Men with Chests

We cover a lot in this chapter. Mark meets a host of characters from the N.I.C.E., including Wither, Filostrato, Fairy Hardcastle, and a chemist looking to get out of the institute's clutches (Bill Hingest). Jane continues to be disturbed by her dreams and the details she finds out about their importance. We dip into Lewis's essay "The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment," we connect some ideas from the chapter back to The Abolition of Man, and we begin to explore the "twins" of scientism and the magician. 

Link to the word "alchemy" from the etymology dictionary. You'll know why I'm putting this here after listening: https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=alchemy

Follow the show on Instagram @MenwChests 
Share the show if you like it and hit the 5 stars below.

Dr. Michael Ward of Oxford joins me to discuss the medieval cosmos, That Hideous Strength, astrology and astronomy, among other things. Dr. Ward is the author of Planet Narnia, After Humanity, and is widely regarded as the foremost Lewis scholar alive today. 

In this chapter Feverstone, an important member of the National Institute for Co-ordinated Experiments (N.I.C.E.), explains the purpose of the institute to Mark. In so doing he reveals what the institute wants Mark to do for them - write propaganda pieces. As the chapter ends, Mark and Jane head their separate ways on two very different journeys.  

Today I discuss gender, as portrayed in Lewis's Ransom Trilogy, with Dr. Crystal Hurd. This topic is a central theme that unites the three books of the trilogy, though it may not be recognized at first. Dr. Hurd is the author of The Leadership of C.S. Lewis. She is also the author of an article on Jane Studdock, which forms the main source of our discussion. It can be found here: https://pillars.taylor.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1238&context=inklings_forever.  

Chapter 1 of That Hideous Strength introduces us to some of the key characters and ideas that we'll be exploring over the next 17 weeks; the draw of the Inner Ring, the nature of reality, the relation between magic and science, and more. Like The Abolition of Man, this is a serious book. Don't be fooled by its categorization as fiction. As Aristotle advised, the art of storytelling can be a better teacher than history. 

Fitting for the week of the first C.S. Lewis Reading Day, I'm joined by the hosts of The C.S. Lewis Book Club. We discuss That Hideous Strength along with the rest of the Ransom Trilogy, their show, and more! The guys are now on to The Pilgrim's Regress. Check out their podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-c-s-lewis-book-club/id1677020346

In honor of the inaugural C.S. Lewis Reading Day, I present Lewis's essay "Is Progress Possible?" The article first appeared in The Observer on July 20, 1958, under the title "Willing Slaves of the Welfare State." Men with Chests began by covering The Abolition of Man, Lewis's most prophetic non-fiction work. In this episode, we cover what is likely his most prophetic essay. His most prophetic book --That Hideous Strength -- is coming shortly. Thanks to the guys from Pints With Jack for organizing this first C.S. Lewis Reading Day. 

"This is a 'tall story' about devilry, though it has behind it a serious 'point' which I have tried to make in my Abolition of Man." -- C.S. Lewis, in the Preface to That Hideous Strength. We've made it! In That Hideous Strength, Lewis illustrates in story form the dire consequences that are likely to come about if the trends he noted in Abolition were to continue unabated. That Hideous Strength doesn't disappoint. 

You can interact with the show on Instagram or Twitter @MenwChests
If you like the show, please leave a 5-star review. 

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Dorothy Logan, founder of the Freedom Academy and author of Black and White:  An Essay on Critical Theory, Freedom, and the Pursuit of Happiness. We discuss Natural Law, Maoism and its parallels to current American society, Hegel and Marx, and more. You can find Dr. Logan's books at https://www.freedomacademy-dorothy.com/.  

"Men do not long continue to think what they have forgotten how to say." Lewis wrote that sentence to close his essay "The Death of Words." The abuse of language is a problem dating back to antiquity. In this episode, we look at the connection between language and power and how to return to a stable discourse. 

Interact with the show's content on Instagram or Twitter @MenwChests