Dr. John Vervaeke, an award-winning cognitive science professor at the University of Toronto, dives deep into the meaning crisis plaguing modern society. He presents 'third-wave Neoplatonism' as a framework for understanding our needs for meaning and connection. Vervaeke explores the intricate relationship between cognition and identity, emphasizing the importance of integrating ancient wisdom with contemporary insights. He critiques current knowledge acquisition practices and advocates for a communal approach to wisdom, fostering deeper self-knowledge and existential understanding.

Ralston College Humanities MA   Dr David Novak is a distinguished professor at the University of Toronto, renowned theologian, and esteemed rabbi. He has authored numerous books, delivered the prestigious Gifford Lectures, and bridges ancient philosophical traditions with modern ethical issues.   Recorded live at Ralston College in Savannah, GA in November of 2022. Dr David Novak—Professor of Philosophy and Jewish Studies at the University of Toronto—offers a lecture on the Book of Job followed by an extended question and answer session with students enrolled in Ralston College’s Master’s in the Humanities Program. In his lecture, Dr Novak explores the complex position of Job in the canon of Jewish scriptures, surveys diverse scholarly accounts of the concluding passages of the book, and offers his own interpretation of Job’s “face-to-face” interaction with God, one that emphasizes direct knowledge over abstract understanding and finds in the book’s conclusion a vision of the resurrection of the body.    —   00:00 Introduction 08:20 Dr. David Novak’s Lecture on the Book of Job  53:25:00 Question and Answer Session with Ralston College Students and Dr. Novak  54:45 Question: Does Job’s Vision Occur Before or After Death? 59:40 Question: Why are Job’s Friends Punished for Their Conceptual Understanding? 01:03:00 Question: How Does This Align With the Belief That No One Can See God and Live? 01:09:05 Question: What is the Purpose of the Dialogues Between Job and His Friends? 01:13:05 Question: Did Job’s Friends Hear God’s Voice During the Appearance? 01:14:55 Question: What is the Significance of God Doubling Job’s Possessions? 01:15:30 Question: Is There a Visual Aspect to God’s Response to Job, or Is It Only Auditory? 01:15:30 Question: What Does it Mean for God to Make a Bet with the Adversary? 01:19:10 Question: Is Job’s Refusal to Curse God a Prerequisite for His Later Vision? 01:25:15 Question: What Do You Make of the Relationship Between Satan and God? 01:29:05 Did God Use Job to Prove a Point to Satan, Knowing the Outcome? 01:31:20 Question: Can Man Question God and Express Grievances? 01:35:40 Question: Does Elihu Suggest People Perceive God Through Suffering and Visions? 1:41:30 Question: How Has Your Belief in Providence Impacted Your Life? 01:44:45 Closing Remarks —   Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode:    The Book of Job The Book of Ezekiel The Book of Leviticus  The Book of Esther The Book of Ecclesiastes Robert Gordis, The Book of God and Man: A Study of Job  mashal (משל)—Hebrew, “parable” Katagoros (Hebrew—קָטִיגור; Greek—κατήγορος)—”accuser”  Fredrich Nietzsche Johann von Rist, “O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid”  G.W.F. Hegel Richard Rorty Reinhold Niebuhr, The Nature and Destiny of Man  Leo Strauss  Plato, Republic  Yehuda Haleri  Aristotle Thomas Aquinas The Book of Isaiah  via negativa  John Rawls Eric Gregory  Chaim ibn Attar Tzimtzum (צמצום)    —   Additional Resources    David Novak    Dr Stephen Blackwood    Ralston College (including newsletter)   Support a New Beginning    —   Thank you for listening!  

