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Podcast Profile: The New Thinkery

podcast imageTwitter: @thenewthinkery@alexpriou@GregMcBrayer3@Tempest1610
Site: thenewthinkery.com
197 episodes
2020 to present
Average episode: 65 minutes
Open in Apple PodcastsRSS

Categories: Interview-Style • Political Philosophy • Three+ Hosts

Podcaster's summary: The New Thinkery is a podcast devoted to political philosophy and its history, along with its many guises in literature, film, and human experience generally. Named after Socrates’ infamous “Thinkery” in Aristophanes’ Clouds, The New Thinkery strikes a balance between the seriousness of academia and the playfulness of casual conversation among friends.

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List Updated: 2024-Mar-28 06:08 UTC. Episodes: 197. Feedback: @TrueSciPhi.

Episodes
2024-Mar-27 • 55 minutes
Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act V
This week, the guys close out Shakespeare's Hamlet by focusing on Act V. The play reaches its dramatic climax as the threads of betrayal, revenge, and madness culminate in a blood-drenched conclusion. The guys dissect the pivotal act, exploring...
2024-Mar-20 • 39 minutes
Christopher Kelly on Rousseau's Rousseau, Judge of Jean-Jacques, Part II
Continuing on Part I from last week, Greg and Alex again replace David with renowned Rousseau scholar Dr. Christopher Kelly, professor of political science at Boston College. The group analyze Rousseau, Judge of Jean-Jacques, this time touching...
2024-Mar-13 • 47 minutes
Christopher Kelly on Rousseau's Rousseau, Judge of Jean-Jacques, Part I
This week, Greg and Alex replace David with renowned Rousseau scholar Dr. Christopher Kelly, professor of political science at Boston College. The group focus on how to situate Rousseau, Judge of Jean-Jacques with Rousseau's other writings, how...
2024-Mar-06 • 59 minutes
Robert Bresson's A Man Escaped ft. Tom Cleveland & James Guess
This week, Alex and Greg replace David with not one, but two guests! Tom Cleveland rejoins the show with a new title as the Executive Director of the American Political Tradition Project at the Jack Miller Center, and James Guess, with a PhD from the...
2024-Feb-28 • 76 minutes
Douglas Kries on Augustine City of God
This week Douglas Kries, a distinguished scholar from Gonzaga University, joins the guys as they delve into the profound insights of Augustine's monumental work, The City of God. Explore timeless philosophical questions and the enduring relevance of...
2024-Feb-21 • 51 minutes
Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act IV
Join the guys as they delve into the heart of Shakespeare's masterpiece, Hamlet. Act IV revolves around a pivotal moment in the play where the intricate web of deceit and ambition begins to unravel. From the haunting soliloquies to the dramatic...
2024-Feb-14 • 84 minutes
Devin Stauffer on Leo Strauss' Natural Right & History, Chapter 5, Part 1 on Hobbes
Join us as we delve into the profound insights of political philosopher Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History featuring returning special guest Devin Stauffer, Professor and Associate Chair at UT Austin. In this episode, the group unravel the...
2024-Feb-07 • 65 minutes
Kaishuo Chen on Confucius and Esotericism
Kaishuo Chen, a PhD student at Boston College, joins the guys this week for a dive into the teachings of Confucius and exploring the intersection of his philosophy with esotericism. Uncover the practical applications of this unique blend, as the group...
2024-Jan-31 • 53 minutes
Xenophon's Apology
In this episode, delve into the profound philosophical insights of Xenophon's Apology as the guys explore the teachings and reflections of Socrates from Xenophon's point of view. Unravel the layers of Socratic thought and its enduring relevance in...
2024-Jan-24 • 61 minutes
Roundtable Discussion of Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History
This week, Greg and Alex are joined roundtable-style at UATX by Mark Blitz, Fletcher Jones Professor of Political Philosophy at Claremont McKenna University; Devin Stauffer, Professor and Associate Chair at UT Austin; and Christopher T. Lynch, Head of...
2024-Jan-17 • 50 minutes
Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act III
This week, the guys continue their mini-series breaking down Shakespeare's Hamlet, this time with a focus on Act III. Delve into the intricate web of Hamlet's psyche as the unraveling Prince grapples with questions of sanity. Explore the iconic...
2024-Jan-10 • 82 minutes
Ronna Burger on Moses as Lawgiver and Founder
This week, the guys are joined by Ronna Burger, Professor of Philosophy, Catherine & Henry J. Gaisman Chair, and Director of Judeo-Christian Studies among other prestigious titles at Tulane University. Burger provides insights on the profound...
2024-Jan-03 • 70 minutes
Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History, Chapter 3
This week, the guys return to Leo Strauss' crucially important book, Natural Right and History. The guys discuss the intricate relationship between classical political thought and modernity. Strauss delves into the timeless questions surrounding...
2023-Dec-27 • 76 minutes
Peter J. Ahrensdorf on Homer
The guys are joined by Peter J. Ahrensdorf, the James B. Duke Professor of Political Science and Affiliated Professor of Classics at Davidson College to discuss his book, . Ahrensdorf and the guys explore an overlooked but crucial role that Homer...
2023-Dec-20 • 77 minutes
Dickens' A Christmas Carol
In this week's classic episode of The New Thinkery, the guys discuss the Christmas classic: A Christmas Carol. They go through the book's plot, themes, underlying philosophical points, and talk about the cultural impact the book has had since its...
2023-Dec-13 • 72 minutes
Eric Adler on the New Humanism
This week, the guys are joined for a record sixth time by Dr. Eric Adler, Professor and Chair of Classics at the University of Maryland to talk about his latest work, . Adler provides crucial background information about Irving Babbit and Paul Elmer...
2023-Dec-06 • 59 minutes
Tim Burns on Leo Strauss, Part II
In this continuation of a two-part discussion, Professor Tim Burns guides the guys through a thoughtful talk on Leo Strauss, with further discussion on Heidegger, Churchill, Greg's lightning round, and more!
2023-Nov-29 • 64 minutes
Tim Burns on Leo Strauss, Part I
In this opening of a two-part discussion, Professor Tim Burns guides the guys through a thoughtful discussion on Leo Strauss, democracy, technology, and the role of liberal education. Join us for a down-to-earth conversation that explores the...
2023-Nov-22 • 72 minutes
On Gratitude
Happy Thanksgiving from The New Thinkery! As the guys convene as the holiday season kicks into high gear, the topic of gratitude is predictably front of mind. Featuring brief readings from a variety of sources, some not often remembered, the guys dig...
2023-Nov-15 • 57 minutes
Kafka's In the Penal Colony
Join the guys as they dissect Franz Kafka's In the Penal Colony. Dive into the intricacies of the story, exploring its symbolism, existential themes, and the eerie apparatus, as the guys unravel the mysteries of justice, guilt, and societal structures...
2023-Nov-08 • 66 minutes
Musings on Plato's Symposium Panel
This week, Alex gathers with Jeff Black of St. John's College, David Levy of St. John's College, and Michael McShane of the Dallas Institute to discuss some of the nuances of his newest book, Musings on Plato's Symposium. This thoughtful panel...
2023-Nov-01 • 61 minutes
Fritz Lang's M
A belated Happy Halloween from the guys at The New Thinkery! Join the guys for a spine-tingling analysis of the 1931 classic, M, as they explore its chilling atmosphere, interesting techniques, and enduring impact on the thriller genre. Delve...
2023-Oct-25 • 65 minutes
Stripes & Coriolanus with B.J. Dobski
Join us for an engaging episode with the guys and returning special guest, B.J. Dobski, professor of political science at Assumption University. They explore the surprising influence of Shakespeare's Coriolanus on the 1981 film Stripes. Discover the...
