The TAC Podcast

In this episode of The TAC Podcast, we explore Miguel de Cervantes' masterpiece, Don Quixote. Why does a 17th-century novel feel startlingly modern — even postmodern — in its treatment of identity, self-consciousness, and public perception? We examine how Quixote constructs an identity for the gaze of others, the strange meta-narrative of Part Two, and the parallels between Cervantes' world of chivalric romances and our own immersion in social media, curated personas, and screen culture. Finally, we look at the dynamic between Quixote and Sancho Panza, and what Quixote's poignant ending says about noble ideals in an unheroic world. 00:00 - The Modern Problem of Image and Perception 02:03 - The Meta-Narrator: Cide Hamete Benengeli 05:07 - Being Observed: Don Quixote in Part Two 09:06 - Books of Chivalry and Media Saturation 13:12 - Curating Personas: Social Media vs. Reality 16:00 - The Duke and Duchess: Cruelty and Manipulation 20:00 - Moral Conscience vs. Living for an Audience 24:00 - History, Bias, and the Medium 27:16 - Why We Love Quixote: Nobility vs. Buffoonery 34:33 - The Cave of Montesinos and Seeking Validation 37:40 - Sancho Panza: The Grounded Observer 44:48 - Becoming What You Behold 48:00 - Sancho's Growth and Governance 50:08 - The Deathbed Renunciation: Tragedy or Humility? 56:56 - Ideals vs. Trappings in Modern Culture

In this episode of The TAC Podcast, we dive into Niccolò Machiavelli's classic and controversial political treatise, The Prince. Specifically, we unpack his famous assertion in Chapter 15 that a prince must "learn to be able not to be good" when necessity demands it. Is Machiavelli endorsing moral evil as an end, or is he laying out a cold, pragmatic toolbox for political survival? We explore his concept of the "effectual truth," examine historical examples like Cesare Borgia and Remirro de Orco, and contrast Machiavelli's realism with the classical ideals of Plato and St. Thomas Aquinas. Along the way, we ask: Can a Machiavellian ruler ever have genuine friends, and why does this ruthless philosophy continue to fascinate us today? Chapters 00:00 – Introduction: Reading Machiavelli's The Prince 01:37 – Necessary Evils: Maintaining Political Power 02:50 – The Godfather Analogy & Suspending Morality 05:01 – Cesare Borgia & The Calculated Use of Cruelty 09:14 – The Machiavellian Prince vs. Plato's Tyrant 12:40 – "The Effectual Truth" vs. Imagined Republics 18:50 – Keeping Faith: The Fox, the Lion, and Entering Evil 24:48 – Machiavelli's Critique of Christian Morality 29:18 – Machiavelli vs. St. Thomas Aquinas on Kingship 31:13 – Good Arms vs. Good Laws 33:51 – What Makes Machiavelli Unique? The Science of Politics 38:58 – Can a Machiavellian Leader Have Real Friends? 40:17 – The Enduring Appeal of Machiavellian Cunning 44:52 – Conclusion & Wrap-Up

In this episode of The TAC Podcast, host John Finley sits down with architect Anthony Grumbine ('00), alumnus of Thomas Aquinas College and the University of Notre Dame's School of Architecture. Anthony discusses how the built environment acts as the backdrop to human life and shapes the soul. From Vitruvian principles of design to the differences between authentic local architecture and commercial fast-food design, Anthony explores how buildings embody theology, philosophy, and cultural values. He also reflects on how the liberal arts formation at TAC prepares thinkers to study the masters and bring enduring beauty into the modern world. Learn more about Thomas Aquinas College: thomasaquinas.edu Subscribe for more alumni stories and conversations: @TheTACPodcast

