In this episode of The TAC Podcast, host John Goyette sits down with Mike Ortner, tech entrepreneur, founder of Capterra, and author of The Catholic School Playbook. Together, they explore the essential foundations of an authentic Catholic education and why subjects like Latin and Mathematics are more relevant today than ever.

Mike shares his journey from the tech world to philanthropic work in education, discussing the "product problem" in modern schools and the growing movement to revive wonder and rigor in the classroom. Whether you are a parent, educator, or student, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on the true purpose of college and the lifelong value of the Great Books.In this episode, you'll discover:

Why Latin and Math are the ultimate tools for learning logic and coding.

The "renewal movement" happening in Catholic schools across the country.

How to move beyond "teaching to the test" to cultivate a genuine sense of wonder.

Why an 18-year-old shouldn't feel pressured to choose a specialized career path immediately.

The unique power of the seminar-style learning used at Thomas Aquinas College.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction: Why 18-year-olds should study what they love

00:27 - Meeting Mike Ortner: From Capterra to Catholic education

01:10 - The importance of Mathematics and Latin in learning logic

03:45 - Latin as a foundation for coding and STEM careers

06:33 - Reviving Catholic education: Moving beyond the peripheral

08:00 - The decline and renewal of Catholic schools since 1965

11:06 - The "Product Problem": Why schools mirrored public systems

13:14 - Escaping the utilitarian trap: Restoring a sense of wonder

14:43 - Evangelization and Christ at the center of the curriculum

18:14 - Signs of hope: The leapfrog effect in successful schools

21:07 - Advice for parents: Demanding a better path for children

24:10 - Mike's personal journey: Finding the Great Books in his 20s

27:10 - Discovering Aristotle, Plato, and the power of humility

31:00 - Why Thomas Aquinas College? Seminar vs. Lecture formats

35:15 - The danger of early specialization and niche majors

37:00 - "What are you going to do with that?" Reframing the career question

40:00 - Learning as a "team sport": The value of the seminar table

42:03 - Conclusion: An education for life

What does it really mean to have faith?

In this episode of The TAC Podcast: Great Books and First Principles, John Finley and Chris Decaen explore Søren Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling and one of the most unsettling passages in all of Scripture: God's command that Abraham sacrifice Isaac.

Drawing from Kierkegaard's famous "four vignettes," they examine why Abraham is called the father of faith, why faith cannot simply be reduced to reason, and why this story continues to challenge believers and skeptics alike.

Together they discuss:

Why Kierkegaard believed you cannot "go beyond faith" The challenge Hegel posed to Christianity Abraham, Isaac, and the test on Mount Moriah The relationship between faith and reason Why Kierkegaard's imagined versions of the story ultimately fail to explain Abraham The meaning of paradox in the Christian life What Abraham teaches us about trust, suffering, and obedience to God Whether you're interested in philosophy, theology, the Great Books, or the Bible, this conversation offers a thoughtful introduction to one of the most influential works of Christian existentialism and one of the greatest meditations ever written on faith. Subscribe for weekly conversations on the Great Books, philosophy, theology, history, science, and the enduring questions of human life.

Learn more about Thomas Aquinas College: https://www.thomasaquinas.edu

#Kierkegaard #FearAndTrembling #Abraham #Isaac #Faith #ChristianPhilosophy #GreatBooks #ThomasAquinasCollege #BibleStudy #Theology #Philosophy #Existentialism #MountMoriah #SorenKierkegaard #Catholic #Christianity

Does the new film adaptation of The Odyssey live up to Homer's epic, or does it lose the heart of the story?

In this episode of The TAC Podcast, we compare the original ancient text with the latest cinematic version. We explore what the film gets right, what it completely changes, and whether it's even possible to capture Odysseus's complex ten-year journey on the silver screen.

In this video, we discuss:

Key differences between the film's portrayal of Odysseus and Homer's original "man of many ways."

How the movie handles the intervention of the gods compared to the book.

Whether the film captures the true themes of home, identity, and suffering found in the epic poem.

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0:00 - Introduction: The Cultural Impact of The Odyssey

00:44 - First Impressions: Christopher Nolan's Adaptation

01:32 - Casting Decisions: Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and Agamemnon

02:41 - The Cinematics: Visualizing the Storms of Poseidon

03:15 - The Presence of the Gods: Personification vs. Hallucination

05:18 - Spoilers Begin: Analyzing the Final Scene and The Trojan Horse

06:21 - War Guilt: Why Odysseus Struggles to Return Home

08:42 - The Role of Agamemnon: Economic Motives vs. Insecurity

11:34 - The Destruction of Civilization: A 21st-Century Interpretation

13:06 - The Island of the Dead: Encounters with Achilles and the Price of Glory

16:11 - Major Structural Changes: The Omission of the Phaeacians

17:18 - Hospitality (Xenia): The Cyclops as the Worst Host and Guest

18:32 - Testing Fidelity: Odysseus in Ithaca (The Second Half of the Book)

20:41 - Character Arcs: The Crafty Odysseus vs. The Reflective Hero

21:26 - The Noble Swineherd: A Focus on Virtue and Fidelity

23:00 - Visual Spectacle vs. Existential Interiority

25:56 - Telemachus and Penelope: Vulnerability and Coming of Age

27:30 - Defining Zeus's Law: The Virtue of Treatment of Strangers

30:39 - The Sea as an Enemy: Blinding Polyphemus and the Curse of Poseidon

32:44 - The Fate of the Men: Negligence, Blame, and Dante's Inferno

36:47 - Calypso and Fidelity: Making Odysseus a "Respectable" Man

41:16 - Analyzing Anne Hathaway's Penelope: Feminism and Anachronisms

43:46 - The Homecoming Symbolism: The Olive Tree Bed vs. The Film's Ending

46:42 - The Power of Language vs. Moving Pictures

50:11 - The Staying Power of Homer: Why This Story Still Resonates

54:25 - Anti-Superhero Fatigue: The Vulnerability of the Human Spirit

56:32 - The Final Journey: Piety, Sacrifice, and the Oar in the Sand

1:01:03 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

What separates a masterpiece from mere entertainment? In this episode of The TAC Podcast, we move beyond film criticism to explore the "first principles" of cinema.

Drawing on the insights of Aristotle, Aquinas, and contemporary thinkers, we discuss whether film truly "imitates nature" and what it means to make the invisible visible on screen. We dive into the ethics of storytelling, the difference between art and propaganda, and the paradoxical necessity of stories being both "surprising and inevitable."

Whether you're a filmmaker, a cinephile, or someone interested in the intersection of faith and art, join us for a deep dive into the soul of cinema.

In this episode, we discuss:

The nature of contemplation in a digital age.

Why "bad movies" often feel like commercials.

The role of human action and "the promise" in storytelling.

A philosophical defense of bleak masterpieces like No Country for Old Men.

Whether "Christian Film" is a coherent artistic category. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction: Why talk about film?

02:15 - Art vs. Work: The nature of contemplation

05:03 - What makes a movie "bad"?

06:43 - Art, prayer, and the perversion of manipulation

09:13 - The first principles of cinema

10:05 - Does art imitate reality?

12:21 - The artist's role: Making the invisible visible

16:46 - Revealing the meaning in humble realities

21:00 - Respecting the medium of film

26:10 - The Pixar framework: "Surprising and Inevitable"

31:00 - The juxtaposition of images

36:08 - Can a "bad person" make great art?

41:00 - The philosophy of No Country for Old Men

48:40 - Defending the hero of the story

50:50 - Is there such a thing as "Catholic Film"?

54:00 - Can you evangelize through art?

01:02:04 - Why movies are miracles

01:04:30 – Conclusion

What does it mean to teach?

Can knowledge truly be transferred from one person to another, or must every student ultimately learn for himself? In this episode of The TAC Podcast, John Finley and Chris Decaen explore St. Thomas Aquinas's On the Teacher (De Magistro), one of the most profound reflections ever written on education, learning, and the life of the mind. Drawing from Aquinas's Disputed Questions on Truth, they examine whether human beings can genuinely be called teachers, how knowledge is acquired, why learning requires the active participation of the student, and what separates education from the mere transmission of information.

Along the way, they discuss:

• Can anyone actually teach you anything?

• Why learning cannot be forced

• The relationship between teachers, students, and truth

• Whether we can teach ourselves

• Why great teaching resembles guidance more than information transfer

• The connection between education, virtue, and human flourishing

• Aquinas's surprising account of angelic teaching

• Whether teaching belongs to the contemplative or active life

At a time when information is everywhere and artificial intelligence can answer nearly any question, Aquinas offers a timeless reminder: education is about more than information. It is about the formation of the human person and the pursuit of truth.

Learn more about Thomas Aquinas College at https://www.thomasaquinas.edu #Aquinas #Education #Teaching #Learning #Philosophy #GreatBooks #CatholicEducation #ThomasAquinas #ClassicalEducation #TheTACPodcast ___________________________________________________________________

00:00 - Introduction to Aquinas's On the Teacher

01:35 - The Disputed Questions vs. the Summa Theologiae

03:05 - Overview of the Four Articles on Teaching

03:40 - Article 1: Can a Human Truly Be a Teacher?

05:00 - Is God the Only Real Teacher?

08:55 - The Teacher-Student Dynamic: Pushing vs. Being Pushed

11:40 - Three Issues of Opinion: Existence, Virtue, and Knowledge

17:30 - Two Extremes of Moral Virtue Acquisition

22:20 - How Knowledge Comes to Be: Building on First Principles

27:00 - The Unity of Soul and Body in Learning

30:50 - The Teacher as a Guide and Instruction Giver

35:35 - The Medical Analogy: Doctors, Patients, and Nature

42:25 - Learning as a Recipient of a Gift

46:40 - Article 4: Is Teaching a Contemplative or Active Work?

51:50 - Article 3: Can Angels Teach Humans?

56:10 - How Angels Interact with Human Imagination and Light

1:00:30 - Closing Thoughts

Shakespeare's sonnets have captivated readers for more than 400 years. But what makes them some of the greatest poems ever written?

In this episode of The TAC Podcast, John Finley and Chris Decaen take a close look at two of Shakespeare's most celebrated sonnets, Sonnet 18 ("Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?") and Sonnet 29 ("When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes"), uncovering the remarkable artistry hidden within every line. Together, they explore how Shakespeare uses rhyme, meter, structure, metaphor, and the famous "turn" of the sonnet to reveal profound truths about love, beauty, envy, memory, mortality, and the power of poetry itself. Along the way, they ask why the sonnet became one of history's most enduring literary forms and what these poems continue to teach us about the human person.

Whether you're reading Shakespeare for the first time or returning to him after many years, this conversation offers a fresh appreciation for the extraordinary depth packed into just fourteen lines. In this episode we explore Sonnet 18 and the promise of "eternal summer" Sonnet 29 on envy, love, and gratitude How rhyme, meter, and poetic form create meaning The surprising relationship between art, beauty, and immortality.

Learn more about Thomas Aquinas College at https://www.thomasaquinas.edu

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00:00 - Introduction to Shakespeare's Sonnets and Literary Genre

00:40 - The Structure and Form of a Sonnet (14 Lines, Rhyme Scheme, Iambic Pentameter)

00:53 - Modernity and the Context of Shakespeare's Work

03:05 - Key Elements of Meaning: Meter, Rhyme, and the "Turn"

04:02 - The Challenge of Formal Constraints in Poetry

05:04 - Contrast with Modern Poetry (e.g., T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land")

05:44 - Analysis of Sonnet 29: "When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes"

08:06 - The "Turn" and Imagery of the Lark in Sonnet 29

10:19 - Deep Dive into the Language and Meter of Sonnet 29

20:50 - Themes of Memory and Redemption in Sonnet 29

24:48 - Comparing Inward vs. Outward Perspective in the Poem

28:03 - Analysis of Sonnet 18: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

