OAKESHOTT ON ARTES LIBERALES AND POLITICAL AGENCY

Authors

  • Attila K. MOLNAR Eötvös University, Budapest

Keywords:

Oakeshott, Hobbes, liberal arts, political knowledge, scientism, rhetoric, hermeneutic

Abstract

Oakeshott’s well-known interest in political knowledge was associated with the defense of practical knowledge and the criticism of rationalism. Although he didn’t seem to realize, the scientist version of rationalism was launched partly by one of his favorite, Thomas Hobbes. Despite of his life-long defense of practical knowledge and the criticism of bookish politics, in several papers he didn’t simply refused scientism, but wrote for liberal education, involving reading. He implied that practical knowledge needed in proper political activity connected to liberal education, that is, practice to rhetoric, reading to judgment.

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Published

2013-01-31