Ralston College Humanities MA   Dr Stephen Wolfram is a renowned computer scientist, physicist, and entrepreneur who earned his PhD in particle physics at 20 and became the youngest MacArthur Fellow at 21. As the founder of Wolfram Research, he has developed groundbreaking technologies widely used by university researchers in engineering, physics, mathematics, and computing. How can computational thinking and philosophy together unlock the mysteries of human consciousness and the universe?   In this Q&A session, conducted in February 2024 with students enrolled in Ralston College’s MA in the Humanities program, the renowned physicist and computer scientist, Dr Stephen Wolfram, explains his own intellectual trajectory and explores the intersection of computational and philosophical inquiry, particularly in the age of AI. In the course of this wide-ranging conversation, Dr Wolfram discusses computational irreducibility, the nature of mind, the ethics of AI governance, and the growing value of a liberal arts education.    —   00:00 Introduction: Dr. Stephen Wolfram's Genius and AI's Impact on Humanities 01:30 Welcoming Dr. Steven Wolfram 02:15 Steven Wolfram's Early Life and Achievements 05:10 The Power of Computational Thinking 07:20 The Ruliad, Philosophy, and Computational Language 15:15 Q: Exploring Computational Irreducibility and Emergence 21:25 The Ruliad and the Nature of Reality 32:30 Q: The Role of Computational Thinking in Education 41:05 AI Governance and Ethics 46:35 Q: Bridging STEM and Humanities for Better AI Ethics 48:40 Building Wolfram Alpha 50:35 Q: Plato and Balancing Innovation in AI 01:05:25 Q: Probability and Unpredictability: Insights from Nassim Taleb 01:09:35 Q: Human Consciousness and the Computational Soul 01:22:35 Conclusion: Reflections on Learning, Philosophy, and the Future of Education —   Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode:    The ruliad  Gestalt entities  Computational irreducibility  Computational equivalence  The second law of thermodynamics Plato, Republic  AI Governance  Utilitarianism Arrival (film) ChatGPT Nassem Talib, The Black Swan Colin Maclaurin   —   Additional Resources  Dr Stephen Blackwood    Ralston College (including newsletter)   Support a New Beginning    Ralston College Humanities MA   Join the conversation and stay updated on our latest content by subscribing to the Ralston College YouTube channel.   —   Thank you for listening!  

David Butterfield is a renowned classicist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Cambridge. His work centres on the critical study and teaching of classical texts. How did the Renaissance revival of Greek language study transform Western Europe's intellectual landscape and shape our modern understanding of the Classics? In this talk, delivered on the island of Samos in Greece in August 2023 as part of Ralston College’s Master’s in the Humanities program, Dr. David Butterfield—Senior Lecturer in Classics at the University of Cambridge—charts how Western Europe came to appreciate the language and culture of ancient Greece as an integral part of its own civilizational inheritance. Dr. Butterfield explains that large-scale technological and cultural changes in late antiquity led to a gradual loss of Greek language proficiency—and a waning interest in the pagan world—among Western European intellectuals during the Early Middle Ages. While the Scholasticism of the High Middle Ages was invigorated by the rediscovery of the Greek philosophical tradition, this encounter was mediated almost entirely through Latin translations. It was only in the Renaissance—when a renewed appreciation of the Hellenic world on its own terms led to a revitalization of Greek language study—that our contemporary conception of Classics was fully established.    —   00:00 Introduction: A Journey through Classical Literature with Dr. Butterfield 04:05 Preservation and Valuation of Greek Culture 06:55 The Evolution of Writing Systems 14:50 Greek Influence on Roman Culture 20:25 The Rise of Christianity and Advances in Book Technology 27:40 Preservation and Transmission of Classical Texts in the Middle Ages 32:50 Arabic Scholars: Preserving Greek Knowledge and Shaping Western Thought 36:00 The Renaissance and Rediscovery of Greek Texts 43:10 Conclusion: The Printing Press and the Spread of Classical Knowledge   —   Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode:    Homer Magna Graecia  Pythagoras Odyssey Cato the Elder  Third Macedonian War Great Library of Alexandria Great Library of Pergamum Horace, Epistles   Emperor Augustus  Codex Sinaiticus Constantine  Neoplatonism  Plato Charlemagne  Carolingian Renaissance Virgil Ovid Abbasid Caliphate  Avveroës  Avicenna  Thomas Aquinas Petrarch Ottoman Conquest Epicurus  Lucretius  Aristotle  Gutenberg    —   Additional Resources  Dr Stephen Blackwood    Ralston College (including newsletter)   Support a New Beginning    Ralston College Humanities MA   Antigone - Explore Ancient Greece and Rome with Modern Insights Join the conversation and stay updated on our latest content by subscribing to the Ralston College YouTube channel.  