2023-Oct-18 • 55 minutes
Hesiod's "Works and Days," Part I
Join the guys this week as they delve into the ancient wisdom of Hesiod's "Works and Days." Discover timeless insights on labor, virtue, and the human condition that continue to resonate today in the first episode of a multi-part mini-series breaking...
2023-Oct-11 • 61 minutes
Hannah Arendt's "Ideology and Terror" ft. Damian Jungerman
Join the guys, with returning guest and Damian Jungerman, an expert on Hannah Arendt, as they unpack Arendt's profound essay, "Ideology and Terror," which sheds light on how totalitarian ideologies can give rise to mass violence and offers new...
2023-Oct-04 • 82 minutes
Nasser Behnegar on Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History, Chapter 2
The guys are joined by Professor Nasser Behnegar, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at Boston College. The group discuss how Strauss delves into the differences between classical political philosophy and modern political...
2023-Sep-27 • 75 minutes
Shilo Brooks on Nietzsche's "On the Use and Disadvantage of History for Life"
This week, Alex and Greg take over the show to speak with Shilo Brooks, Executive Director of the James Madison Program at Princeton University, about Nietzsche's essay "On the Use and Disadvantage of History for Life". The group walk through...
2023-Sep-20 • 52 minutes
Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act II
Continuing their mini-series breaking down Shakespeare's Hamlet, the guys sit down this week to take a close look at Act II. The guys analyze every detail, from King Claudius increasing suspicion of Hamlet's erratic behavior to Hamlet's continued...
2023-Sep-13 • 61 minutes
Alex Priou's Musings on Plato's Symposium
This week, the guys gather to discuss a new book written by our very own Alex Priou! The book, Musings on Plato's Symposium, is a short but powerful series of thoughts on every part of the Symposium, in lengths varying from a few sentences to a...
2023-Sep-06 • 59 minutes
Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act I
Continuing their mini-series on Shakespeare's Hamlet, the guys move from an overview to an thorough analysis of the play's first act. An emphasis is placed on the supernatural elements of the act, as well as the creeping dark atomsphere the act...
2023-Aug-30 • 79 minutes
Jacob Howland on the Crisis of Higher Education and the University of Austin
The guys are joined this week by Professor Jacob Howland, Dean of UATX’s Intellectual Foundations program. The group takes a closer look at higher education in America to point out what ails it, as well as identify ways to circumvent or cure it,...
2023-Aug-23 • 47 minutes
Ray Bradbury's The Veldt
Imagine a Jetsons-esque home that attempts to meet all of your needs while also featuring a room that makes your imagination into reality. Add some behaviorally troubled children imagining bloodthirsty lions into the mix, and you have the setup for...
2023-Aug-16 • 63 minutes
Heidegger's The Question Concerning Technology
In an increasingly tech-driven world, it's easy to forget the human, and what essence of technology actually is. Heidegger's essay, The Question Concerning Technology, was his attempt to examine tech and humanity. The guys break it all down and...
2023-Aug-09 • 56 minutes
Steven Hayward on David Mitchell's "Cloud Atlas"
This week, the guys are joined for the third time by author, political commentator, and policy scholar Steven F. Hayward, who is replacing David for this episode. The group take a trip to the silver screen to review Cloud Atlas, based on a book...
2023-Aug-02 • 61 minutes
An Overview of Shakespeare's Hamlet
The guys are back this week with a break from the philosophy books, opting instead for another of Shakespeare's great plays. They generally discuss the plot, characters, themes, and more in this episode. This is just the first episode on Hamlet to set...
2023-Jul-26 • 80 minutes
Jacob Howland on Glaucon's Fate & Plato's Republic
This week, the guys are joined by Jacob Howland, author of Glaucon's Fate: History, Myth, and Character in Plato's Republic, among other impressive works, and the McFarlin Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at the University of Tulsa. Howland goes...
2023-Jul-19 • 65 minutes
E. M. Forster's The Machine Stops
This week, the guys dive into the underground world of E. M. Forster's The Machine Stops. People live in pods, communication is done almost solely by instant messaging/video conferencing, and the omnipotent Machine takes care of people's bodily and...
2023-Jul-12 • 54 minutes
Dostoevsky's The Grand Inquisitor
This week, the guys turn to Dostoevsky's story within The Brothers Karamazov: The Grand Inquisitor. Centering on two chapters within the book, discussion and analysis ranges from the idea of a benevolent God, to unanswered implications about human...
2023-Jul-04 • 65 minutes
The Declaration of Independence
This week, the guys convene a day early to bring you an analysis of the Declaration of Independence. Discussion takes the guys through the history of the Declaration, a look at its progenitors, its meaning, and how it fits with America's other...
2023-Jun-28 • 88 minutes
Strauss on Euthyphro, Part II with Dr. Hannes Kerber & Dr. Svetozar Minkov
This week, the guys are joined once again by two esteemed guests: Dr. Hannes Kerber, Postdoctoral Fellow for the Program on Constitutional Government at Harvard, & Dr. Svetozar Minkov, Professor of Philosophy at Roosevelt University. Part II...
2023-Jun-21 • 64 minutes
Strauss on Euthyphro, Part I with Dr. Hannes Kerber & Dr. Svetozar Minkov
This week, the guys are joined by not one, but two esteemed guests: Dr. Hannes Kerber, Postdoctoral Fellow for the Program on Constitutional Government at Harvard, & Dr. Svetozar Minkov, Professor of Philosophy at Roosevelt University. The group...
2023-Jun-14 • 58 minutes
Aristotle on Moral Responsibility (Nicomachean Ethics Book III.1–5)
This week, the guys are on their own as they dive into Book III of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Discussion focuses primarily on an assessment of Aristotle's views on how we ought to evaluate people's actions under different circumstances. Further...
2023-Jun-07 • 47 minutes
Eric Adler on The Big Lebowski
This week, the guys are joined once more by Dr. Eric Adler, Professor and Chair of Classics at the University of Maryland. The group turn to the silver screen as they analyze the cult classic, The Big Lebowski. Amid the antics of the characters...
2023-May-31 • 69 minutes
Ortega y Gasset on Art with Daniel McDonald
This week, the guys are joined by a bonafide artist and Greg's colleague, Daniel McDonald, Chair of the Department of Art + Design and professor of art. The group discuss Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset's essay, The Dehumanization of Art,...
2023-May-24 • 77 minutes
Charlie Thomas on Plato's Female Drama
This week, the guys are joined by Dr. Charlotte Thomas, Professor of Philosophy among several other titles at Mercer Unviersity and executive director of ACTC. The group discuss Dr. Thomas' book The Female Drama: The Philosophical Feminine in the...
2023-May-17 • 65 minutes
Eric Adler on Tacitus' Germania
This week, the guys are joined once again by Dr. Eric Adler, Professor and Chair of Classics at the University of Maryland. The group discuss most of the contents of Germania from the traits of the people and land, to their practices, culminating...
2023-May-11 • 75 minutes
Thomas Cleveland on Aristotle's Metaphysics A 1–2
This week, the guys are joined by Dr. Thomas Cleveland, Director of Academic Programs at the Jack Miller Center. The group discuss what it means to understand, to know, and to gain wisdom. They then discuss what people may do in search of knowledge,...
2023-May-03 • 64 minutes
Socrates as Family Man
This week, the guys return to Ancient Greece as they gather to discuss Socrates' personal life as a family man. They analyze whether philosophers can even have families, whether Socrates' family was serious or ironic, whether his intellectual or...
2023-Apr-26 • 90 minutes
Spencer Klavan on Euripides' The Bacchae
This week, the guys are joined by David's colleague and friend, Spencer Klavan. Together, the group discuss the overarchiing themes, influence, and historical context of Euripides' The Bacchae. Plus: an analysis of uniquely feminine power.
