The New Thinkery

This week, the guys are joined for the third time by author, political commentator, and policy scholar Steven F. Hayward, who is replacing David for this episode. The group take a trip to the silver screen to review Cloud Atlas, based on a book of the same name. Discussion ranges from the unique, nested story sequence, characters, and more.

The guys are back this week with a break from the philosophy books, opting instead for another of Shakespeare's great plays. They generally discuss the plot, characters, themes, and more in this episode. This is just the first episode on Hamlet to set the stage, so to speak. There will be deep dives into each act in the future.

This week, the guys are joined by Jacob Howland, author of Glaucon's Fate: History, Myth, and Character in Plato's Republic, among other impressive works, and the McFarlin Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at the University of Tulsa. Howland goes through his analysis and conclusion of Glaucon's fate in Plato's Republic, as well as touhch on additional points concerning the full work. Plus: Greg's (in)famous lightning round!

This week, the guys dive into the underground world of E. M. Forster's The Machine Stops. People live in pods, communication is done almost solely by instant messaging/video conferencing, and the omnipotent Machine takes care of people's bodily and spiritual needs. The guys analyze the situation and realizations that arise as the machine breaks down and people are condemned to their fate.

This week, the guys turn to Dostoevsky's story within The Brothers Karamazov: The Grand Inquisitor. Centering on two chapters within the book, discussion and analysis ranges from the idea of a benevolent God, to unanswered implications about human nature and freedom, and much more.

This week, the guys convene a day early to bring you an analysis of the Declaration of Independence. Discussion takes the guys through the history of the Declaration, a look at its progenitors, its meaning, and how it fits with America's other important documents like the Constitution.

This week, the guys are joined once again by two esteemed guests: Dr. Hannes Kerber, Postdoctoral Fellow for the Program on Constitutional Government at Harvard, & Dr. Svetozar Minkov, Professor of Philosophy at Roosevelt University. Part II focuses on Strauss' interpretation of Plato's Euthyphro, broken into sections revolving around several important questions Strauss tried to resolve for himself, guided by Kerber and Minkov's diligent analysis.

This week, the guys are joined by not one, but two esteemed guests: Dr. Hannes Kerber, Postdoctoral Fellow for the Program on Constitutional Government at Harvard, & Dr. Svetozar Minkov, Professor of Philosophy at Roosevelt University. The group discuss Kerber & Minkov's new, groundbreaking edited work: Leo Strauss on Plato's 'Euthyphro': The 1948 Notebook, with Lectures and Critical Writings. Part I focuses on the history surrounding the creation of the book, preliminary thoughts on the content, and why you should care about it. Plus: a discount code for those who want to read Strauss's newly unveiled 1948 notebook on Plato's Euthyphro, as well as everything else he wrote about it with companion essays by the editors. Stay tuned for Part II next week!

This week, the guys are on their own as they dive into Book III of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Discussion focuses primarily on an assessment of Aristotle's views on how we ought to evaluate people's actions under different circumstances. Further analysis covers the source of virtue and vice, and how humans tend to frame decisions when deemed good or bad, as well as problems with Aristotle's theory.

This week, the guys are joined once more by Dr. Eric Adler, Professor and Chair of Classics at the University of Maryland. The group turn to the silver screen as they analyze the cult classic, The Big Lebowski. Amid the antics of the characters throughout the film, the guys analyze whether there is a coherent message lying underneath the calls to just "chill out, man."