Stephen Blackwood is the founding President of Ralston College, with advanced degrees in Classics and Religion and visiting positions at Harvard, Toronto, and Cambridge.   David Butterfield is a renowned classicist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Cambridge. His work centres on the critical study and teaching of classical texts.   John Vervaeke, PhD, is an award-winning professor of psychology, cognitive science, and Buddhist psychology at the University of Toronto. What are the fundamental principles required to cultivate an educational environment free from ideological bias?    In this episode, Stephen Blackwood, David Butterfield, and John Vervaeke explore the current landscape of higher education and its pervasive ideological influences. They discuss the importance of fostering genuine freedom of inquiry, intellectual diversity, and non-coercive teaching practices. Through personal anecdotes and reflections on academic experiences, the conversation examines the conditions that make real dialogue and meaningful education possible. This episode challenges listeners to reconsider the essence of true education and its role in developing critical, independent thinkers.   —   00:00 Introduction and Exploring Education Without Indoctrination 02:20 Defining Indoctrination in Education 05:25 Current State of Higher Education 09:05 Neo-Marxism and Power Dynamics in Education 16:30 Teaching and Parenting: Fostering Realization and Free Agency 26:05 John Vervaeke:Exploring Logos, Love, and the Meaning Crisis 35:35 The Dual Aspects of Free Speech: Good Faith and Inquiry 38:30 Audience Q&A: Handling Classroom Dynamics and Approaches 53:45 Conclusion: University Traditions and Political Orientations   —   Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode   Friedrich Nietzsche Thomas Jefferson Martha Argerich Descartes Jordan Peterson Education without Indoctrination Freedom of Speech The New Criterion Meaning Crisis Dialectic into Dialogos The Vervaeke Foundation   Re-Humanising Education By Stephen Blackwood and Bernadette Guthrie — ARC Research   —   Additional Resources  Dr Stephen Blackwood    Ralston College (including newsletter)   Support a New Beginning    Ralston College Humanities MA Join the conversation and stay updated on our latest content by subscribing to the Ralston College YouTube channel.

Gregg Hurwitz, the New York Times bestselling author of the Orphan X series and a storyteller whose work spans many mediums and genres, in conversation with Stephen Blackwood, the founding president of Ralston College, and with students enrolled in the inaugural year of the College’s MA in the Humanities program. In this live event—recorded on [date] at Ralston College—Hurwitz discusses the concrete details of his own writing practice and explains how his training in literature and psychology have informed his craft. He reflects on how storytelling helps us to understand the self and on the real-world value of learning to speak with honesty and authenticity.    Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode:    Sigmund Freud Carl Jung Joseph Campbell  Gregg Hurwitz, You’re Next The Sixth Sense (film)  Romanticism  William Wordsworth, “Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood” William Blake, Songs of Innocence and of Experience Transcendentalism  Kurt Vonnegut James Joyce, “The Dead”; Ulyssess  F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tender is the Night William Faulkner, Light in August; As I Lay Dying; The Sound and the Fury Raymond Chandler Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment  Edgar Allan Poe,  “The Tell-Tale Heart”  Albert Camus, The Stranger  James M. Cain, The Postman Always Rings Twice Carl Rogers  Lord Byron  Batman (comic series) Punisher (comic series)  Richard Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen Pablo Picasso  Joan Didion  The Book of Henry (film)  Alan Moore   