2023-Apr-19 • 65 minutes
The Introduction to Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind
This week, the guys take a look at the introductory section of Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind. In their analysis, the guys cover the significance of Bloom's writings in the context of American political thought as well as the...
2023-Apr-12 • 70 minutes
Nietzsche on the Last Man
This week, the guys are joined for a second time by Dr. Justin Gottschalk to talk about the prologue to Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra. The group analyze the history, themes, value, and modern interpretations of what is arguably Nietzsche's...
2023-Apr-05 • 70 minutes
Xenophon on Hunting with Dogs
Returning to the Ancients this week, the guys are here to discuss Xenophon's Hunting with Dogs. Using an edition put together by Michael Ehrmantraut and The New Thinkery's own Greg McBrayer, the guys dive into the text, analyzing the...
2023-Mar-29 • 67 minutes
Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History, Chapter 1
This week, the guys return to Leo Strauss' crucially important book, Natural Right and History. A discussion of the history of the work moves naturally to an analysis of the themes of chapter one, how thoroughly it expands on the concept of...
2023-Mar-22 • 55 minutes
Jean Renoir's The Grand Illusion
This week, the guys take another trip down to the silver screen to analyze Jean Renoir's 1937 movie, The Grand Illusion. Hidden underneath the POW escape plot of the movie are deep and serious themes about the role of what was at the time...
2023-Mar-15 • 59 minutes
Jacob Klein's The Problem of Freedom
With the gang back together this week, the guys jump into a short essay on a punchy topic, the problem of freedom, using Jacob Klein's essay by the same name as a starting point. They discuss the framing of freedom, its types, and to what extent...
2023-Mar-08 • 50 minutes
Machiavelli's The Prince, Chapter 7
This week, David is away, which means Alex and Greg are getting right to the point. They discuss chapter seven of The Prince, which focuses primarily on Cesare Borgia and his political career. Machiavelli seems to put ample praise on Borgia while...
2023-Mar-01 • 81 minutes
Interview: Spencer Klavan on Diogenes Laërtius' The Life of Zeno
This week, the guys are joined by Dr. Spencer Klavan, David's coworker and author of multiple books on philosophy and saving the West. The group take a quick look at stoicism and ancient life before diving into an insightful and funny analysis...
2023-Feb-20 • 61 minutes
Interview: Dr. Michael P. Zuckert on Lincoln's Views of Discoveries and Inventions
This week the guys are joined for the fourth time by Dr. Michael P. Zuckert, the Nancy R. Dreux Professor of Political Science, Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame. The group convene early this week in observation of President's Day and discuss...
2023-Feb-14 • 49 minutes
Valentine's Day Love Poems
Happy Valentine's Day from The New Thinkery! On this special episode, the guys each selcted poems that they found particularly worth reading and thinking about on Valentine's Day. From Plato, to Machiavelli, to Shakespeare, and even Christopher...
2023-Feb-08 • 48 minutes
Winston Churchill's Painting as a Pastime
This week, the guys take a break from philosophy, and instead disucss Churchill's short work on how best to spend leisure time and retaining mental acuity with age, Painting as a Pastime. The guys discuss the merits of painting and why Churchill...
2023-Feb-01 • 59 minutes
Aristotle's Politics 3.4
This week, the guys are back together again to talk about some meat and potatoes in Western philosophy: Aristotle's Politics 3.4. After some good old-fashioned analysis, the guys draw connections to interesting comparisons, like how it is to be a...
2023-Jan-25 • 54 minutes
Interview: Dr. Eric Adler on Plutarch's Life of Camillus
This week, Greg and Alex have once again replaced David with Dr. Eric Adler, Professor and Chair of Classics at the Unviersity of Maryland. Together, the group analyze another excerpt of Plutarch's Parallel Lives. This time, the emphasis is on...
2023-Jan-18 • 62 minutes
Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones
This week, the guys put down the philosophy books and pick up a favorite of David's, Eugene O'Neill's tragic play, The Emperor Jones. The guys analyze the play's plot, themes, and important historical context as they discuss their interpretations of...
2023-Jan-11 • 64 minutes
Interview: Samuel Stoner on Kant's What is Enlightenment?
Thie week, with David away at IHOP, Greg and Alex welcome Assumption Univeristy's Dr. Samuel J. Stoner to the show. Stoner is an expert on Kantian philosophy and helps the guys break down Kant's essay for the masses, What Is Enlightenment? They...
2023-Jan-04 • 66 minutes
Interview: Dr. Bernard J. Dobski on Plutarch's Life of Themistocles
This week, the guys are joined by Dr. Bernard J. Dobski, Professor of Political Science at Assumption University. Together, the group discuss the overarching themes of Plutarch's Life of Themistocles, as well as getting into the history surrounding...
2022-Dec-28 • 62 minutes
Plato's Allegory of the Cave
As The New Thinkery welcomes in the new year, the guys are spending their time chaining David to a wall so he can spend New Year's looking at shadows while an AI script replaces him on the show. In seriousness, the guys take a close look at what is...
2022-Dec-21 • 62 minutes
Interview: Dr. John Moser on It's a Wonderful Life
It's Christmastime once again, and the guys are getting into the spirit with a closer look at the history, lessons, and contextualization of It's a Wonderful Life. They are joined by Greg's colleague Dr. John Moser, Chair of the History and Political...
2022-Dec-14 • 61 minutes
John Locke on Property
This week, the guys, though sick, sit down to analyze Locke's views on property. They further discuss the extent to which Locke's principles have gone on to influence the world (Greg even makes a bold claim), and the history of Locke's ideas,...
2022-Dec-07 • 68 minutes
Interview: Dr. Waseem El-Rayes on Ibn Khaldun's Muqaddimah
This week, the guys are joined by Associate Professor of Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy at Michigan State University's James Madison College, Dr. Waseem El-Rayes. The group discuss Ibn Khaldun's sweeping historical work, Muqaddimah....
2022-Nov-30 • 70 minutes
Interview: Lorraine Pangle on Aristotle & Natural Right
David has run away from the crew this week, so Alex and Greg replaced him with Tom Cleveland this time. The group are joined by Dr. Lorraine Pangle, Professor at UT Austin and Co-Director at the Thomas Jefferson Center. Together, they discuss...
2022-Nov-23 • 57 minutes
Aristotle's Great Souled Man
Happy Thanksgiving from the crew at The New Thinkery! This week, the guys delve into one of the more popular sections of Aristotle's writing, Nicomachean Ethics IV.3. While none of the crew here qualify as a great souled man, that won't stop them from...
2022-Nov-16 • 62 minutes
Democracy in America, Volume 2
This week, the guys convene to discuss the first dozen chapters In the second volume of Democracy in America. The guys analyze Alexis de Tocqueville's intended audience, possible intentions, and the extent to which his writing proved true. Plus: a...
2022-Nov-09 • 64 minutes
Interview: Dr. Gary Schmitt on High Noon
This week the guys are joined by Dr. Gary J. Schmitt, a senior fellow in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies program at AEI. Together, the group discuss the 1952 film High Noon. They analyze the film and its cinematography as a...
2022-Nov-02 • 69 minutes
Interview: Charles Butterworth on Al-Razi's Book of the Philosophic Life
This week, Alex and Greg are joined once again by none other than Dr. Charles Butterworth, Emeritus Professor of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, College Park. The trio discuss Al-Razi's Book of the Philosophic Life, how it...
2022-Oct-31 • 10 minutes
Happy Halloween from The New Thinkery!
From all of here at The New Thinekry, we wish you a Happy Halloween! To celebrate, Alex has prepared a special treat: a dramatic reading of Edgar Allen Poe's classic poem, "The Raven" from memory.
