

What We Can't Not Talk About
Austin Institute
Join Austin Institute Executive Director and Director of Academic Programs Dr. Marianna Orlandi as she discusses topics that are relevant for the family and for society at large with prominent scholars and leaders in their fields. We promise that you’ll learn something and enjoy the conversations!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 22, 2020 • 29min
What it Means to Be Human with Professor Carter Snead
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

Dec 15, 2020 • 20min
Aquinas on Prudence and Other Virtues (That We Seem to Have Lost) with. Professor J. Budziszewski
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

Dec 8, 2020 • 21min
An Aristotelian View of Prudence with Dr. Erik Dempsey
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!

Dec 1, 2020 • 19min
New Research: Religion's Impact on Everything
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

Nov 27, 2020 • 29min
Lecture: Masks, Charity, and the Meaning of Medicine, Prudence and Public Health with Dr. Stuart Wolf, M.D.
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.

Nov 25, 2020 • 14min
Masks, Charity, and the Meaning of Medicine, Prudence and Public Health with Dr. Stuart Wolf, M.D.
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

Nov 17, 2020 • 23min
Prudence, Religious Obligations, and Civil Liberties with Rev. Father Thomas Joseph White O.P.
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

Nov 10, 2020 • 17min
The Future of Christian Marriage
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

Nov 4, 2020 • 15min
Prudence and Politics with Dr. Kevin Roberts
In this episode, Dr. Kevin Roberts of the Texas Public Policy Foundation talks with Dr. Kevin Stuart about what it means for an elected official to have a responsibility greater than the scientists do in a time of pandemic. What are the distinct roles and how do they each fulfill them? Anyone who listens will appreciate the difficulty of sitting in The Chair and making The Decisions.
This episode was recorded Sept. 23, 2020

Oct 27, 2020 • 24min
Prudence in Science, Politics, Social Media & More Areas with Dr. Kevin Stuart
Today's failures of science and crises in politics are attributable, more often than not, to the same source: a lack of prudence. Dr. Kevin E. Stuart explores the meaning of this missing virtue, addresses the main causes of its disappearance and suggests ways to bring it back.
Episode was recorded on on Sept 23rd, 2020