Dr Michael Hurley, Professor of Literature and Theology at Trinity College in the University of Cambridge, delivers a lecture to students in Ralston College’s inaugural Master’s in the Humanities program on the intertwining of language and thought in the work of three major Victorian authors: Walter Pater, John Henry Newman, and Gerard Manley Hopkins. Prof. Hurley argues that, far from being merely ornamental, in these authors style is constitutive of thought and the difficult pursuit of beauty is inextricable from the pursuit of truth.    —   Ralston College  Website: https://www.ralston.ac/ Ralston College Humanities MA: https://www.ralston.ac/humanities-ma YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RalstonCollegeSavannah X: https://twitter.com/RalstonCollege   —   00:00 Introduction to the Lecture and Its Significance 01:40 The Special Context of the Lecture 02:00 Exploring the Relationship Between Language and Thought 04:20 Diving Into the Logos Through Literature 21:00 Examining the Dual Nature of Logos 34:00 Analyzing Texts: A Deep Dive into Aestheticism, Truth, and the Logos 43:40 Concluding Reflections and Open Discussion   —   Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode:   Pythagoras Anti-Empiricism St. John the Evangelist  Logos Heraclitus Romanticism David Jones Matthew Arnold, “Dover Beach”  Sophocles Peloponnesian War John Henry Newman William Blake W.B. Yeats Margot Collis G.K. Chesterton William James, “The Present Dilemma in Philosophy”  Pragmatism Walter Pater, Studies in the History of the Renaissance Walter Pater, “Style”  Aestheticism  Oscar Wilde Harold Bloom Melos Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa Prolepsis Hypotaxis Parataxis Cicero Virgil Gerard Manley Hopkins, “God’s Grandeur”; “As Kingfishers Catch Fire”; “Carrion Comfort”  William Shakespeare, Hamlet   

In this lecture, delivered on March 30, 2023, as part of the Drummond Lecture Series at Hillsdale College, Dr. Stephen Blackwood—the founding president of Ralston College—argues that we must first understand something’s nature before we can properly care for and cultivate it. This principle holds true for all living things—including plants and animals—but it is seen in its fullest complexity in human beings as they seek to realize their unique potential through the concrete challenges and conditions of their individual lives. Drawing richly upon both text and images, Dr. Blackwood explains that the actualization of our potential is not inevitable but instead relies upon us being rooted in a culture that can nurture, sustain, and challenge us as we seek to orient our subjective and finite experiences of the world toward eternal and infinite realities. Dr. Blackwood’s lecture is a call to action for both individuals and institutions, reminding us of our sacred duty to both realize our own gifts and to accompany and support others as they seek to do the same.  Resources   Ralston College  Website: https://www.ralston.ac/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RalstonCollegeSavannah X: https://twitter.com/RalstonCollege   Ralston College Humanities MA: https://www.ralston.ac/humanities-ma   Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode    radix (Latin, “root) William Shakespeare, Hamlet The Biblical book of Ezekiel  Ugo da Carpi cultus, (Latin, “cultivation, culture, education, devotion”)  Aristotle, De Anima Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics St. Augustine Anthony Daniels / Theodore Dalrymple  thaumazein (θαυμάζω) (Ancient Greek, “wonder”)  Sigrid Undset, Kristen Lavransdatter Gerard Manley Hopkins, “The Leaden Echo and the Golden Echo” Homer, Odyssey  Pythagoras Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy Cal Newport, Deep Work Cal Newport, Digital Minimalism Gerard Manley Hopkins, “As Kingfishers Catch Fire”    Quotes   “Life can only be lived for itself. And only you can live that life." - Stephen Blackwood [00:15:54]   "We need a true radicalism. A return to root as both anchor and nourishing source." - Stephen Blackwood [00:16:07] "You must string the bow, the bow of your soul, and let it sing. That irreducible particularity, that finite smallness of you, the intricacy and difficulty of your own life, is also where the greatness is. I encourage you, with