Katharina Volk, a professor celebrated for her expertise on Stoicism and Roman literature, dives into the life of the Stoic senator Cato. She discusses Cato's strict adherence to Stoicism amidst political turmoil and compares his philosophy to that of contemporaries like Marcus Aurelius. The conversation critiques Cato's motivations, emphasizing the interplay of virtue and public image. Volk also examines Stoicism as a coping mechanism, its implications for personal resilience, and its philosophical conflicts with modern thought.

Benoît Godin, an author specializing in the intellectual history of innovation, dives into the surprising history of innovation, revealing its past condemnation as a crime. He discusses how perspectives have shifted from viewing innovation negatively to embracing it as essential for progress. Godin contrasts originality with established wisdom and critiques the superficiality of modern innovation driven by narcissism. He emphasizes the importance of grounding new ideas in tradition and the delicate balance between innovation and imitation for authentic creativity.

Robert Pippin discusses Nietzsche's views on nihilism and technology. They explore the decline of traditional values, critique of economistic models, challenges of modern culture, and overcoming nihilism through self-overcoming and immersion in art. The conversation delves into Nietzsche's perspectives on human nature, cheerfulness, and the role of philosophy in realization.

Fred Neuhouser, an expert on Rousseau's concept of amour-propre, discusses the importance of external validation in self-esteem, exploring Rousseau's philosophy on self-love versus recognition from others. Topics include the desire for acknowledgment, navigating hierarchies and self-esteem amid failure, exploring wealth as a measure of self-worth, and the competitive nature of romantic love in seeking validation.

Christopher Kelly, an expert on Jean-Jacques Rousseau's philosophy, discusses the importance of heroes in society, the evolution of language, and the role of compassion in community-building. The conversation explores Rousseau's views on heroism, the impact of heroes on public discourse, and the challenges of creating heroic narratives in modern societies.

Exploring Rousseau's critique on the negative impacts of science and art, the corruption and division in Christianity, his views on enlightenment, governance, wealth, power, and the relevance of science and heroes in the modern world.

Professor Brian Leiter, an expert on Nietzsche's critique of free will, delves into Nietzsche's rejection of free will and moral responsibility. He discusses how Nietzsche's philosophy challenges the idea of free will, emphasizing personal liberation. The conversation also covers Nietzsche's view on consciousness and social coordination, human behavior influenced by unconscious drives, determinants of human behavior, and Nietzsche's perspective on self-improvement.

Explore Nietzsche's ideas on achieving greatness by overcoming herd morality. Learn about the challenges of aspiring to be a higher man and the impact of societal values on individual potential. Delve into Nietzsche's critique of egalitarian morality and slave morality, as well as his perspectives on Christian love and the aesthetic ideal.

Christianity exposed the injustice of scapegoating and, in doing so, robbed us of the cathartic tools which early human societies used to contain and resolve violence. Today, the Katechon which prevents violence from overflowing is three institutions that limit and channel violence: Law, Capitalism, and War. By tracing a genealogy for all three institutions, Girard comes to the terrifying conclusion that these final bulwarks against apocalypse are on the verge of collapse. More precisely, their collapse is already underway.Some links to further guide your study:* Join my email list to be notified of future episodes: greatbooks.io* Full transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/johnathanbi/p/transcript-of-girard-lecture-vii Get full access to Johnathan Bi at www.johnathanbi.com/subscribe

Rescued by Christianity, modernity is distinctly different than the violent, deceitful, and stagnant societies of yore. We are the most loving, truthful, and innovative culture ever to exist. Resting uneasily alongside this fundamental affirmation of modernity, however, is Girard’s puzzling insistence that things have barely changed at all: we now simply persecute victims under the banner of love, rigidly adhere to scientific dogmas under the guise of free inquiry, and package trivialities as radical innovations. Despite our high-minded ideals, stubborn human nature refuses to budge and, so, the perversions of modernity take on the shape of hypocrisy. Even humanity’s greatest triumph is terribly ambivalent and limited.Some links to further guide your study:* Join my email list to be notified of future episodes: greatbooks.io* Full transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/johnathanbi/p/transcript-of-girard-lecture-vi Get full access to Johnathan Bi at www.johnathanbi.com/subscribe