The New Thinkery

In this episode, the guys are all here, and joined by Zena Hitz of St. John's College. Together, the group dive into Plato's Charmides. What does true wisdom look like? Can self-knowledge lead to a well-ordered soul? Listen in as the cast explore the dialogue's reflections on temperance, philosophy, and the limits of human understanding. Plato's insights offer a compelling perspective on the pursuit of wisdom in the modern world.

In this rerelease of The New Thinkery, the guys are back to help bring in the new year, and are joined by Dr. Richard Velkley, the Celia Scott Weatherhead Professor of Philosophy at Tulane University. They discuss Heidegger, Leo Strauss, and the underlying premises of philosophy. After you've heard the serious stuff, stick around for the lightning round Q&A at the end!

Editor's note: please forgive the decreased audio quality of this episode. This was recorded before the guys had proper mics!

In this rerun of the inaugural episode of The New Thinkery, join the guys as they analyze Averroes' Decisive Treatise and al-Ghazali's Decisive Criterion. Their readings of these great works of medieval Islamic philosophy illuminate the relationship between reason and revelation.

If you enjoyed the decisive treatise, check out Charles Butterworth's excellent translation, which contains a very insightful introductory essay and many helpful notes.

Editor's note: please forgive the decreased audio quality of this episode. This was recorded before the guys had proper mics!

This week, David has once again died, but Alex and Greg have brought back Dr. Devin Stauffer, Professor and Associate Chair of Government at the University of Texas at Austin. Together, the group dive into chapter four of Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History.

Stauffer unpacks Strauss' critique of relativism, his reflections on modernity, and his arguments for the enduring relevance of classical natural right. Whether you're new to Strauss or a seasoned reader, join the guys for a nuanced discussion about truth, morality, and the challenges of living in a postmodern world through thoughtful analysis of one of the 20th century's most influential philosophical texts.

This week, Alex and Greg meet up at UATX and are joined by Dr. Christopher Nadon, Associate Professor of Government at Claremont McKenna College and teacher of Western Civilization and humanities at Emet Classical Academy in New York. The group touch on Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind before delving into Dr. Nadon's experience with just how far American students have fallen academically in recent decades. But not all hope is lost, as the group also discuss potential solutions to the rot infesting the American education system.

Recommended reading: The Classical Cure for the Ivies

This week, the guys are back and joined once again by Steven Lenzner & Svetozar Minkov to further discuss their latest edited volume, Leo Strauss' Published but Uncollected English Writings, which serves as the backdrop for this episode. This time around, the group primarily analyze Strauss' debate with Jacob Klein before turning to a quick look at what the editors think are the top five essays in their volume, and more!

This week, David has been brought back from the dead, but that didn't stop Greg and Alex from bringing two guests on for the show this week: Steven Lenzner & Svetozar Minkov. The two have a new volume out Leo Strauss' Published but Uncollected English Writings that collects Strauss' essays that had previously been circulated mostly in scattered, one-off PDFs online. The group discuss the process of collecting the works, before turning to Strauss' thoughts on the intentions of Rousseau, and close with a teaser for next week!

Happy New Year from The New Thinkery! This week concludes the Leo Strauss on Plato's Symposium panel from two weeks ago. The group jumps right into it with questions on tragedy and comedy, explores the definition of eros, and more, before wrapping up with the tiny little question, "what is philosophy?"

If you haven't already, listen to the first part of this panel to better understand the questions posed in this episode!

In this special Christmas edition, Greg and Alex delve into John Ford's poignant Western, Three Godfathers. A tale of redemption, faith, and the enduring spirit of the holiday season, the film offers a unique lens on themes of sacrifice and grace. We're joined by Professor Adam Carrington, who brings his thoughtful perspective to this timeless story. Together, we reflect on its meaning and why it resonates as a holiday classic, despite westerns not typically being associated with Christmas.

You can get more of Prof. Carrington's thoughts by reading his review of Three Godfathers here.

Next week we'll be back with part two of our last week's Leo Strauss symposium!

This week, Greg and David take a break and let Alex do the talking, joined by multiple respected academics as the group gather to discuss Strauss' views on Plato's symposium, in part informed by panelist Rasoul Namazi and Svetozar Minkov's latest book, Leo Strauss on Religion: Writings and Interpretations.

This episode includes an homage to Christopher Bruell, who passed away just prior to the panel taking place, the opening talks of the panelists, and the beginning of back and forth discussion with moderator Hannes Kerber.

Next week's episode will be focused on Christmas, but the following episode will be the second half of this panel discussion.