2022-Oct-26 • 68 minutes
Edgar Allen Poe's Most Famous Works
This week the guys visit one of America's greatest poets: Edgar Allen Poe. With Halloween right around the corner, what better time to dig into some of Poe's greatest hits, from The Tell-Tale Heart to The Cask of Amontillado. Plus: a reading of The...
2022-Oct-19 • 59 minutes
Rousseau on Heroic Virtue
This week, the guys are on their own as they tackle one of Rousseau's shorter discourses focusing on the most essential characteristic for a hero to have. Plus: Rousseau was a bit of an oddball. Alex and David recount a couple of stories to illustrate...
2022-Oct-12 • 65 minutes
Interview: Professor Devin Stauffer on Hobbes' View of Human Nature
This week, the guys are joined by Devin Stauffer, Professor and Associate Chair at UT Austin. The group take a look at several of Hobbes' most pivotal works to get at Hobbes' true arguments about human nature, with Professor Stauffer leading the...
2022-Oct-05 • 66 minutes
Strauss' Natural Right and History, Part 1
This week, the guys are back to the three man band format. They discuss the opening of Strauss' most read work and highlight patterns of thought that continue throughout Natural Right and History.
2022-Sep-28 • 80 minutes
Interview: Tom Cleveland on Aristotle and Prophecy
n this edition of The New Thinkery, Alex and Greg are joined for a second time by Dr. Thomas Cleveland, Academics Program Officer for the Jack Miller Center. The group take a look at a very short text that could be read in an hour, but to...
2022-Sep-21 • 81 minutes
Interview: BJ Dobski on Thucydides' Archaeology
This week, the guys are joined by Assumption University's own BJ Dobski. The group discuss Thucydides as a source of ancient history, the extent to which he is reliable, and the archaeology surrounding him personally.
2022-Sep-14 • 63 minutes
Interview: Fereshteh Priou on Proust, In Search of Lost Time, Vol. 1: Swann's Way
In this episode of The New Thinkery, David and Alex have temporarily replaced Greg with Alex's mother, Fereshteh, who is an expert on Marcel Proust's mammoth 4,000+ page text, In Search of Lost Time. In the episode, the group discuss the first...
2022-Sep-07 • 79 minutes
Interview: Damian Jungerman on the Value of Great Books
This week, the guys are joined by Damian Jungerman, a former US serviceman turned intellectual with a seriously impressive résumé. Jungerman details how great books saved him and how those great books continue to be a source of immense value, as...
2022-Aug-31 • 55 minutes
Herbert Storing's Liberal Education and the Common Man
As school kicks into gear as summer is winding down, the guys take the opportunity to talk about the extent to which the common man can be benefitted or harmed by liberal education, using Herbert Storing's famous essay as a starting point.
2022-Aug-24 • 69 minutes
Interview: Jerry Weinberger on Ben Franklin's Autobiography
In this week's installment of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by Michigan State's distinguished professor emeritus Jerry Weinberger. The group discuss Benjamin Franklin's autobiography, its importance, and whether and to what extent...
2022-Aug-17 • 65 minutes
Plato's Republic Book IV Through 429b
This week, the guys return to the meat and potatoes of philosophy: Plato and Socrates. They discuss the first half of Plato's Republic Book IV, the logic of continuing an empire in decay, and the Machiavellian nature of some of Socrates' advice. Plus:...
2022-Aug-10 • 73 minutes
Interview: Professor Adam Carrington on Fort Apache
This week, the guys analyze the film classic Ford Apache. They're joined by Hillsdale College's Professor Adam Carrington, who has written about the film. The group talk about the portrayal of Native Americans, the hubirs of an aristocratic...
2022-Aug-03 • 61 minutes
Leo Strauss' Crisis of Our Time
This week, the guys return to Strauss to look at a pair of his lesser known, but still important essays touching on historicism, science, and the trajectory of the West. The two provide an excellent primer to The City and Man for those who are...
2022-Jul-27 • 71 minutes
Interview: Eric Adler on Plutarch's Life of Romulus
This week, the guys are joined by Eric Adler, Professor and Chair of Classics at the University of Maryland. Together, the group discuss Plutarch's Life of Romulus and the history of Roman historians more generally as they compare to Greek...
2022-Jul-20 • 53 minutes
Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby
After last week's discussion of Hiero, the guys are back this week with fare that is lighter in some ways, and heavy in others: Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby. From light analysis of the boxing movie trope to the weighty topic of...
2022-Jul-13 • 68 minutes
Xenophon's Hiero
This week, the guys reconvene to discuss Xenophon's Hiero. Greg has published translations of Xenophon, and is especially in his element. The core question the guys focus on is the same as that of this minor work: is the life of a tyrant more...
2022-Jul-06 • 92 minutes
Michael Anton on Montesquieu
This week, the guys re joined by Hillsdale professor and David's colleague, Michael Anton. The group discuss Montesquieu's philosophy and the ways in which it proves correct, and some ways it comes up short. Plus: Professor Anton talks about Jaffa and...
2022-Jun-29 • 57 minutes
George Anastaplo on Television
As we leave the Televisual Age behind and enter into the Digital Age, it might seem like a paper proposing the banning or severe limiting of TV hasn't aged all too well. But Anastaplo's paper proposing just that has aged like a fine wine, and is more...
2022-Jun-22 • 79 minutes
Interview: Dr. Paul Diduch on Technological Moderation
This week, the guys are joined by one of Alex's colleagues: Dr. Paul Diduch. The group discuss whether unfettered technological progress is in fact "progress" and what we, especially in the modern age, ought to think about before we call technology an...
2022-Jun-15 • 74 minutes
Aristotle on Friendship ft. Producer Jake
This week The New Thinkery celebrates its 100th episode! To mark the occasion, the guys invite on Producer Jake to chime in for an analysis of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, Books 8 and 9, which focus on the nature and types of...
2022-Jun-08 • 58 minutes
Plutarch's Life of Theseus
This week, the guys dive into another of Plutarch's lives. Unlike some of the other lives Plutarch describes, Theseus' is surrounded by an unusual amount of mythologizing, leaving us to speculate about why he is different from the others.
2022-Jun-01 • 56 minutes
Nietzsche on Truth and Lies
This week the guys assemble to visit a very short work of Nietzsche's that deals with extra-moral truth and lies. Specifically, the guys analyze whether or not telling the truth is always right from a philosophic perspective, and what that may show us...
2022-May-25 • 57 minutes
Aristotle on Slavery
Was Aristotle's view of slavery evil, idiotic, a combination, or something else entirely? The guys sit down to talk about how Aristotle viewed slavery and how that view might look today.
2022-May-18 • 82 minutes
Interview: Joshua Parens on Leo Strauss on Natural Law
This week, the guys attended a panel where they interviewed Joshua Parens on the peculiar nature of Strauss' views on natural law and the philosopher. The group analyzes Strauss' wisdom-filled writings.
2022-May-11 • 51 minutes
Winchester 73 | The New Thinkery Ep. 95
This week, the guys take a break from philosophy to visit the Wild West as they analyze the film Winchester 73. Revolving around who gets to own a nearly perfect Winchester rifle, the guys look at the key lessons and plot points.
2022-May-04 • 49 minutes
The Noble Lie | The New Thinkery Ep. 94
This week, the guys take a look at one of the most memorable concepts from Plato's Republic, that of the noble lie. They analyze the usefulness of noble lies, and whether it should affect the way we view Plato. Plus: your mailbag questions get answered!
2022-Apr-27 • 57 minutes
Interview: Steve Hayward on Weber's Politics as a Vocation
This week, the guys are joined by author, political commentator, and policy scholar Steven F. Hayward. The group take a look at the underlying themes of Max Weber's Politics as a Vocation, as well as some potential consequences of the line of logic...
