Benjamin Cain
1 min readOct 4, 2021

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I agree there's a stereotype of the enlightened character as a hobo, but this is also a deduction from the realization that conventional morality and norms are strategies for preserving unenlightened society. Indeed, even if technically the sage would be free from the ideas of right and wrong, she'd be constrained by the natural outcomes of whatever actions she might take.

Leo Strauss addressed this when he said the esoteric-exoteric distinction emerged in the ancient world for this reason, to preserve the enlightened subculture by cultivating the deluded society with noble lies. The modern world does away with that distinction and threatens both insider and outsider societies.

Kronman has a chapter on Heidegger too. He makes a lot of Aristotle, but more specifically he contrasts the original Aristotle with the Christian reconstruction. And Kronman elaborates on the aesthetic vision, tying it into Nietzsche, and showing the similarities between Nietzsche and Spinoza. Kronman excels in explaining complex philosophical ideas, and in keeping the big picture in view. It's not just a summary, but a revaluation in light of his major argument about how Christianity is to blame for the modern crisis of meaning.

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Benjamin Cain
Benjamin Cain

Written by Benjamin Cain

Ph.D. in philosophy / Knowledge condemns. Art redeems. / https://benjamincain.substack.com / https://ko-fi.com/benjamincain / benjamincain8@gmailDOTcom

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