How do we endure profound suffering, grief, and sudden loss when our world falls apart? In this episode of "The TAC Podcast," we examine Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius and his masterpiece, "The Consolation of Philosophy." Falsely accused of treason and imprisoned while awaiting execution, the Roman statesman and philosopher was stripped of his wealth, status, and freedom. In the depth of his despair, he is visited by Lady Philosophy, who guides him out of melancholic grief by redirecting his mind toward truth, virtue, and the eternal order of reality. Join us as we explore why human suffering involves far more than physical pain, how our assessment of hardship shapes our sorrow, and why the pursuit of wisdom remains one of the most deeply humanizing responses to tragedy. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction to Boethius & The Consolation of Philosophy 01:45 – How Do We Live with Grievous Suffering? 03:46 – Lady Philosophy Confronts Melancholic Grief 05:18 – Reading Boethius's Opening Lament0 7:45 – Contemplating Truth in the Midst of Despair 10:44 – The Root of the Problem: Forgetting Who You Are 12:40 – Why Humans Suffer: Rationality vs. Physical Pain 16:18 – Banishing False Muses: Emotion Governed by Reason 19:00 – The Fickle Nature of Fortune and Fate 21:08 – Comparing Boethius and the Book of Job 25:24 – C.S. Lewis on "Learning in Wartime" & Higher Purpose 28:18 – Attending to the Highest Reality 30:44 – The Vision of God: Reading the Central Prayer (Book III, Metrum 9) 35:42 – Faith, Reason, and the Five Big Questions (Fides et Ratio) 39:00 – Philosophy as a Deeply Personal and Healing Act 44:24 – Conclusion & Looking Ahead

In this episode of The TAC Podcast, we are joined by Thomas Aquinas College alumnus Father Andrew De Silva—pastor at St. Peter the Apostle Parish in New Jersey and Captain in the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps. Father Andrew shares valuable insights from his work with young adults across parish life, high school summer programs, and the military. We dive into why young Catholics are increasingly searching for objective truth, how genuine community and intellectual leisure provide an antidote to modern burnout, and the unique leadership lessons learned from serving both the Church and the armed forces. 00:00 – Highlights & Preview 00:49 – Welcome Father Andrew De Silva (Parish Pastor & Army Chaplain) 01:19 – What Young Catholics Are Searching for Today 04:00 – Institutional Distrust vs. The Search for Authentic Truth 06:50 – Great Books & Honest Dialogue at TAC 11:25 – Priestly Formation & Communicating the Faith with Authenticity 14:41 – Faith in the Military: Hierarchy, Doctrine, and Ministry to Soldiers 18:18 – Balancing Pastoral Duties & Preventing Burnout Through Leisure 24:21 – Vocations and True Friendship Formed in the Pursuit of Truth 26:00 – Intellectual Leisure: Deep Conversations Beyond the Classroom 28:39 – Mentorship and Leadership Formation in TAC Prefects 31:52 – Leading as a Military Chaplain vs. Leading a Parish 34:48 – Closing Thoughts

What can Aristotle teach us about the study of the natural world more than 2,000 years after he wrote the Physics? Unlike modern physics, Aristotle's study of nature begins not with equations, specialized experiments, or mathematical models, but with our ordinary experience of the world around us. Motion, change, time, causality, matter, and nature itself are realities we encounter constantly, yet rarely stop to examine. In this episode of "The TAC Podcast," Dr. John Finley and Dr. Chris Decaen explore the opening of Aristotle's Physics and ask why this ancient work remains foundational to the Western philosophical tradition. They discuss the difference between modern physics and the classical philosophy of nature, why Aristotle begins with what is most familiar to human experience, how knowledge moves from effects toward causes, and why understanding change ultimately requires an account of matter and form. The conversation also considers a larger question: Can scientific measurement ever replace philosophical reflection on what things actually are? From Aristotle's investigation of nature emerges a path toward some of philosophy's deepest questions, including human nature, causality, the soul, and ultimately the unmoved mover Aristotle identifies as the highest cause of the natural world. Learn more about Thomas Aquinas College and its Great Books curriculum at https://www.thomasaquinas.edu #Aristotle #Physics #Philosophy #GreatBooks #ThomasAquinasCollege #NaturalPhilosophy #Metaphysics #Science #classicaleducation 00:00 – Introduction: Why Aristotle's Physics Still Matters 01:08 – Modern Physics vs. Aristotle's Philosophy of Nature 04:35 – Starting from Common Human Experience 08:34 – Fundamental Principles vs. Modern Science Pitfalls 10:00 – Ordinary Language vs. Mathematical Abstraction 11:03 – The Nature of Speed: More Than Distance Over Time 14:29 – What is Known to Us vs. What is Knowable in Itself 17:25 – Reasoning from Effects to Causes 20:44 – Moving from Vague Grasp to Clear Definition 23:33 – Why Fundamental Natural Philosophy Stands the Test of Time 26:12 – The Drawing Analogy: Implicit Awareness & Active Perception 28:52 – Practical Science vs. Contemplative Wonder 30:50 – Where Human Nature Fits into the Order of Sciences 33:37 – The First Mover: Transition from Physics to Metaphysics 36:20 – Why the Philosophy of Nature Precedes Ethics 42:43 – Starting with Change: Matter, Form, and Privation 47:20 – Conclusion & Looking Ahead to Matter and Form