2022-Apr-20 • 52 minutes
Homer's Iliad, Books 1 and 2 | The New Thinkery Ep. 92
This week, the guys take a trip back to ancient Greece to discuss the first two books of Homer's Iliad. Plus: a cameo appearance from David's son!
2022-Apr-13 • 74 minutes
Interview: Dr. Catherine Zuckert on Augustine's Confessions | The New Thinkery Ep. 91
With Easter around the corner, the guys are joined by Dr. Catherine Zuckert, the Reeves Dreux Professor of Political Science at Notre Dame, to take a look at the first Western Christian autobiography ever written: St. Augustine's Confessions. The cast...
2022-Apr-06 • 70 minutes
Interview: Dr. Lee Ward on Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost | The New Thinkery Ep. 90
This week, the guys continue their running series on Shakespeare. On the docket is one of Shakespeare's early comedies, Love's Labour's Lost. To help them with the analysis, Dr. Lee Ward, Professor of Political Science at Baylor University, joins the...
2022-Mar-30 • 83 minutes
Interview: Dr. David Lowenthal on Orwell's 1984
In this episode of TNT, the guys are joined by distinguished professor and student of Leo Strauss, David Lowenthal. Together, the group talk about Lowenthal's academic and military career, Orwell's 1984, and Dr. Lowenthal answers lightning...
2022-Mar-23 • 62 minutes
Grab Bag | The New Thinkery Ep. 88
This week, the guys take a break from focusing on one text to host a more personal episode. Each co-host presents a question to the others for their thoughts, and then they answer your mailbag questions! If you like this episode format, let us know on...
2022-Mar-16 • 78 minutes
Interview: Professor James Carey on Indian Philosophy | The New Thinkery Ep. 87
In this week's episode, the guys are joined by Professor James Carey. The group wade outside of TNT's philosophic comfort zone by talking with Professor Carey about Indian philosophy. Specifically, they discuss whether Indian philosophy is monolithic,...
2022-Mar-09 • 58 minutes
Plato's Republic and the Problem of Justice | The New Thinkery Ep. 86
In this follow-up to the last episode on Plato's Republic, the guys are again looking at the concept of justice. Specifically, what issues one might take with it. The group analyze the speeches of Glaucon and his brother to get at the philosophic...
2022-Mar-02 • 63 minutes
Hitchcock's Rope | The New Thinkery Ep. 85
This week, the guys are breaking up the nonstop philosophy with a movie with strong overtones about, what else, philosophy! The crew discuss Alfred Hitchcock's Rope—which is scarily based on a true story—and how philosophy can be dangerous when...
2022-Feb-23 • 81 minutes
Interview: Diana Schaub on Lincoln's Lyceum Address | The New Thinkery Ep. 84
In this President's Day edition of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by Professor Diana Schaub, who teaches at Loyola University Maryland, and specializes in Lincoln. Together, the group discuss Lincoln's Lyceum Address and what Lincoln...
2022-Feb-16 • 78 minutes
Interview: Dr. Michael P. Zuckert on Lincoln's Statecraft | The New Thinkery Ep. 83
In a first for The New Thinkery, the guys are joined for a threepeat guest appearance by Dr. Michael P. Zuckert. Together, the guys discuss the three elements of statecraft, and to what extent Lincoln hit the marks. Shoutout to Davenant...
2022-Feb-09 • 53 minutes
Machiavelli's Four Most Excellent Princes | The New Thinkery Ep. 82
This week, the guys return to Machiavelli's The Prince, this time focusing on Chapter 6. the group discuss who, in Machiavelli's mind, were the most excellent princes, and who Machiavelli left out. Don't blame Greg for his salty...
2022-Feb-02 • 60 minutes
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave | The New Thinkery Ep. 81
In observance of the beginning of Black History Month, The New Thinkery guys are taking a look at Frederick Douglass' memoir, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Specifically, the group focus on why Douglass wrote...
2022-Jan-26 • 73 minutes
Anna Schmidt on Maimonides' Letter on Astrology | The New Thinkery Ep. 80
In this edition of TNT, the guys are joined by Anna Schmidt. Together, the group discuss religionism and astrology using Maimonides' letter on the latter as a springboard to dive deeper into the topic.
2022-Jan-19 • 71 minutes
Aristotle's Politics, 1.1-2 | The New Thinkery Ep. 79
This week, the guys take a look at Aristotle's Politics. Specifically, they explore the key types of relationships according to Aristotle, how they contributed to the formation of the city, and why the city is the perfect size for humans to...
2022-Jan-12 • 55 minutes
Leo Strauss on German Nihilism | The New Thinkery Ep. 78
As Nazism came to the fore in Germany following World War I, Leo Strauss delivered a lecture that would be published posthumously attempting to explain why. Specifically, he emphasized nihilism, including its sources and influences. The guys discuss...
2022-Jan-05 • 70 minutes
Plato's Republic, Book I | The New Thinkery Ep. 77
In the first episode of 2022, the guys come out swinging by taking on Book I of Plato's Republic. One of the most important philosophic works of all-time, the discussion is as wide-ranging as it is entertaining. Plus: we want your ideas on what...
2021-Dec-29 • 77 minutes
Interview: Harvey Mansfield on Machiavelli's Mandragola | The New Thinkery Ep. 76
This week, the guys are joined by none other than Dr. Harvey Mansfield. The group discuss Machiavelli's satirical play, La Mandragola in a wide-ranging discussion, and is closed out by an entertaining series of lightning round questions.
2021-Dec-25 • 40 minutes
Hawthorne's The Christmas Banquet | The New Thinkery Ep. 75
The New Thinkery wishes you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! On this Christmas Day stocking stuffer, the guys delve into an unusual Christmas short story, Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Christmas Banquet". The guys analyze the somber work's...
2021-Dec-22 • 77 minutes
Dickens' A Christmas Carol | The New Thinkery Ep. 74
In this week's classic episode of The New Thinkery, the guys discuss the Christmas classic: A Christmas Carol. They go through the book's plot, themes, underlying philosophical points, and talk about the cultural impact the book has had since its...
2021-Dec-15 • 83 minutes
Interview: Professor Richard Velkley on Heidegger and Nazism | The New Thinkery Ep. 73
The guys are joined once again by Prof. Richard Velkley, Celia Scott Weatherhead Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Tulane University. The guys dive into the messy subject of Heidegger's relationship with Nazism, as well as what Leo Strauss...
2021-Dec-08 • 82 minutes
Interview: Dr. Christopher Burkett on Westerns | The New Thinkery Ep. 72
The guys are joined this week by Greg's colleague at Ashland University, Dr. Christopher Burkett. The group take a break from the stuffy philosophy books, and turn instead to the silver screen to analyze the Western genre, and specifically Sam...
2021-Dec-01 • 67 minutes
Descartes' Discourse on Method | The New Thinkery Ep. 71
This week the guys dive into French philosophy with René Descartes' Discourse on Method. They explain Descartes philosophy and scientific thought while also evaluating its strengths and weaknesses.
2021-Nov-24 • 88 minutes
Interview: Glenn Ellmers on The Soul of Politics | The New Thinkery Ep. 70
This week, the guys are joined by Claremont Institute Senior Fellow Glenn Ellmers, an expert on the teachings and life of the renowned Harry V. Jaffa. Together, the group talk about Ellmers' new book The Soul of Politics: Harry V. Jaffa and the...
2021-Nov-17 • 82 minutes
Interview: Dr. Michael P. Zuckert on the Gettysburg Address | The New Thinkery Ep. 69
This week, the guys are joined once again by Dr. Michael P. Zuckert. The group discuss the Gettysburg Address and its philosophic underpinnings, as well as covering the surrounding history. Shoutout to ALI for sponsoring!
