The Argument and the Action of Plato's Laws

By Leo Strauss

Book Overview

The posthumous publication of The Argument and the Action of Plato's "Laws" was compiled shortly before the death of Leo Strauss in 1973. Strauss offers an insightful and instructive reading through careful probing of Plato's classic text.

"Strauss's The Argument and the Action of Plato's 'Laws' reflects his interest in political thought, his dogged method of following the argument of the Laws step by step, and his vigorous defense of this dialogue's integrity in respect to the ideals of the Republic."--Cross Currents

"The unique characteristics of this commentary on the Laws reflect the care and precision which were the marks of Professor Strauss's efforts to understand the complex thoughts of other men."--Allan D. Nelson, Canadian Journal of Political Science

"Thorough and provocative, an important addition to Plato scholarship."--Library Journal

"The major purpose of the commentary is to provide a reading of the dialogue which displays its structural arrangement and the continuity of the argument."--J. W. Dy, Bibliographical Bulletin of Philosophy

"The reader of Strauss's book is indeed guided closely through the whole text."-- M. J. Silverthorne, The Humanities Association Review

Leo Strauss (1899-1973) was the Robert Maynard Hutchins Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of political science at the University of Chicago.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226776980
• ISBN13: 9780226776989
• Release Date: May 1998
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 186 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

An Extremely Detailed and Helpful Commentary

This commentary works step by step through to move through the text of the Laws, pointing out connections between ideas and making observations regarding curious notions as they appear in the work. Strauss does a good job of making some sense of many inconsistencies as they appear by the (at-times) inexpert Athenian Stranger character and does a good job of painting an overall portrait of the city of the Laws as we move through a long dialogue. This is an excellent choice for a first-timer to help you approach the Laws carefully. It can be read right alongside the Laws because it follows the text in the same order of progression as the text itself. Many of the other commentaries don't have this feature.