TY - THES ID - 137126278 TI - Philosophy, Politics and Cosmopolitanism: Leo Strauss and Alexandre Kojève AU - Morris, Max AU - Mulieri, Alessandro AU - KU Leuven. Hoger Instituut voor Wijsbegeerte. Opleiding Research Master of Philosophy (Abridged Programme) (Leuven) PY - 2019 PB - Leuven KU Leuven. Hoger Instituut voor Wijsbegeerte DB - UniCat UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:137126278 AB - A more radical political proposal than has hitherto been ascribed to Leo Strauss can be drawn from his exchange with Alexandre Kojève. As an alternative to Kojève’s idea of a world state, Strauss proposes a cosmopolitan society of philosophers. Kojève challenges Strauss with the claim that non-historicist philosophy is incapable of providing a philosophic answer to the question of justice. Unless philosophy abandons the idea that there exists something like eternal justice, there will always be an unpassable chasm separating the finite human philosopher from justice. Many scholars have understood Strauss’ response to consist in his zetetic understanding of philosophy, critique of the inhumanity of Kojève’s world state and politics of prudence and moderation. These interpretations render Strauss lacking in terms of an adequate response to Kojève’s challenge. Conversely, this paper argues that Strauss endorses and provides the resources for the cultivation of the conditions requisite for a truly cosmopolitan society. ER -