2021-Nov-10 • 93 minutes
Interview: Dr. Eric Adler on Battle of the Classics | The New Thinkery Ep. 68
This week, the guys are joined by Dr. Eric Adler, professor and chair of Classics at the University of Maryland to discuss his new book, The Battle of the Classics: How a Nineteenth-Century Debate Can Save the Humanities Today. The group tackle one of...
2021-Nov-03 • 77 minutes
Introduction to Plato's Republic | The New Thinkery Ep. 67
The guys finally get around to tackling Plato’s Republic, the first and greatest work of political philosophy. With wide-ranging themes and topics, the Republic situates political life at the core of the question of our place in the world....
2021-Oct-27 • 65 minutes
Interview: Dr. Justin Gottschalk on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein | The New Thinkery Ep. 66
As Halloween approaches, the guys turn their attention to some spooky literature. This time, they're joined by Dr. Justin Gottschalk as they delve into Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The group touch on the history of the book, as well as what makes it...
2021-Oct-20 • 60 minutes
Interview: Jan Blits on Macbeth | The New Thinkery Ep. 65
This week the guys are joined once again by Jan Blits, professor emeritus in the University of Delaware School of Education. The group break down the play Macbeth, going through the plot and discussing the central role of virtue in the play that...
2021-Oct-13 • 64 minutes
Mark Twain's Extracts from Adam's Diary | The New Thinkery Ep. 64
This week the guys convene to discuss a short, humorous work by Mark Twain, Extracts from Adam's Diary. Despite being so short and meant to be funny, hidden just below the surface are deep questions about existence. Thanks to ALI and ISI...
2021-Oct-06 • 78 minutes
Interview: Drs. Christopher Lynch and Nathan Tarcov on The Complete Tales and Poems of Niccolò Machiavelli | The New Thinkery Ep. 63
In this special edition of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by Drs. Nathan Tarcov and Christopher Lynch. They give the guys a sneak peek at a forthcoming book on Machiavelli that you can't get anywhere else! Plus: what projects are they...
2021-Sep-29 • 93 minutes
Interview: Dr. Wayne Ambler on Tacitus' Dialogue on Oratory | The New Thinkery Ep. 62
The guys are joined this week by Dr. Wayne Ambler, Associate Professor Emeritus at CU Boulder. The group dive into Tacitus' Dialogue on Oratory, covering a range of topics from the nature of oratory to how it looks in the United States today. ...
2021-Sep-22 • 76 minutes
Interview: Nick Buccola on Frederick Douglass | The New Thinkery Ep. 61
This week, the guys are joined by Dr. Nick Buccola, professor and Elizabeth & Morris Glickman Chair in Political Science at Linfield University to discuss the life and philosophy of Frederick Douglass. The group analyze several key writings of...
2021-Sep-15 • 58 minutes
Interview: Ben Kleinerman on the Federalist Papers | The New Thinkery Ep. 60
In this Constitution Day special edition of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by Dr. Ben Kleinerman, the R.W. Morrison Chair of Political Science at Baylor University and board member of the Jack Miller Center. Together, the group discuss...
2021-Sep-08 • 86 minutes
Aristophanes' Assemblywomen | The New Thinkery Ep. 59
In this week's episode of The New Thinkery, the guys are overthrown and replaced by a distinguished, all-female panel of four guests: Lisa Leibowitz, Linda Rabieh, Carly Herold, and Anna Mansfield. The panel discuss Aristophanes' play where,...
2021-Sep-01 • 75 minutes
Interview: Dr. Laurence Cooper on Alcibiades' Speech | The New Thinkery Ep. 58
In this edition of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by Dr. Laurence Cooper of Carleton College. Together, the group discuss Plato's Symposium in TNT's penultimate episode on the subject, this time focusing on Aristophanes' speech...
2021-Aug-25 • 58 minutes
Interview: Professor Steven Smith on Oakeshott's "Political Education" | The New Thinkery Ep. 57
In this edition of The New Thinkery Alex and Greg visit the Jack Miller Center where they are joined by Professor Steven Smith. The group discuss Michael Oakeshott's famous work, "Political Education". Plus: don't miss out on the quickest...
2021-Aug-18 • 69 minutes
The Death of Ivan Ilyich | The New Thinkery Ep. 56
In this week's edition of The New Thinkery, the guys analyze a frequent read of David's: The Death of Ivan Ilyich. A tome by one of the great Russian authors, Leo Tolstoy, the crew have much to discuss as they reflect on the key theme of the...
2021-Aug-11 • 85 minutes
Interview: Dr. Arlene Saxonhouse on Women in Plato's Republic | The New Thinkery Ep. 55
In this week's installment of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by Dr. Arlene Saxonhouse, Professor of Political Science and Women's Studies and a former chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Michigan. The group...
2021-Aug-04 • 88 minutes
Interview: Dr. Michael Grenke on Warspeak | The New Thinkery Ep. 54
In this edition of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by Dr. Michael Grenke, a tutor (professor) at St. John's College to discuss Warspeak: Nietzsche's Victory Over Nihilism, a book by Lise Van Boxel. The group analyze key points of...
2021-Jul-28 • 76 minutes
Aristophanes' The Clouds | The New Thinkery Ep. 53
The New Thinkery is officially a year old! To celebrate a year of podcasting, the guys analyze the comic play from which TNT gets its name: Aristophanes' The Clouds. Topics discussed include the value of comedy vs. philosophy, the nature of...
2021-Jul-21 • 81 minutes
Socrates' Speech Continued: Analyzing Plato's Symposium, Part VIII | The New Thinkery Ep. 52
In this edition of The New Thinkery, the guys return to Plato's Symposium for their penultimate episode on the book. This time around, they continue their discussion of Socrates' Speech on Eros. Plus: the guys have some funny middle school...
2021-Jul-14 • 89 minutes
Interview: Dr. Joshua Parens on the Philosophy of Maimonides | The New Thinkery Ep. 51
In this edition of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by Dr. Joshua Parens, Dean of the Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts and Professor of Philosophy and Politics, to discuss the philosophy of Maimonides from law to politics.
2021-Jul-07 • 84 minutes
Interview: Dr. Thomas Cleveland on Minos | The New Thinkery Ep. 50
In this edition of The New Thinkery, Alex and Greg are joined by Dr. Thomas Cleveland, Academics Program Officer for the Jack Miller Center. They discuss the very nature of law using Plato's Minos as a backdrop to delve into the topic. Plus:...
2021-Jun-30 • 71 minutes
Interview: Dr. Michael P. Zuckert on Abraham Lincoln | The New Thinkery Ep. 49
In this Fourth of July edition of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by Dr. Michael P. Zuckert, the Nancy R. Dreux Professor of Political Science, Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame. Together, the group discuss both Abraham Lincoln's and...
2021-Jun-23 • 50 minutes
Plutarch on Coriolanus | The New Thinkery Ep. 48
In this episode of The New Thinkery, the guys follow up last week's episode on Alcibiades with Plutarch's paired work on the life of Coriolanus. The guys discuss the similarities and key differences between the two men as Plutarch sees them.
2021-Jun-16 • 66 minutes
Plutarch on Alcibiades | The New Thinkery Ep. 47
In this edition of The New Thinkery, the guys begin an analysis of Plutarch's Parallel Lives, specifically diving into the life of Alcibiades. The guys discuss Alcibiades' life, philosophy, and why everyone seemed to have great affection for...
2021-Jun-09 • 79 minutes
Strauss' Persecution and the Art of Writing | The New Thinkery Ep. 46
In this week's edition of The New Thinkery, the guys dive into the work of Leo Strauss, one of the foremost political philosophy professors of the twentieth century. Strauss was and continues to be so influential that Straussianism is a common...
