Strauss vs analytic: context matters

Harvey Mansfield argues that Straussian reading treats philosophical arguments as situated performances (like parts in a play) meant for particular audiences, whereas analytic philosophy abstracts and evaluates arguments divorced from their narrative context. That interpretive choice changes what counts as a 'good' argument, how students are trained, and how political messages are conveyed. — If interpretive method conditions elite formation and rhetoric, debates about political virtue, secrecy, and public argument depend not just on substantive claims but on how arguments are presented and received.