative intellectual concepts. If my fellow Hobbits and I can do it, certainly there is enough material for serious discussion in the area of conservative thinking?
What's the big deal about Lincoln?
Bloom, at least, writes so well that he charms rather than repulses the reader, so one is (if sympathetic) willing to read his book again and again, with closer and closer attention; but not even the most sympathetic reader can really be sure, in the end, precisely what Bloom really means, behind all the good and important things he does say.
--Karl Jahn
Yup. Alan is a Straussian.
What, is there now a degree requirement for being a citizen? Having an opinion? Discussing Keyes?
Does everyone who doesn't have at least a BA in philosophy from Xavier or better, have to go home? What's the threshold these days?