everything I've got, to go out and find it." - Stephen Blackwood [00:53:15]   Chapters    00:00:00 - Introduction: Realizing Human Potential through Education: A Vision for Culture and the Human Person  00:06:30 - Hillsdale's Outsized Influence: How a Small College Cuts Through Noise to Seek Truth  00:09:00 - Rediscovering the True Meaning of Radical: Uncovering the Fundamentals of Human Nature  00:17:10 - Realizing Potential: The Dynamics of Growth in Natural Beings  00:28:30 - The Quest for Self-Knowledge: Exploring the Depths of Human Nature   00:35:00 - Transcending Self: The Search for Meaning Beyond the Empirical 00:40:00 - Integrating Self and Transcendence: Navigating Human Complexity and Connection  00:50:40 - Conclusion: The Infinite Particularity: Embracing the Unique Symphony of the Soul  00:54:10 - Q&A Session: Providence, Self-Determination, and Cultural Meaning at Hillsdale College   

In his lecture, Jonathan Pageau presents a thoughtful examination of the Last Judgment through the lens of a late-11th-century mosaic, challenging the traditional view of it as solely an end-time event. He suggests that this imagery symbolizes an ongoing process of identity formation, where every entity acts as a judge, continually evaluating its alignment with its essence. This interpretation casts the Last Judgment in a new light, with the ideal human being as the ultimate measure of this alignment. Pageau further delves into how this imagery interacts with its placement within the church, enhancing the narrative of creation and ultimate fulfillment. He draws attention to the layered symbols within the scene, such as the crucifixion and harrowing of Hades. By exploring the cosmic symbolism—Christ as the source, the sheep and goats as symbols of inclusion or exclusion, and the strategic placement of figures—Pageau encourages a view of the Last Judgment not as a daunting reckoning but as a powerful allegory for the continuous formation and evaluation of identity against a higher ideal. This perspective not only demystifies the traditional fears associated with the Last Judgment but also prompts a personal reflection on how we align with broader, universal truths.   Jonathan Pageau is a renowned artist and the host of The Symbolic World podcast. He specializes in the interpretation of symbolic patterns across various cultural and historical contexts. Learn more about Jonathan Pageau and embark on a journey into the symbolic universe by visiting his podcast at http://thesymbolicworld.com and his website at http://www.pageaucarvings.com.   Glossary of Terms   Iconography: The visual images and symbols used in a work of art or the study or interpretation of these. Byzantine Art: A style of art developed in the eastern Mediterranean, characterized by its religious themes and extensive use of icons. Resources   Ralston College  Website: https://www.ralston.ac/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RalstonCollegeSavannah X: https://twitter.com/RalstonCollege   Images The Church of Santa Maria Assunta, Torcello, Italy: The Last Judgement, Apse Mosaics Church of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy: 6th century Mosaic The Basilica of Saint Sabina, Rome, Italy: Wooden door panels depicting The Ascension Ascension of Christ, Rabbula Gospel Book (fol. 13v) The Monastery of Apollo at Bawit, Egypt Chapel of the Domus Galilaeae, Israel Russian the Last Judgment Icon (Novgorod version, 15th century)   Quotes   "I believe that the image of the Last Judgment is actually a way to understand how identity formation functions." - Jonathan Pageau [00:09:00]   "We have to transform people; that's real. And that is undeniable when you meet someone that is transformed." - Jonathan Pageau [00:57:00]   Chapters    00:00:00 - Introduction to the Medieval Cosmos and Jonathan Pageau  00:06:30 - The Image of the Last Judgment and Its Significance   00:13:40 - Exploring the Fractal Nature of Medieval Symbols  00:17:40 - Understanding the Last Judgment and Its Structure  00:24:40 - Iconographic Representation of Christ, the Virgin, and Saints   00:29:00 - The Right Hand and Left Hand of Christ in the Last Judgment  00:37:00 - The Hetoimasia and the Prepared Throne  00:39:20 - Depictions of Paradise and Hell in the Last Judgment  00:50:20 - The Problem of Fragmentation and the Nature of Sin  00:55:00 - From Division to Unity: The Path Forward   00:57:50 - Q&A Session: Symbolism, Imagery, Rationality, and Integration    

