The New Thinkery

In this week's episode, the guys dive into Tacitus' Agricola, a text recounting the life of his father-in-law Gnaeus Julius Agricola. The text has much more to it than simply a retelling of Agricola's life though. The guys tease out the deeper philosophic messages and political commentary contained within.

Tragedy, or calamity, is inevitable in life. How we deal with those events can be thought of as defining moments in our character.  Many have sought to find the "best" way to endure calamities, and that's where the guys pick up this week, with Epictetus' brief text on stoicism, The Handbook. 

In case you ever wanted to see the shiny dome that is Alex's head or the beard of his hair planted on Greg's chin, now you can! This Wednesday, April 14, the guys will be recording an episode of The New Thinkery LIVE at ACTC. They'll discuss Rousseau's First Discourse and conduct a Q&A session. Zoom registration is free and we hope to see you there!

This week, Professor Michael Davis of Sarah Lawrence College joins us to discuss Sophocles' Electra.  Prof. Davis is the author of numerous books on the history of philosophy; he's currently at work on a book on the Electra plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.  He also discusses his experiences learning from Allan Bloom, Richard Kennington, and Seth Benardete. Plus: the fastest lightning round questions to date!

In the sixth installment of an ongoing series breaking down Plato's Symposium, the guys reconvene to analyze Agathon's speech on Eros, emphasizing what Agathon claims Eros is and what it is the cause of.

Nietzsche is a controversial person to say the least. His works are easily misinterpreted, and with such lines as "God is dead", it's no surprise. Fortunately, the guys are back this week to break down the last work he submitted to a publisher, Twilight of the Idols: or How to Philosophize with a Hammer, with an emphasis on his discussion on Socrates.   Producer's note: Greg does not have syphilis. 

Death is always a difficult subject, and having to give a eulogy, as Greg notes, is extremely difficult. Pericles gave one of the most memorable funeral orations in history. So good, in fact, that Abraham Lincoln might've used it for inspiration. But it's not flawless, and the guys dive into Pericles' Funeral Oration to discuss its deeper meaning and themes. 

This week the guys turn to cinema instead of their bookshelves to analyze Woody Allen's movie, Love and Death. A step removed from the slapstick comedy and parody Allen is known for, Love and Death contains deeper philosophic themes in addition to the former elements that the guys tease out through discussion. 

This week the guys return to Plato’s Symposium to analyze the philosophical messages contained within individual speeches. This time, the guys delve into Aristophanes’ speech, which deals with the nature and function of love. Plus: a little mythology aside on Zeus.

In this week's edition of TNT, the guys are joined by Flagg Taylor, professor of political theory at Skidmore College. The group analyze Walker Percy's essay, "The Loss of the Creature," and focus especially on the idea of not having everything spelled out for you as a primer and to learn through doing. Plus: Stick around for Greg's Q&A!