In this episode of "The TAC Podcast," we explore the "loneliness pandemic," and the fundamental human need for connection, through the lens of Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics." Join us as we discuss the different levels of friendship — from utility and pleasure to "complete friendship" based on virtue — and how our modern, technologized world affects our ability to form deep, lasting bonds. Chapters: 00:00 The "Loneliness Pandemic" and Current Statistics 01:21 Why We Are Social Animals 02:57 The Deep Need to Love and Be Loved 05:12 Aristotle's Three Kinds of Friendship 06:15 Friendships of Utility vs. Pleasure 07:12 What is a "Complete Friendship"? 09:12 Growing in Virtue Together 10:58 Mutual Understanding and Awareness 12:50 The Barriers of Modern Anxiety and Vulnerability 14:14 The Challenge of Consumer Culture and Isolation 15:13 The Importance of "Living Together" and Shared Life 17:42 "A Friend is Another Self" 19:05 Looking Together at the Good 21:32 The Universal Desire for Community 23:35 Becoming "Lovable" and Deserving of Friendship 25:52 The Cyclical Relationship Between Morality and Friendship 27:56 Self-Help vs. Helping Others 29:08 Justice: The Foundation of Reliable Bonds 31:35 Trust and the Risks of Social Media Status 33:55 The Surface Level of Digital Communication 37:00 Moving Actively Toward Connection 38:53 Institutions of Connection: Marriage, Church, and Community 40:15 The Supernatural Dimension of Friendship 42:38 Why True Friends are Few 44:48 Depth over Breadth: The Human Limit 45:26 Marriage as the Paradigm for Devoted Friendship

In this episode of The TAC Podcast, we explore the groundbreaking social encyclical from Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, which addresses the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence. Drawing parallels to the Industrial Revolution and the legacy of Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum, the discussion centers on how AI impacts human dignity, the necessity of limits, and the importance of maintaining genuine human relationships in a digital age. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Magnifica Humanitas 02:07 - Biblical Imagery: Tower of Babel vs. Nehemiah 03:10 - A History of Catholic Social Teaching 04:19 - Systematic Overview of Social Principles 05:10 - The Gentle and Proposals-Based Tone of the Encyclical 07:25 - Analyzing the Tower of Babel as a Warning for AI 11:34 - Homogeneity and the Danger of Treating People as Cogs 16:47 - AI as an "Out of Control" System vs. Human Reason 19:11 - Defining AI: Imitation vs. Human Experience 21:54 - The Risk of Losing Human Personal Relationships 25:28 - Five Core Principles of Social Doctrine 27:14 - Subsidiarity, Solidarity, and Social Justice 35:01 - Defining the Common Good in the AI Context 42:52 - The Role of Families, Schools, and Corporations 45:30 - The Technocratic Paradigm and the Lure of Efficiency 48:42 - Embracing Finitude and the Value of Human Suffering

In this episode of "The TAC Podcast," we explore Pope Leo XIII's landmark 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum (On Capital and Labor). This foundational document of modern Catholic social teaching addressed the dire condition of the working classes during the Industrial Revolution, offering a third way between unbridled capitalism and the rising tide of socialism. We discuss how Leo XIII defends the natural right to private property, while emphasizing its social purpose, the essential harmony between capital and labor, and the critical role of the family as the primary unit of society. We also look ahead to how later Popes, such as St. John Paul II, built upon these principles to address the challenges of the 20th century. Join us as we break down the "lasting paradigm" created by Leo XIII for the Church's engagement with social and economic concerns. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to Rerum Novarum and the "genre" of Encyclicals 01:32 - Why Pope Leo XIII addressed the condition of the Working class 03:55 - The Rise of socialism and the Church's response 05:40 - Three reasons Leo XIII Argued against the socialist remedy 06:28 - Defending private property through Natural Law 08:39 - The threat to the social and political order 09:30 - The Church as a father figure to a global family 10:48 - Harmony vs. Conflict: The Relationship Between Employer and Employee 11:23 - The inseparability of private property and the family 13:43 - The dignity of human labor and personal ownership 16:36 - Reason, human nature, and the need for lasting goods 19:51 - The right to possess vs. the responsibility of use 22:21 - How private ownership serves the common good 24:18 - Man as sub-creator: the art of cultivation 25:52 - Pragmatic failures of abolishing private property 27:18 - 20th-Century Reflections: From Leo XIII to John Paul II 28:22 - True alienation: being cut off from god and neighbor 31:40 - Rejecting class warfare for the "body politic" 35:48 - The Church's higher call to friendliness and community 37:47 - Covetousness, envy, and the Tenth Commandment 40:26 - A Warning to the rich: the responsibility of wealth 42:43 - Work as a communal act: working with and for others

In this episode of The TAC Podcast, host John Goyette sits down with Mike Ortner, tech entrepreneur, founder of Capterra, and author of The Catholic School Playbook. Together, they explore the essential foundations of an authentic Catholic education and why subjects like Latin and Mathematics are more relevant today than ever. Mike shares his journey from the tech world to philanthropic work in education, discussing the "product problem" in modern schools and the growing movement to revive wonder and rigor in the classroom. Whether you are a parent, educator, or student, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on the true purpose of college and the lifelong value of the Great Books.In this episode, you'll discover: Why Latin and Math are the ultimate tools for learning logic and coding. The "renewal movement" happening in Catholic schools across the country. How to move beyond "teaching to the test" to cultivate a genuine sense of wonder. Why an 18-year-old shouldn't feel pressured to choose a specialized career path immediately. The unique power of the seminar-style learning used at Thomas Aquinas College. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction: Why 18-year-olds should study what they love 00:27 - Meeting Mike Ortner: From Capterra to Catholic education 01:10 - The importance of Mathematics and Latin in learning logic 03:45 - Latin as a foundation for coding and STEM careers 06:33 - Reviving Catholic education: Moving beyond the peripheral 08:00 - The decline and renewal of Catholic schools since 1965 11:06 - The "Product Problem": Why schools mirrored public systems 13:14 - Escaping the utilitarian trap: Restoring a sense of wonder 14:43 - Evangelization and Christ at the center of the curriculum 18:14 - Signs of hope: The leapfrog effect in successful schools 21:07 - Advice for parents: Demanding a better path for children 24:10 - Mike's personal journey: Finding the Great Books in his 20s 27:10 - Discovering Aristotle, Plato, and the power of humility 31:00 - Why Thomas Aquinas College? Seminar vs. Lecture formats 35:15 - The danger of early specialization and niche majors 37:00 - "What are you going to do with that?" Reframing the career question 40:00 - Learning as a "team sport": The value of the seminar table 42:03 - Conclusion: An education for life