The New Thinkery

This week, the guys take a look at Aristotle's Politics. Specifically, they explore the key types of relationships according to Aristotle, how they contributed to the formation of the city, and why the city is the perfect size for humans to flourish. 

As Nazism came to the fore in Germany following World War I, Leo Strauss delivered a lecture that would be published posthumously attempting to explain why. Specifically, he emphasized nihilism, including its sources and influences. The guys discuss and expand upon this lecture.

In the first episode of 2022, the guys come out swinging by taking on Book I of Plato's Republic. One of the most important philosophic works of all-time, the discussion is as wide-ranging as it is entertaining. Plus: we want your ideas on what part of Plato's Republic the guys should cover next! 

This week, the guys are joined by none other than Dr. Harvey Mansfield. The group discuss Machiavelli's satirical play, La Mandragola in a wide-ranging discussion, and is closed out by an entertaining series of lightning round questions.

The New Thinkery wishes you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! On this Christmas Day stocking stuffer, the guys delve into an unusual Christmas short story, Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Christmas Banquet". The guys analyze the somber work's underlying philosophic meaning and its connections to the present.

In this week's classic episode of The New Thinkery, the guys discuss the Christmas classic: A Christmas Carol. They go through the book's plot, themes, underlying philosophical points, and talk about the cultural impact the book has had since its publication in the nineteenth century. 

The guys are joined once again by Prof. Richard Velkley, Celia Scott Weatherhead Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Tulane University. The guys dive into the messy subject of Heidegger's relationship with Nazism, as well as what Leo Strauss thought of Heidegger. Shoutout to Davenant Hall for sponsoring!

The guys are joined this week by Greg's colleague at Ashland University, Dr. Christopher Burkett. The group take a break from the stuffy philosophy books, and turn instead to the silver screen to analyze the Western genre, and specifically Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch (1969) and John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence (1962). Don't fret! Westerns, and these films in particular, are replete with philosophic underpinnings ready to be illuminated. 

This week the guys dive into French philosophy with René Descartes' Discourse on Method. They explain Descartes philosophy and scientific thought while also evaluating its strengths and weaknesses.

This week, the guys are joined by Claremont Institute Senior Fellow Glenn Ellmers, an expert on the teachings and life of the renowned Harry V. Jaffa. Together, the group talk about Ellmers' new book The Soul of Politics: Harry V. Jaffa and the Fight for America. They touch on Jaffa's life, the biggest influences on him, and ultimately what he thought on a philosophical level.  Shoutout to ALI for sponsoring!