The Classical Mind

In today's episode, Fr. Wesley Walker sits down to discuss Robinson Crusoe with Dr. Karen Swallow Prior. Dr. Prior's forthcoming book is The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis. It comes out on August 8. You can find more of her work at her website: https://karenswallowprior.com. Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

Today, we’re discussing Utilitarianism by J.S. Mill. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory which emphasizes the maximizing of pleasure and the minimizing of pain. End Notes:The Dark KnightEnder’s GameRailton: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2265273 Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

Dive into the complexities of Flannery O'Connor’s debut novel, exploring themes of Catholicism and morality in the American South. The hosts dissect Hazel Motes' struggles with faith and redemption after war, revealing the intricate character dynamics at play. They compare contrasting religious views and delve into the nuances of teaching O'Connor's bizarre works. Personal reflections on literature evolve, prompting a vibrant community dialogue around literary insights and recommendations, all intertwined with deeper philosophical questions.

In this episode, we discuss Macbeth, a work of Shakespeare’s that Jared had never read. Topic include: political propaganda, the problem of evil characters, Wicked and Darth Vader, the Great Conversation, and the Book of Job. Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

Jared and Wesley discuss Beowulf, and Jared is eventually converted.Check out the podcast and newsletter: theclassicalmind.comYou can also check out our reading list for the coming year. Just look for our reading list on Substack. Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

In this episode, Wesley and Jared discuss Boethius’ ‘Consolation of Philosophy.’ Topics include parallels between this work and the Book of Job, the nature of Fortune and happiness, and the importance of remembering who you are. Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

This month, Wesley is joined by Dr. Anika Prather to discuss the autobiography of Frederick Douglass. They discuss the relevance of the classics to Douglass and to other Black Americans, the ways in which evil dehumanizes both victim and victimizer, and more. More about Anika Prather: https://drprather.com/→ Support us on Substack For $5 per month, you get access to bonus episodes and discussion thread, plus you get to help us choose future books for the show. www.theclassicalmind.com → Read along with us! We post the books in advance, giving listeners time to read these great books. Check out our reading list: https://www.theclassicalmind.com/p/season-1-reading-list. → Contact and Social Media Twitter: @mindclassical TikTok: @theclassicalmindpodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Kyj04yISmHr1V-UlJz4eg Email: theclassicalmind@substack.com Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

How can you be an intellectual? What are the habits and virtues you would need to cultivate? What's the point of intellectual activity? Do you need to be in the academy? These are the sorts of questions that A.G. Sertillanges tries to answer in his book 'The Intellectual Life.' Join us for our discussion. Check out the podcast and newsletter: theclassicalmind.com You can also check out our reading list for the coming year. Just look for our reading list on Substack. End NotesKyle: 'The Sociological Imagination’ by C. Wright Mills Wesley: '16 Precepts for Acquiring Knowledge' by Thomas AquinasJared: 'Plain Style' by Christopher Lasch Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

Plato is one of the towering figures in the world of philosophy. Alfred North Whitehead infamously called all of Western philosophy a series of footnotes to Plato. In this episode, we discuss Plato’s Apology. This dialogue is a great introduction to reading Plato. For one, it is much shorter than texts like Republic. It is also dialectically straightforward — since most of the text is a monologue from Socrates, it can be easier to grasp the structure of the arguments. And finally, it is emotionally engaging in a way that some of Plato’s other dialogues are not. → Support us on SubstackFor $5 per month, you get access to bonus episodes and discussion thread, plus you get to help us choose future books for the show. www.theclassicalmind.com→ Read along with us!We post the books in advance, giving listeners time to read these great books. Check out our reading list. → End NotesEvery month, we each recommend a book or other piece of media.Wesley: ‘Gorgias’ by Plato and Plato’s Philosophers by Catherine ZuckertJared: ‘Timaeus’ by Plato and Anathem by Neil Stephenson→ Contact and Social MediaTwitter: @mindclassicalTikTok: @theclassicalmindpodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Kyj04yISmHr1V-UlJz4egEmail: theclassicalmind@substack.com Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

→ Support us on SubstackFor $5 per month, you get access to bonus episodes and discussion thread, plus you get to help us choose future books for the show. www.theclassicalmind.com→ Read along with us! We post the books in advance, giving listeners time to read these great books.→ End NotesEvery month, we each recommend a book or other piece of media. Wesley: Rescuing Socrates by Roosevelt MontasJared: Savage Gods by Paul Kingsnorth → Contact and Social MediaTwitter: @mindclassicalTikTok: @theclassicalmindpodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Kyj04yISmHr1V-UlJz4egEmail: theclassicalmind@substack.com Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe