Peter Robinson Unbridled

Dan Bonevac has been a professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin for a few years short of half a century. In honor of America's 250th birthday, Peter and Dan discuss the philosophical and intellectual underpinnings of the Declaration of Independence, the basic truths about human nature, and pivotal chapters of the American story. Two hundred and fifty years later, the Declaration still raises the questions worth asking — and Bonevac has spent a career thinking through the answers.

Timestamps

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:00 - Unpacking "Self-Evident" Truths

00:04:00 - Natural Rights: Jefferson vs. Rousseau on Locke

00:06:40 - "All Men Are Created Equal" — What Does That Mean?

00:10:00 - The Creator and the Ground of Rights

00:13:00 - Were the Founders Really Believers? Deists, Christians, and the Minimal God

00:17:00 - Who Was John Locke? The Philosopher Behind the Declaration

00:28:00 - Consent of the Governed — Why It's Foundational

00:31:00 - Slavery and the Declaration's Internal Contradiction

00:43:00 - Religious Conservatives, Natural Law, and Limited Government

00:49:00 - The Shepherd Metaphor — Bureaucrats vs. Citizens

00:53:00 - Woodrow Wilson and the Administrative State

00:57:00 - What Are Students Thinking Today?

01:06:00 - The Case for a Core Curriculum

01:13:00 - Is America Broken? Optimism vs. Realism

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Host: Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson Unbridled is a podcast of the Civitas Institute of the University of Texas at Austin

Executive Producers: Mat Hames Beth Hames

Researcher: John Masko

Producer: Laura Utt

Editor: Jacob Estrada

Camera: Josh Hardwick, Mike Lloyd

Music by Brandon Shufflebarger

In his career, George Will has written 7,000 newspaper columns. Twice a week since 1974, his biweekly commentary has run in The Washington Post. Today on Unbridled, Peter and George discuss just about everything: George's decision to get a doctorate in philosophy, why a doctor of philosophy would then become a newspaper columnist, the role of the columnist in American life, the meaning of politics, conservatism after Donald Trump, "Will's Amendment" to the Constitution, whether there can even be a such thing as artificial intelligence, and the designated hitter in National League baseball, among numerous other topics.

Timestamps

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:04:50 - The craft of writing newspaper columns

00:08:40 - Reinvigorating the universities

00:19:55 - The two party system's relationship with America

00:24:38 - The purpose and philosophy of politics

00:34:34 - How should Conservatives orient themselves today?

00:39:24 - Characteristics of the ideal presidential candidate in 2028

00:44:51 - Artificial intelligence

00:46:38 - China

00:53:24 - Literacy today

01:03:08 - Cards!

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Host: Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson Unbridled is a podcast of the Civitas Institute of the University of Texas at Austin

Executive Producers: Mat Hames Beth Hames

Researcher: John Masko

Producer: Laura Utt

Technical Director: Zachary Daly

Associate Producer: Rachel Walker

Editor: Josh Meyers

Post Production: Jacob Estrada

Camera: Danny Plitt

Music by Brandon Shufflebarger

As a long-time chair of the Federalist Society, Leonard Leo played a leading role in bringing half of today's Supreme Court to the Bench. Today, as one of the conservative movement's premier fundraisers and strategists, he has dedicated himself to "crushing liberal dominance" in politics, media, and culture. On today's Unbridled, Peter and Leonard discuss Leonard's formative political experiences, his approach to philanthropy, his fight to gain a foothold for traditional conservatism in movies and TV, and how to find great, affordable wines.

Timestamps

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:55 - Leonard Leo's background

00:05:22 - Why Leo joined the Federalist Society

00:07:01 - "Crushing" Liberal dominance

00:11:28 - The Left and Right operationalizing their views

00:18:18 - Thinking about philanthropy

00:24:10 - What happened to American universities?

00:27:21 - Suggestions for Conservative philanthropy

00:37:44 - Leonard Leo's funding

00:40:43 - Conservatism today

00:53:59 - Positive cultural changes

01:02:47 - Cards!

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Host: Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson Unbridled is a podcast of the Civitas Institute of the University of Texas at Austin

Executive Producers: Mat Hames Beth Hames

Researcher: John Masko

Producer: Laura Utt

Editor: Josh Meyers

Post Production: Jacob Estrada

Camera: Josh Harwick, Nathan Jennings

Music by Brandon Shufflebarger

On episode 3 of Unbridled, Peter sits down with writer and demographer Joel Kotkin. Joel is one of the most incisive interpreters of America's social and economic fabric. He is also politically close to unclassifiable--equal parts old-time liberal and contemporary conservative. Joel and Peter talk immigration, automation, affordability and unaffordability, the decline of California and the Coasts, and the rise of Texas and the Heartland.

Timestamps

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:04:12 - The new aristocracy: consolidation of power in Big Tech

00:06:40 - The new clerisy: the educated managerial class

00:09:07 - The rest of us: the yeomanry and serf class

00:12:15 - Alienation driven by AI

00:15:05 - Counterarguments for Joel

00:19:55 - Does the gap between the poor and rich matter?

00:24:45 - Modern opportunities outside of large cities

00:30:55 - The oligarchy's response to Trumpism

00:36:44 - The change in the cultural zeitgeist despite Trump's narrow victory

00:42:07 - Red State vs. Blue State governance

00:48:44 - Young people dedicating themselves to their political inheritance

00:53:26 - Card game!

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Host: Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson Unbridled is a podcast of the Civitas Institute of the University of Texas at Austin

Executive Producers: Mat Hames Beth Hames

Researcher: John Masko

Producer: Laura Utt

Editor: Josh Meyers

Post Production: Jacob Estrada

Camera: Josh Hardwick, Nathan Jennings

Music by Brandon Shufflebarger

Over recent decades, the American university has been on a conveyor belt toward higher costs, less intellectual diversity, and less relevance to contemporary American life. Will Inboden, a decorated historian of foreign policy and newly appointed provost of the University of Texas at Austin, is here to change that. Will and Peter discuss how higher education got into a rut, how universities can lead us out of it, the point of Shakespeare, and how to build lifelong friendships.

Timestamps

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:30 - Why choose a career in academia

00:05:00 - Shaken public trust in institutions of higher learning

00:13:00 - The role of a university

00:16:50 - Academic freedom

00:20:26 - STEM research and the CCP

00:29:00 - Decline of the liberal arts

00:40:15 - The pursuit of truth

00:42:30 - Viewpoint diversity

00:48:00 - Life as provost

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Host: Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson Unbridled is a podcast of the Civitas Institute of the University of Texas at Austin

Executive Producers: Mat Hames Beth Hames

Researcher: John Masko

Producer: Laura Utt

Editor: Josh Meyers

Post Production: Jacob Estrada

Camera: Josh Harwick, Nathan Jennings

Music by Brandon Shufflebarger

In 2025, Cornel West and Robert George--two thought leaders who disagree on just about everything--aren't supposed to be friends. But against all odds, they are. In this first episode of Peter Robinson Unbridled, Cornel and Robbie discuss their improbable friendship, their love of music, their new book Truth Matters, and how they look for the truths we all share in an age of division.

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Host: Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson Unbridled is a podcast of the Civitas Institute of the University of Texas at Austin

Executive Producers: Mat Hames Beth Hames

Researcher: John Masko

Producer: Laura Utt

Editor: Josh Meyers

Post Production: Jacob Estrada

Camera: Josh Harwick, Nathan Jennings

Music by Brandon Shufflebarger

In Peter Robinson Unbridled, Peter trades in his dress shoes for a pair of boots and the darkened studio for a neighborhood joint in Austin, Texas. Join him for personal conversations about the issues that matter with fascinating men and women forging the next American Century. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Host: Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson Unbridled is a podcast of the Civitas Institute of the University of Texas at Austin

Researcher: John Masko

Executive Producers: Mat Hames Beth Hames

Producer: Laura Utt

Editor: Josh Meyers

Post Production: Jacob Estrada

Camera: Josh Harwick, Nathan Jennings

Music by Brandon Shufflebarger