Tradition v. Rationalism

Voegelin, Oakeshott, Hayek, and Others

Edited by Lee Trepanier and Eugene Callahan - Contributions by Grant Havers; David Corey; Daniel John Sportiello; Colin Cordner; Mark T. Mitchell; Timothy Fuller; Kenneth B. McIntyre; Ferenc Hörcher; Nathanael Blake; John von Heyking; Eugene Callahan; Zoltan Balazs and Lee Trepanier

In the first half of the twentieth century, the rationalist tide had reached its high mark in the arts, politics, and work. But the Holocaust, the Gulag, and other failures have dimmed the popularity of rationalism. However, the evidence of those practical failures would not have been as convincing as it was if not for the existence of a theoretical diagnosis of the malady. This book compares and contrasts the ideas of some of the leading twentieth-century critics of rationalism: Hans-Georg Gadamer, F.A. Hayek, Aurel Kolnai, Alasdair MacIntyre, Michael Oakeshott, Michael Polanyi, Gilbert Ryle, Eric Voegelin, and Ludwig Wittgenstein. While each can be seen as a critic of rationalism, were they each attacking the same thing? In what senses did their analyses overlap, and in what senses did they differ? Clarifying these issues, this book will provide important insights into this major intellectual trend of the past century.

By including these major thinkers, Tradition v. Rationalism, we see that that these thinkers believed that tradition should still have a place in the world as a repository of wisdom. As our lives becomes increasingly dominated by various forms of rationalisms—whether political, technological, economic, or cultural—we need to ask ourselves whether this is the type of world in which we want to live; and if not, how can we critique and propose an alternative to it? The thinkers in this book provide us a starting point on our journey towards thinking about how we can have a more hopeful, humane, and brighter future.

Lexington Books

Pages: 284 • Trim: 6¼ x 9¼

978-1-4985-7172-2 • Hardback • May 2018 • $129.00 • (£99.00)

978-1-4985-7173-9 • eBook • May 2018 • $122.50 • (£95.00)

Series: Political Theory for Today

Subjects: Political Science / History & Theory, Philosophy / Political, Political Science / General

Tradition v. Rationalism

Voegelin, Oakeshott, Hayek, and Others

Hardback

eBook

Summary

In the first half of the twentieth century, the rationalist tide had reached its high mark in the arts, politics, and work. But the Holocaust, the Gulag, and other failures have dimmed the popularity of rationalism. However, the evidence of those practical failures would not have been as convincing as it was if not for the existence of a theoretical diagnosis of the malady. This book compares and contrasts the ideas of some of the leading twentieth-century critics of rationalism: Hans-Georg Gadamer, F.A. Hayek, Aurel Kolnai, Alasdair MacIntyre, Michael Oakeshott, Michael Polanyi, Gilbert Ryle, Eric Voegelin, and Ludwig Wittgenstein. While each can be seen as a critic of rationalism, were they each attacking the same thing? In what senses did their analyses overlap, and in what senses did they differ? Clarifying these issues, this book will provide important insights into this major intellectual trend of the past century.

By including these major thinkers, Tradition v. Rationalism, we see that that these thinkers believed that tradition should still have a place in the world as a repository of wisdom. As our lives becomes increasingly dominated by various forms of rationalisms—whether political, technological, economic, or cultural—we need to ask ourselves whether this is the type of world in which we want to live; and if not, how can we critique and propose an alternative to it? The thinkers in this book provide us a starting point on our journey towards thinking about how we can have a more hopeful, humane, and brighter future.

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 284 • Trim: 6¼ x 9¼

978-1-4985-7172-2 • Hardback • May 2018 • $129.00 • (£99.00)

978-1-4985-7173-9 • eBook • May 2018 • $122.50 • (£95.00)

Series: Political Theory for Today

Subjects: Political Science / History & Theory, Philosophy / Political, Political Science / General

Author

Gene Callahan is industry associate professor of mathematics at New York University.

Lee Trepanier is professor of political science at Saginaw Valley State University.

Table of Contents

Introduction, by Gene Callahan and Lee Trepanier
Chapter 1: Wittgenstein and the Athens-Jerusalem Conflict, by Grant Havers
Chapter 2: Eric Voegelin’s Critique of Ideology, by David CoreyChapter 3: Rationalism in Eric Voegelin, by Daniel John Sportiello
Chapter 4: The Diagnosis of Scientism: Eric Voegelin and Michael Polanyi on Science and Philosophy, by Colin Cordner
Chapter 5: Personal Participation: Michael Polanyi, Eric Voegelin, and the Indispensability of Faith, by Mark T. Mitchell
Chapter 6: Liberalism and the Prospect of Rational Order in Hobbes’s Political Philosophy and the Responses of Oakeshott, Strauss and Voegelin, by Timothy Fuller
Chapter 7: The Critique of Rationalism: Ryle and Oakeshott on Tacit Knowledge, by Kenneth B. McIntyre
Chapter 8: Two Concepts of Practical Knowledge in Politics: Oakeshott and MacIntyre in Comparison, by Ferenc Hörcher
Chapter 9: Between Rationalism and Relativism: Gadamer and MacIntyre on Truth and Finitude, by Nathanael Blake
Chapter 10: Was Hayek a Rationalist? by John von HeykingChapter 11: Hayek and Oakeshott on Rationalism, by Eugene Callahan
Chapter 12: Rationalism and Irrationalism: Aurel Kolnai and Michael Oakeshott, by Zoltan Balazs

Reviews

Callahan and Trepanier have put together an engaging volume on one of the most influential intellectual currents of modernity: rationalism. Drawing primarily from 20^th century critics of rationalism, the essays explore various facets of rationalism with an eye towards the political and spiritual consequences. More than just an historical account of the debate between “tradition” and rationalism, this volume brings to life questions that must be grappled with in 21^st century politics.
— David Whitney, Nicholl State University

Professors Callahan and Trepanier have assembled an exceptional group of scholars to produce a collection that is both a valuable study of modern political philosophy and a timely examination of the crisis within Western politics. Anyone seeking to understand the breakdown of rationalism, and how to reconcile the human requirement for both authority and freedom, will find this volume to be indispensable.
— Eric Fleury, College of the Holy Cross

The debate over rationalism in modern politics is perennial, but it is especially significant at present. Recent challenges to the global political and economic order “from below” bring new relevance to twentieth century critics for whom modern rationalism was insufficiently sensitive to particular traditions and circumstances. This volume is a momentous contribution to the broader debate, but in reminding us of the tensions between abstract and concrete rationality, it can also ward us against the temptation to dismiss every contemporary challenge to the staus quo as mere “irrationalism”.

Alan Baily, Assistant Professor (Department of Government), Stephen F. Austin State University
— Alan Baily, Stephen F. Austin State University

Tradition V. Rationalism is a book that leave one wanting more in the best possible way. That in and of itself is a tribute to the men examined in these pages who in various ways sought to stir a humble openness in us. . . . I strongly recommend Tradition V. Rationalism to anyone looking for a serious guide to the scientism sill prevalent among us. In short this is an excellent book.
— VoegelinView