30:21 - Contrast Between the Temporary Nature of Summer and Eternal Art

33:24 - The Role of the Poet in Preserving the Beloved

39:35 - Chance, Nature, and Human Agency in Sonnet 18

45:10 - The Personification of Death and the Artist's Triumph

54:11 - Defining "Temperate" and Consistency in the Beloved

57:56 - Why the Sonnet is a Unique Literary Genre

01:00:50 - Comparing Sonnets to Soliloquies and Universal Human Thought

01:04:54 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Abraham Lincoln is remembered for some of the greatest speeches in American history. But what made them so powerful? In this episode of Th e TAC Podcast, John Finley and Chris Decaen explore Lincoln's greatest public addresses, including the Cooper Union Address, the Gettysburg Address, and the First and Second Inaugural Addresses, to uncover the principles that made him one of America's greatest statesmen. Rather than relying on empty rhetoric, Lincoln sought to persuade through reason, history, Scripture, and an appeal to the highest aspirations of the human person. His speeches reveal a remarkable combination of moral clarity, political prudence, and profound charity toward both allies and opponents. Together, our hosts discuss: • Why Lincoln remains one of history's greatest political speakers • The relationship between rhetoric, persuasion, and statesmanship • Lincoln's understanding of slavery, the Union, and the Declaration of Independence • The theological themes woven throughout the Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural • What Lincoln's speeches can still teach us about leadership in times of national division Whether you're interested in American history, political philosophy, the Civil War, or the Great Books tradition, Lincoln's words continue to offer enduring lessons in truth, leadership, and the pursuit of the common good. Learn more about Thomas Aquinas College: https://www.thomasaquinas.edu #AbrahamLincoln #GettysburgAddress #CivilWar #AmericanHistory #GreatBooks #PoliticalPhilosophy #Statesmanship #thomasaquinascollege

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00:00 – Introduction: The Truthful Cause of the War Setting the stage for the Civil War discussion, focusing on the preservation of the Union and the non-negotiable issue of slavery.

00:38 – Overview: Lincoln's Great Civil War Speeches Introducing the key texts: The Cooper Union address, the first and second inaugurals, and the Gettysburg Address.

01:30 – The Genius of Lincoln's Compact Rhetoric Discussing how Lincoln addressed momentous issues like slavery and secession in a brief yet powerful manner to win hearts and minds.

03:40 – Rhetoric as the Art of Persuasion A look at how Lincoln used reason and pleading—rather than force—to engage the South and address their anxieties.

05:58 – The Cooper Union Address: A President in Waiting Analyzing the 1860 speech where Lincoln established himself as a national leader by appealing to the Founders' views on slavery.

07:58 – Biblical Appeals and Moral Authority How Lincoln used shared cultural and religious traditions to connect with his audience and argue against the morality of slavery.

09:53 – Addressing the South's Conscience Lincoln's nuanced approach: acknowledging the North's moral stance while promising not to "smother" the institution where it already existed.

12:13 – Prudence vs. Principle Exploring Lincoln's rare ability to combine high moral truth with a sound sense of practical feasibility and realism.

14:07 – The Stance Toward the Listener How Lincoln's "manly yet sympathetic" tone served to prick the conscience of his detractors.

16:50 – The Lawyerly Logic of Lincoln Breaking down Lincoln's close textual readings of founding documents to prove federal jurisdiction over slavery in the territories.

17:58 – The Highwayman Analogy A forceful illustration from the Cooper Union address regarding the South's threat of secession as a "holdup" of the Union.

19:48 – The Gettysburg Address: A Temporal Sweep Analyzing the three-paragraph masterpiece that connects the nation's past, present, and future in just over two minutes.

22:50 – A New Birth of Freedom Discussing the "American Experiment" and the world-historical significance of ensuring a government "for the people" does not perish.

24:42 – Honoring the Dead Through Continued Work The shift from grieving to rededication: how Lincoln framed the war as an "unfinished work" for the living to complete.

27:40 – Providential Justice in the Second Inaugural A deep dive into Lincoln's most theological speech, framing the war as a divine "scourge" for the offense of slavery.

32:14 – Malice Toward None, Charity for All The famous concluding vision for binding up the nation's wounds and achieving a lasting peace.

36:30 – The Commonality of North and South Reflecting on Lincoln's observation that both sides "read the same Bible and pray to the same God."

41:30 – The Logic Against Secession Lincoln's argument in the first inaugural that physical separation is impossible and secession sets a dangerous, fragmenting precedent.

47:24 – Conclusion: The Better Angels of Our Nature Reflecting on the famous closing of the first inaugural address and its enduring message of national friendship.

Why did Abraham Lincoln believe America could not endure half slave and half free? Why did Stephen Douglas insist that the nation should stop debating the morality of slavery altogether?

In this episode, TAC tutors John Finley and Chris Decaen examine the final two Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858, the famous political contest that helped launch Lincoln onto the national stage just two years before his election to the presidency. Together, they explore the central questions that divided the candidates: slavery, states' rights, popular sovereignty, the Dred Scott decision, and the future of the American republic.

Far from being a mere political disagreement, the debates reveal a deeper conflict over whether slavery was simply a matter of local preference or a profound moral wrong. Lincoln presses Douglas on a question he struggles to answer: If slavery is wrong, can anyone have a right to it? Douglas, meanwhile, argues that preserving the Union requires leaving the issue to the states and avoiding national confrontation.

