Deep Down Things S02 E04 - Souls Or Selves?
Sep 7, 2021
In a compelling discussion, James Matthew Wilson, an award-winning poet and critic, explores the intersection of poetry and the soul in today's self-centered world. He emphasizes the transformative power of art and the need for epic narratives to navigate contemporary alienation. Wilson critiques Kant's fragmented knowledge, suggesting it limits our understanding of beauty. He dives into the profound differences between 'soul' and 'self', asserting that true justice stems from recognizing the inherent value of the soul, all while reflecting on identity politics and his own poetry.
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Form Changes The Person
- James Matthew Wilson argues poetic form matters because art can decisively change your being.
- He links love of meter and rhyme to a philosophical quest about beauty, truth, and the soul.
From Young Poet To MFA Founder
- Wilson recounts his path from aspiring writer to poet-philosopher blending meter with Thomistic thought.
- He describes founding an MFA at St. Thomas centered on reviving the Catholic literary tradition.
Cartesian Roots Of Modern Selfhood
- Modern focus on the self grew from Cartesian epistemology that privileges the thinking subject.
- Wilson says this shift attenuated the ancient idea of the soul as the form that grounds human participation in reality.