In the culminating fifth lecture of the Sophia Lecture series, Professor Douglas Hedley culminates his exploration by delving into play's theological dimension, engaging with Marsilio Ficino, Desiderius Erasmus, and Plotinus to dissect 'serious play', a pivotal concept in Renaissance thought. Throughout the lecture series, Hedley has traversed play's philosophical terrain, examining its roots, the vital role of language in human development, the journey into self-awareness, and the allure of aesthetics. In this lecture, he weaves together the interplay of wisdom and play within cultural narratives, delves into Plotinus' portrayal of the cosmos as a divine ballet, and highlights the synergy between divine ecstasy and human creativity. Additionally, he probes the impact of symbolic play in spiritual realms and underscores the critical role of femininity in the discourse on wisdom and play. Professor Hedley's contributions provide a rich, interconnected view of play as a gateway to a deeper understanding of our selves and the cosmos.   Douglas Hedley is a Professor in the Philosophy of Religion at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow at Clare College. His work spans the fields of philosophy, theology, and psychology, focusing on the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern thought.   Glossary of Terms   Kenosis: The self-emptying of one's own will and becoming entirely receptive to God's divine will. Resources   Ralston College  Website: https://www.ralston.ac/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RalstonCollegeSavannah X: https://twitter.com/RalstonCollege   Douglas Hedley https://www.ralston.ac/people/douglas-hedley   Living Forms of the Imagination -Douglas Hedley https://www.amazon.com/Living-Forms-Imagination-Douglas-Hedley/dp/0567032957   Sacrifice Imagined: Violence, Atonement, and the Sacred - Douglas Hedley https://www.amazon.com/Sacrifice-Imagined-Violence-Atonement-Sacred/dp/1441194452   The Iconic Imagination - Douglas Hedley https://www.amazon.com/Iconic-Imagination-Douglas-Hedley/dp/1441194630   The Ages of the World 1811 - Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Von Schelling  https://www.amazon.com/Ages-World-Contemporary-Continental-Philosophy/dp/1438474059   Man at Play - Hugo Rahner S.J. https://www.amazon.com/Man-Play-Hugo-Rahner-S-J/dp/1949899799   Plotinus: Myth, Metaphor, and Philosophical Practice - Stephen R. L. Clark https://www.amazon.com/Plotinus-Myth-Metaphor-Philosophical-Practice/dp/022633967X Quotes   "While our Plato often discusses in a hidden matter, the duty belonging to mankind, it sometimes seems as though he's joking and playing. But platonic games and jokes are much more serious than the serious things of the Stoics." - Douglas Hedley, originally from Marsilio Ficino [00:10:20]   “All fleeting things are just an image. The imperishable is here an event. The indescribable is thus done. The eternal feminine draws us upwards.” Douglas Hedley, paraphrasing Johann Wolfgang von Goethe [00:45:40]  Chapters    [00:00:00] Introduction and Musical Performance [00:04:00] Formal Introduction of Professor Douglas Hedley   [00:09:35] Exploring the Philosophical and Theological Dimensions of Play  [00:16:40] The Renaissance Connection: Erasmus and the Play of Wisdom   [00:22:20] Plotinus and the Cosmic Dance of Creation   [00:27:00] Playfulness in Theology and Philosophy  [00:32:00] Sacred Play: The Intersection of Divine Joy and Human Creativity  [00:36:40] The Iconic Imagination: Symbols and Play in Spiritual Life   [00:42:00] Femininity, Wisdom, and Play in Cultural Traditions  [00:52:00] Concluding Thoughts on Play and Human Development   [00:56:12] Audience Q&A: Insights on Play, Culture, and Society