What We Can't Not Talk About

What can be said about the morality of COVID vaccines, parental rights, power of the state, and our own duties toward “the common good?” In this episode, Austin Institute Fellow Melissa Moschella, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America, weighs in on these questions as COVID vaccines are being administered across the country. She begins by addressing the use of cell lines like HEK 293, presumably derived from aborted fetal tissue and used to create some of the COVID vaccines, in no way perpetuates the grave injustice of abortion. Tune in to hear the rest! You can read more on this topic here: https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2021/01/73511/ You can purchase Dr. Moschella's book "To Whom Do Children Belong?: Parental Rights, Civic Education, and Children's Autonomy" here: https://www.amazon.com/Whom-Children-Belong-Education-Childrens/dp/1316605000

At the frontier of the philosophy of science, Aristotle is making a comeback. Dr. Kevin Stuart interviews AI Senior Fellow Dr. Robert C. Koons on what this scientific development is and what it means for those of us who aren't physicists or philosophers.

According to the Wall Street Journal, What it Means to Be Human is one of the best 10 books of 2020. During this episode, Dr. Orlandi discusses some of its main themes with the author, Carter Snead, Professor of Law at Notre Dame and Director of the De Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. "Expressive individualism," "moral imagination," "abortion", "assisted suicide,” these are just hints of the content of an extraordinary podcast that deserves going a little longer than usual! Get your coffee and enjoy! The Wall Street Journal has listed Professor Snead's book as one of the 10 best books of 2020: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-10-best-books-of-2020-11607556369?fbclid=IwAR1Ip7qqc80yAASf3qxCVNb3oZvGamVStJSWi-OyZhLMaBoKncpmH7vBspE You can purchase his book from Harvard University Press: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674987722

In this coffee break, UT Professor and Senior Fellow of the Austin Institute J. Budziszewski explains the Thomistic understanding of prudence, explores the imprudence of a world that has lost God, and illuminates us on the relational dimension of justice! If you would like to read more on this subject, we recommend Professor Budziszewski's "Commentary on Thomas Aquinas's Virtue Ethics" https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XTSFFVV/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i10

The Aristotelian understanding of prudence was at the core of a seminar Dr. Erik Dempsey recently offered for the Austin Institute. In this episode, he will summarize for us some of that content. During this interview, he will also reveal how undergraduate students are far more virtuous than we may think! If the young generation is our hope, there is definitely some!

Well, okay, maybe not everything. But lots of things, from marital equality to happiness at home in a pandemic. Professor Jason Carroll of BYU and the Wheatley Institution joins us to discuss his headline-grabbing research. Research on Religion in the Home: https://wheatley.byu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Religion-in-the-Home10.13.20.pdf

We have a bonus episode for y’all! In addition to our podcast conversation with Dr. Stuart Wolf, M.D., we are releasing Dr. Wolf’s lecture. Public health is undoubtedly the most prominent and most discussed theme of 2020. Dr. Staurt Wolf Jr., M.D. tells us something more about it, about the role of prudence, and of charity, in making good healthcare decisions ("to wear, or not to wear a mask"), pointing out the centrality of doctor-patient relations. This episode runs twice as long as a normal episode. So grab your coffee or holiday drink of choice and enjoy. Recorded on October 12, 2020.

Public health is undoubtedly the most prominent and most discussed theme of 2020. Dr. Staurt Wolf Jr., M.D. tells us something more about it, about the role of prudence, and of charity, in making good healthcare decisions ("to wear, or not to wear a mask"), pointing out the centrality of doctor-patient relations. This episode was recorded on 9/23/2020

While waiting for his live-online lecture on Nov. 19th, we asked the extra notorious Rev. Thomas Joseph White O.P. to illuminate us on Christians's and on state's duties in pandemic times. A Thomistic and a even Tocqueviliian take on the virus and on prudence for a special episode: one cannot cut Father White short. Enjoy your 2 coffee-breaks with Angelicum's Director and with Dr. Orlandi! This episode was recorded on September 17, 2020

Very few peole get married nowadays, that's not news. But why is it that even practicing Christians remain single? Professor Mark Regnerus explores this question in its latest book. In this coffee-break, he anticipates some of its most interesting findings with us. Spoiler: marriage is not a social construct. There is a kernel in everyone that wants us to be with someone for the rest of our lives. You can purchase his book "The Future of Christian Marriage" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Future-Christian-Marriage-Mark-Regnerus/dp/0190064935