2021-Jun-02 • 82 minutes
Interview with Bill Kristol | The New Thinkery Ep. 45
In this edition of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by William Kristol, founder and editor-at-large of The Weekly Standard and now editor-at-large of The Bulwark. Hear about his upbringing and education, during which he encountered and...
2021-May-26 • 56 minutes
Conrad's Typhoon | The New Thinkery Ep. 44
In this week's edition of The New Thinkery the guys break away from philosophy to take a deep dive into Joseph Conrad's Typhoon. The group discuss everything from the text's themes to its literary devices. Finally, they close with...
2021-May-19 • 62 minutes
Socrates' Speech: Analyzing Plato's Symposium, Part VII | The New Thinkery Ep. 43
In the seventh installment of an ongoing series breaking down Plato's Symposium, the guys begin to dissect Socrates' speech on love, how Socrates attempted to subvert the format of the speeches, and analyze the details surrounding the speeches...
2021-May-12 • 67 minutes
Interview: Professor Jeff Sikkenga on Tocqueville | The New Thinkery Ep. 42
In this episode of The New Thinkery, the guys interview Professor Jeff Sikkenga, Executive Director of the Ashbrook Center (Greg's boss) and a professor of political science. Together, the group analyze Tocqueville's view of democracy as a form of...
2021-May-05 • 60 minutes
Interview: Dr. Charles Butterworth on Alfarabi's Book of Religion | The New Thinkery Ep. 41
In this episode of The New Thinkery, the guys interview Dr. Charles Butterworth, Emeritus Professor of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, College Park. Who better to discuss Alfarabi's Book of Religion than the very person to...
2021-Apr-28 • 90 minutes
Rousseau's First Discourse Live at ACTC | The New Thinkery Ep. 40
This week's episode is a recording of a live conversation at the Association for Core Texts and Courses (ACTC). The guys discuss Jean-Jacques Rousseau's "Discourse on the Sciences and Arts," also known as the "First Discourse," and podcasting...
2021-Apr-21 • 52 minutes
Tacitus' Argicola | The New Thinkery Ep. 39
In this week's episode, the guys dive into Tacitus' Agricola, a text recounting the life of his father-in-law Gnaeus Julius Agricola. The text has much more to it than simply a retelling of Agricola's life though. The guys tease out the deeper...
2021-Apr-14 • 43 minutes
Epictetus' The Handbook | The New Thinkery Ep. 38
Tragedy, or calamity, is inevitable in life. How we deal with those events can be thought of as defining moments in our character. Many have sought to find the "best" way to endure calamities, and that's where the guys pick up this week, with...
2021-Apr-12 • 3 minutes
Special Announcement: The New Thinkery LIVE this Wednesday!
In case you ever wanted to see the shiny dome that is Alex's head or the beard of his hair planted on Greg's chin, now you can! This Wednesday, April 14, the guys will be recording an episode of The New Thinkery LIVE at ACTC. They'll discuss...
2021-Apr-07 • 81 minutes
Interview with Professor Michael Davis on Sophocles' Electra | The New Thinkery Ep. 37
This week, Professor Michael Davis of Sarah Lawrence College joins us to discuss Sophocles' Electra. Prof. Davis is the author of numerous books on the history of philosophy; he's currently at work on a book on the Electra plays of...
2021-Mar-31 • 53 minutes
Agathon’s Speech: Analyzing Plato's Symposium, Part VI | The New Thinkery Ep. 36
In the sixth installment of an ongoing series breaking down Plato's Symposium, the guys reconvene to analyze Agathon's speech on Eros, emphasizing what Agathon claims Eros is and what it is the cause of.
2021-Mar-24 • 61 minutes
Nietzsche's Twilight of the Idols | The New Thinkery Ep. 35
Nietzsche is a controversial person to say the least. His works are easily misinterpreted, and with such lines as "God is dead", it's no surprise. Fortunately, the guys are back this week to break down the last work he submitted to a...
2021-Mar-17 • 56 minutes
Pericles' Funeral Oration | The New Thinkery Ep. 34
Death is always a difficult subject, and having to give a eulogy, as Greg notes, is extremely difficult. Pericles gave one of the most memorable funeral orations in history. So good, in fact, that Abraham Lincoln might've used it for inspiration. But...
2021-Mar-10 • 46 minutes
Philosophy and Film 2: Love and Death (1975) | The New Thinkery Ep. 33
This week the guys turn to cinema instead of their bookshelves to analyze Woody Allen's movie, Love and Death. A step removed from the slapstick comedy and parody Allen is known for, Love and Death contains deeper philosophic themes in addition to the...
2021-Mar-03 • 49 minutes
Aristophanes’ Speech: Analyzing Plato's Symposium, Part V | The New Thinkery Ep. 32
This week the guys return to Plato’s Symposium to analyze the philosophical messages contained within individual speeches. This time, the guys delve into Aristophanes’ speech, which deals with the nature and function of love. Plus: a little...
2021-Feb-24 • 57 minutes
Interview with Professor Flagg Taylor on "Loss of the Creature" | The New Thinkery Ep. 31
In this week's edition of TNT, the guys are joined by Flagg Taylor, professor of political theory at Skidmore College. The group analyze Walker Percy's essay, "The Loss of the Creature," and focus especially on the idea of not having everything...
2021-Feb-17 • 63 minutes
Interview with Professor Steve Hayward on Executive Power | The New Thinkery Ep. 30
In this President's Day edition of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by Professor Steve Hayward, senior resident scholar at the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley, and a visiting lecturer at Berkeley's Boalt Hall Law School. The...
2021-Feb-10 • 77 minutes
Francis Bacon's New Atlantis | The New Thinkery Ep. 29
This week the guys are back to discuss another of Francis Bacon's works: New Atlantis. This short work might be presented to readers as incomplete, but Bacon includes several interesting philosophic points meritorious of a closer analysis.
2021-Feb-03 • 67 minutes
Interview with Professor Jan Blits on Shakespeare's Coriolanus | The New Thinkery Ep. 28
In this week's installment of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by Jan Blits, Professor Emeritus in the University Honors Faculty at the University of Delaware. Together, they analyze the underlying philosophical themes of Shakespeare's...
2021-Jan-27 • 55 minutes
Jonathan Swift's Battle of the Books | The New Thinkery Ep. 27
This week the guys are back to discuss Jonathan Swift. Everyone has heard of Gulliver's Travels and A Modest Proposal, but he has another work worth looking at: The Battle of the Books. Plus: the audience has voted on who the funniest co-host...
2021-Jan-20 • 85 minutes
Jacob Klein's The Idea of Liberal Education | The New Thinkery Ep. 26
In this week's edition of The New Thinkery, the guys discuss Jacob Klein's The Idea of Liberal Education. Specifically, they delve into the questions raised by Klein's analysis of education and whether a liberal education is even possible today.
2021-Jan-13 • 48 minutes
William James' The Moral Equivalent of War | The New Thinkery Ep. 25
In this week's episode of The New Thinkery, the guys discuss William James, one of the leading proponents of American pragmatism, on the question of whether our warlike passions can have a peaceful political outlet. Stay tuned to see which 2020...
2021-Jan-06 • 69 minutes
Interview with Professor Richard Velkley on Heidegger and Strauss | The New Thinkery Ep. 24
In this edition of The New Thinkery, the guys are back to help bring in the new year, and are joined by Dr. Richard Velkley, the Celia Scott Weatherhead Professor of Philosophy at Tulane University. They discuss Heidegger, Leo Strauss, and the...
