Few would deny that philosophical reflection is among the more estimable human activities. That it has very much to do with the wise conduct of foreign relations, however, will not be as clear to many readers as it seemingly is to Pangle and Ahrensdorf. One might ask, for example, whether the ideal of philosophical contemplation makes sense outside of a religious context. In addition to the question of contemplative delight there is that of moral guidance. The Western concept of justice which governs relations among nations as well as those among individuals involves necessarily the proposition that every individual is sacred.
Biblical religion supports that proposition.
Perhaps a few philosophies, such as later Stoicism and Kantianism, do. Their support, however, is disputed by other philosophers, and is thereby vulnerable in a way that religious support is not. Most philosophies render incomprehensible or absurd the notion that a human being as such, regardless of intelligence, education, beauty, character, and other such personal qualities, is of unconditional worth. Even so large a spiritual figure as Plato gave no support to such a notion. In short, the highly philosophical authors of Justice Among Nations may be reproached for not being sufficiently critical of philosophy itself.