Which Philosophers Should Bush Be Reading?
The Philosopher’s Magazine asked me and several other philosophers to answer the following question for their December print edition’s straw poll:
It has been reported that leading American neoconservatives have been heavily influenced by the philosophy of Leo Strauss. But which philosophers should George W. Bush really be reading?
Here was my response (and kudos if you can guess my specialty):
President Bush should read more of the ancient philosopher Jesus Christ (ca. 8 BC - 29 AD). Bush named him as his favorite political philosopher in a December 1999 Republican debate. But I understood his response in the way I understand those who name Hegel as their favorite philosopher -- they refer to his ideas, but they don’t actually read or understand him.
As with many ancient philosophers, we have nothing written by Jesus Christ himself, but only second hand reports of differing value. He often speaks in obscure metaphors, evoking comparisons to Heraclitus (ca. 500 BC). His religious mysticism and claims to divinity recall Empedocles (ca. 492-432 BC) and his ethical focus recalls Socrates (469-399 BC).
Due to source problems and his cryptic style, interpretations of his philosophy vary greatly. However, there is a consensus that Jesus Christ advocated a virtue ethics based on compassion, generosity and good works. He is also noted for his radical egalitarianism and commitment to social justice.
Some have maintained that Jesus Christ instead advocated individualism and laissez faire capitalism (the so-called “Supply Side Jesus”), but this view has been thoroughly refuted (cf. Al Franken, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, 213-216, 313-323).
A study of Jesus Christ’s philosophy would persuade the President to reject many of his current policies in favor of the “neo-Christianism” of the New Deal.
David V. Johnson
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
5:34:14 PM 
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