Nature and the Nation

In this episode I return to Strauss and Cropsey collection, History of Political Philosophy, to focus on Alan Bloom's examination of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the general will, and the potential conflict between nature and custom.

In this episode I wander through Rousseau's final book, published posthumously, The Reveries of the Solitary Walker. I look at the difference between youth and old age, trusting yourself and others, and the nature of reverie itself.

In this episode I take a first look at Scottish Common Sense Philosophy as described by Douglas McDermid in The Rise and Fall of Scottish Common Sense Realism, with the aim of providing an overview of the major themes of Thomas Reid and his contemporaries.

In this episode I examine Buchanan's case for non-interventionism, or isolationism, as made in A Republic, Not an Empire. I take a look a the League of Nations and US policy after the Cold War.

In this episode I look at Jonah Goldberg's examination of the fascist tendencies of President Woodrow Wilson in his classic book, Liberal Fascism.

In this episode I look at two Republican Presidents, Taft and Harding, as detailed in Heather Cox Richardson's history of the Republican Party, To Make Men Free.

In this episode I look at Letwin's collection of philosophical biographies, The Pursuit of Certainty, with a special focus on David Hume and his thoughts on virtue, prudence, and politics.

Explore the fascinating dynamics of mass movements and the psychology behind their leaders and followers. Discover how individual discontent, particularly among misfits, fuels these collectives. Boredom plays a surprising role, driving people to seek meaning through 'holy causes.' Delve into the contrasting influences of fanatics and creatives in shaping societal change. Finally, witness the evolution of mass movements from passionate fervor to a more structured, institutional form as they seek stability and control.

In this episode I examine the competing forces of Physis (Nature) and Nomos (Custom) as detailed in the erudite examination The Sophists by W. K. C. Guthrie.

In this episode I examine the connections between Nomos, Physis, and Moira in early Greek philosophy as detailed by Cornford in From Religion to Philosophy.