Science, Politics and Gnosticism: Two EssaysScience, Politics and Gnosticism comprises two essays by Eric Voegelin (1901-85), arguably one of the most provocative and influential political philosophers of the last century. In these essays, Voegelin contends that certain modern movements, including positivism, Hegelianism, Marxism, and the "God is dead" school, are variants of the gnostic tradition he identified in his classic work The New Science of Politics. Voegelin attempts to resolve the intellectual confusion that has resulted from the dominance of gnostic thought by clarifying the distinction between political gnosticism and the philosophy of politics. |
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action Aeschylus alien analysis ancient gnosticism Baillie become Bottomore century Christ Christian clarity completely Comte consciousness construct created death deception divine Ellis Sandoz Eric Voegelin Ersatz Religion essay essential evil experience faith German idealism Gerschom Scholem gnosis gnostic attitude gnostic mass movements gnostic movement gnostic thinker gods golem legend Hegel Heidegger Hobbes human existence Ibid immanentization intellectual swindle Joachim Kabbalah Karl Marx leader libido libido dominandi magic man’s Marx Marx’s Marxian means meditation modern gnosticism motive murder myth nature Nietzsche Nietzsche’s Night Song opinions origin parousia parousiastic Phänomenologie phase phenomenon philosophy of world Plato political science Politics and Gnosticism positivism positivist present progressivism prohibition of questions Prometheus reality Regnery Publishing revelation revolt Rudolf Höss salvation Science of Politics second reality sectarians social socialist society soul spirit substance summum bonum superman suppression of questions symbolism things Third Realm transcendent truth world history