Leo Strauss, Max Weber, and the Scientific Study of Politics

Almost three decades after Leo Strausss death Nasser Behnegar offers thefirst sustained exposition of what Strauss was best known for his radicalcritique of con... » 

Almost three decades after Leo Strausss death Nasser Behnegar offers thefirst sustained exposition of what Strauss was best known for his radicalcritique of contemporary social science particularly of political science.Behnegar argues that Strauss was not averse to the scientific study ofpolitics but he did reject the idea that it could be built upon politicalsciences cursory distinction between facts and values. Max Weber was forStrauss the most profound exponent of values relativism in social science andBehnegars explication artfully illuminates Strausss critique of Webersbelief in the ultimate insolubility of all value conflicts. As Behnegar showsvalues the ethical component lacking in contemporary social science areessential to Strausss project of constructing a genuinely scientific study ofpolitics. «