2020-Dec-30 • 58 minutes
Analyzing Plato's Symposium, Part IV: Eryximachus' Speech | The New Thinkery Ep. 23
Join the guys this week as they continue to break Plato's Symposium into sections and analyze the philosophical messages contained within. This week the guys take on Eryximachus' speech on love from the scientific perspective.
2020-Dec-23 • 73 minutes
Dickens' A Christmas Carol | The New Thinkery Ep. 22
In this week's episode of The New Thinkery, the guys discuss the Christmas classic: A Christmas Carol. They go through the book's plot, themes, underlying philosophical points, and talk about the cultural impact the book has had since its...
2020-Dec-16 • 62 minutes
Aristotle on Virtue | The New Thinkery Ep. 21
In this week's episode of The New Thinkery, the guys discuss another of Aristotle's works, this time focusing on Aristotle's account of virtue in the second book of the Nicomachean Ethics. Plus: the guys read some of your reviews, and now Alex needs a...
2020-Dec-09 • 58 minutes
Winston Churchill on the Modern World | The New Thinkery Ep. 20
In this edition of The New Thinkery, the guys take a look at perhaps the greatest individual of the 20th century: Winston Churchill. Specifically, the guys analyze Churchill's 1931 essay "Mass Effects in Modern Life." The essay poses two core...
2020-Dec-02 • 66 minutes
Interview with Professor Robert Faulkner on Francis Bacon | The New Thinkery Ep. 19
In this edition of The New Thinkery, the guys are back from stuffing themselves with turkey last week, and are joined by Dr. Robert Faulkner, a research professor at Boston College focusing on modern political philosophy and American political and...
2020-Nov-26 • 14 minutes
Special Edition: The New Thankery
In this short bonus episode of TNT, Alex, David, and Greg go around the digital table discussing what they're thankful for. Alex also poses lightning round questions. Stick around to hear about Greg's literally smoking truck.
2020-Nov-25 • 72 minutes
Plutarch's Life of Lycurgus | The New Thinkery Ep. 18
In this edition of The New Thinkery, the guys talk about life in Sparta through the lens of Plutarch's writings on Lycurgus. You might be asking yourself what an ostensible history text is doing on a philosophy podcast. Rest assured, looking at...
2020-Nov-18 • 53 minutes
Analyzing Plato's Symposium, Part III: Pausanias' Speech | The New Thinkery Ep. 17
This week, the guys return to Plato and Socrates. In the third installment of this ongoing series analyzing Plato's Symposium, the guys break down Pausanias' speech. This includes a discussion of ancient Greek pederasty. Plus: stick around until the...
2020-Nov-11 • 55 minutes
Francis Bacon's Great Instauration | The New Thinkery Ep. 16
In this episode of The New Thinkery, the guys tackle Francis Bacon. Specifically, the guys reveal Bacon's idea of who should rule us. Plus: is Bacon Machiavellian?
2020-Nov-04 • 61 minutes
The Nature of Foundings ft. James Ceaser | The New Thinkery Ep. 15
In this edition of The New Thinkery, the guys are joined by James Ceaser, professor of politics at the University of Virginia. Together, the group discuss the nature of foundings. From ancient Greece on up to the founding of America, there are a few...
2020-Oct-28 • 72 minutes
Shakespeare's Macbeth | The New Thinkery Ep. 14
Shakespeare's Macbeth is among his most famous plays. it is "read" far and wide in high school classrooms, where the teacher promptly puts students to sleep by making such an interesting play boring. The guys are back this week to set the record...
2020-Oct-21 • 56 minutes
Analyzing Plato's Symposium, Part II: Phaedrus' Speech | The New Thinkery Ep. 13
This week, the guys return to ancient Greece and the roots of Western political philosophy, Plato and Socrates. In this installment of an ongoing series analyzing Plato's Symposium, the guys break down the short, yet telling, speech by Phaedrus. Plus:...
2020-Oct-14 • 67 minutes
Aristotle on Courage | The New Thinkery Ep. 12
This week the guys return to Greek philosophy after their trip to the movies. They go through Aristotle's discussion of courage in Book III of the Nicomachean Ethics. Spoiler: there's more to it than just facing your fears.
2020-Oct-07 • 54 minutes
Philosophy & Film 1: Zulu (1964) | The New Thinkery Ep. 11
The guys headed to the movies this week and watched Zulu. They discuss the movie's plot, themes, and underlying philosophy to tease out the hidden importance of the film and its characters. Plus: you don't want to miss Greg's reaction when he...
2020-Sep-30 • 67 minutes
Analyzing Plato's Symposium, Part I | The New Thinkery Ep. 10
On this week's episode of The New Thinkery, the guys are kicking off a new series of episodes aimed at breaking down one of the greatest works of political philosophy ever put to paper: Plato's Symposium. In the inaugural episode, the guys focus...
2020-Sep-23 • 57 minutes
Interview with Prof. Robert C. Bartlett | The New Thinkery Ep. 9
This week, the guys are joined by one of Greg's former teachers, Robert C. Bartlett, Behrakis Professor of Hellenic Political Studies at Boston College. Together, they discuss his new book of translations of and essays on Aristophanes' two earliest...
2020-Sep-16 • 61 minutes
Plato's Gorgias | The New Thinkery Ep. 8
Join the guys this week as they break down Plato's famous book, Gorgias. They analyze the larger themes of the book with a dash of humor, while also pausing to explain some of the most important passages. Plus: what do broken arms, German elementary...
2020-Sep-09 • 77 minutes
Interview with Professor Charles Butterworth | The New Thinkery Ep. 7
In this episode of The New Thinkery, the guys interview Dr. Charles Butterworth, Emeritus Professor of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, College Park. Ever the teacher, Dr. Butterworth covers several topics, including: his...
2020-Sep-02 • 69 minutes
Teaching Political Philosophy | The New Thinkery Ep. 6
On this week's edition of The New Thinkery, the guys discuss how to (and not to) teach political philosophy. Alex and Greg teach political philosophy as a full-time job, so they have several key insights pinpointing where professors can go wrong....
2020-Aug-26 • 71 minutes
Shakespeare's Measure for Measure | The New Thinkery Ep. 5
Alex, David, and Greg are back again this week, but they leave the realm of hard philosophy books to tease out the underlying political philosophy in Shakespeare's lesser-known, but nevertheless important play, Measure for Measure. Listen in as they...
2020-Aug-17 • 70 minutes
Reading Plato | The New Thinkery Ep. 4
Join Alex, David, and Greg as they discuss how to read Plato, perhaps the most influential philosopher in history, while also talking about the insights that are illuminated by their reading. Plus: Greg has a strange story about a cat and the guys...
2020-Aug-12 • 76 minutes
A Close Reading of Machiavelli's Prince Ch. 15 | The New Thinkery Ep. 3
As a follow up to the last episode of The New Thinkery, the guys look specifically at chapter 15 of Machiavelli's The Prince. Their close reading elucidates the world-historical shift Machiavelli initiated. Plus: David's hawk story from last week...
2020-Aug-05 • 67 minutes
Machiavelli's The Prince and Modernity | The New Thinkery Ep. 2
Join Alex, David, and Greg as they dive into one of the most infamous and polarizing books in political philosophy, Machiavelli's The Prince. The guys introduce the book and break down its most important points while connecting its wisdom to...
2020-Jul-27 • 67 minutes
Averroes and al-Ghazali | The New Thinkery Ep. 1
In the inaugural episode of The New Thinkery, join the guys as they analyze Averroes' Decisive Treatise and al-Ghazali's Decisive Criterion. Their readings of these great works of medieval Islamic philosophy illuminate the relationship between reason...
2020-Jul-22 • 4 minutes
Welcome to The New Thinkery
Join the crew of The New Thinkery as they talk about the new show, its focus, and introduce themselves. Stay tuned for future releases right here, every Wednesday!