Document Type : Research Paper
Author
PhD in Philosophy of Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction
For Strauss, modern philosophy is linked to the foundations of relativist and historicist thinking. This has led to the definition of natural right as a fundamental concept in modern thought, tending toward a material or relative view. However, natural right, in its classical form, is connected to a teleological view of the universe. All natural beings have a natural end, a natural destiny, which determines what kind of operation is good for them. In the case of man, reason is required to discern these operations: reason determines man’s natural end. The teleological view of the universe, of which the teleological view of man forms a part, would seem to have been undermined by modern natural science. (Altini, 2022: 168)
The modern attitude toward the issue of natural right has caused stable values in life to be replaced by relative values. According to Strauss, this ultimately leads the modern world to nihilism. The ancient philosophers—Socrates and Plato in particular—observed that different societies had different customs, personified and sanctified by different gods. But they asked themselves: Which, if any, are the right customs? What is good by nature rather than by custom? What is good independent of human desire, choice, opinion, or tradition? (Young, 2021: 199–200)
Strauss considers revelation an essential element in the path of human consciousness, whose teachings cannot be proven by reason. If revelation is regarded as a source of truth in the pursuit of knowledge, then, alongside reason, it can also be responsible for guiding and cultivating man. Strauss appeals to the views of Maimonides to support his perspective on the relationship between reason and revelation in shaping human consciousness. According to Maimonides, the highest goal of revelation is to guide man toward philosophizing, to educate him for life. (Wussow, 2020: 124) Strauss uses this thesis regarding the highest goal of revelation as a foundational principle and a source of truth in medieval society. In this context, if man’s ultimate purpose is based on reason, there is no contradiction between revelation and reason in terms of the final goal, even though they remain distinct entities.
In Strauss’s philosophy, the movement toward light can be achieved through the teaching of philosophy, a statement he makes under the direct influence of Plato’s views. Philosophy is a path that can guide man from the cave of shadows to light and truth, bringing him out of the cave of ignorance and acquainting him with his true foundation. Ultimately, this is a way to escape nihilism in the modern world. What we call education today often does not refer to the formation of character but rather to instruction, training, and conditioning—reducing education to the leveling of consciences. (Altini, 2022: 194) Therefore, it is necessary to reform the educational process to cultivate people’s awareness based on their natural truth.
The subject of this article is not only an examination of Strauss’s view on the concept of natural right but also an analysis of the relationship between this concept and human development and advancement. This relationship takes contrasting forms in different historical periods. In fact, the awareness and education of individuals toward both personal and social advancement—as a natural right, according to Strauss—have a specific connection to the prevailing concept of right in different historical contexts.
In one period, this natural right might conflict with the law prevailing in the city, which guarantees human survival. In another period, the right to education and the pursuit of excellence in life find meaning under the religious interpretation of the concept of revelation. It can be said that Strauss, in a way, is searching for a solution to modern man’s alienation by examining these historical relationships between the concept of right and the matter of human development. Coincidentally, this denial and alienation stem from the material definition of the concept of right and an excessive emphasis on individual rights—an issue that has endangered modern education.
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