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The Thomistic Institute
The Catastrophe of the Self: Walker Percy on Sin and Transcendence | Jennifer Frey
May 26, 2024
Expert in Walker Percy's philosophy, Jennifer Frey, discusses Percy's journey to self-knowledge and religion, his decision to embrace Catholicism, challenges of southern identity, and themes of sin, transcendence, and redemption in his novels.
52:17
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Quick takeaways
- Walker Percy's personal tragedies deeply influenced his exploration of existential despair and self-transcendence.
- Percy's quest for self-understanding led to his conversion to Catholicism, emphasizing the limitations of scientific knowledge in understanding the human self.
Deep dives
Walker Percy's Background and Influences
Walker Percy is introduced as a 20th-century Southern Catholic writer, who was influenced by existentialist philosophy, pragmatism, Augustine, and Thomism. Raised in a Southern Wasp aristocracy, Percy's family history was marked by tragedies like his father's and grandfather's suicides, which profoundly impacted his life.
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