Along the way, John and Chris discuss:

• The Missouri Compromise and its collapse

• The Kansas-Nebraska Act and popular sovereignty

• The Dred Scott decision and its consequences

• Lincoln's understanding of natural rights and human equality

• Douglas's defense of states' rights

• Why the debates foreshadowed the coming Civil War

• The relationship between morality, law, and politics

The Lincoln-Douglas debates remain some of the most remarkable public arguments in American history. Their questions about justice, political authority, and the moral foundations of a free society remain as relevant today as they were in 1858.

Learn more about Thomas Aquinas College at https://www.thomasaquinas.edu

#LincolnDouglasDebates #AbrahamLincoln #StephenDouglas #CivilWar #AmericanHistory #Politics #StatesRights #Slavery #DredScott #ThomasAquinasCollege #GreatBooks #HistoryPodcast #PoliticalPhilosophy #Lincoln #UnitedStatesHistory #FirstPrinciples

For centuries, some of the greatest writers in the Western tradition have wrestled with a troubling question: What does evil actually look like? In this episode, join TAC tutors John Finley and Chris Decaen as they examine four unforgettable portrayals of the devil in literature: Dante's silent and defeated Satan, Milton's charismatic rebel in Paradise Lost, Dostoevsky's unsettling visitor in The Brothers Karamazov, and Shakespeare's master deceiver, Iago, in Othello. Along the way, they explore pride, envy, deception, despair, temptation, and the strange ways evil presents itself to the human soul. Why does Dante's Satan never speak? Why do readers often find Milton's Satan compelling? Is Dostoevsky's devil real, imagined, or something in between? And what makes Iago one of the most chilling villains ever written? Join us every week for a conversation about the literary imagination and what the great authors reveal about the human condition. Learn more about Thomas Aquinas College at https://www.thomasaquinas.edu

Is a liberal arts education a "luxury item" for the elite, or a necessary foundation for the human soul? In this episode of The TAC Podcast, host John Finley is joined by alumnus and tech veteran Nathan Haggard to tackle the modern objections to a Great Books education. From the "All-In" podcast's criticisms to Elon Musk's focus on first principles, we examine why the world's most successful technologists often miss the mark on what education is truly for. We discuss the "rigor" of the hard sciences within the liberal arts, why the internet can't replace a classroom, and why AI — no matter how powerful — will never be able to grasp the first principles of the "Good Life." In this episode, we discuss: The "BS" Degree Objection: Addressing the student debt crisis and the "tourism" approach to humanities. The Hard Sciences of TAC: Why 4 years of math and science are core to the liberal arts. Scientific Method vs. First Principles: Why even physics rests on metaphysical assumptions. The Trap of Usefulness: How the market economy diminishes our view of human worth. AI and Values: Why machine intelligence has no concept of "The Good."

00:00 – Introduction

01:15 – Addressing the "Liberal Arts BS Degree" Criticism

03:19 – The Hidden Rigor: 4 Years of Math and Science at TAC

05:18 – Engaging with Original Thinkers: Newton, Descartes, and Euclid

08:21 – Is Education Just for the Elite? Addressing the "Ripoff" Claim

10:05 – Information vs. Thinking: Why the Internet isn't a School

12:50 – Aristotle vs. Nietzsche: Searching for Truth in a Group

16:04 – The Meta-Narrative of Science: Its Own Greatest Limitation

18:45 – The "Dark Mist" of Learning: Why Frustration is Progress

23:10 – Challenging Elon Musk: What Do Physics Principles Rest On?

25:55 – The Goal of Life: Why the Scientific Method Can't Tell Us "Why"

32:20 – Bill Gates & the Market Economy: Is Education Only for a Job?

37:25 – The "Lazy River" Problem: Consumerism in Modern Colleges

41:50 – The Hierarchy of Knowledge: Why Your Worldview Controls Everything

47:45 – Lived Experience vs. Intellectual Training

53:00 – Analytical Skills: Why "Critical Thinking" isn't Enough

58:40 – The Author as Professor: The Unique Pedagogy of TAC

1:04:10 – Steve Jobs and the "Heart Singing" Mystery

1:06:10 – What ChatGPT Says About Values and First Principles

1:09:00 – The Risk of Emulating Machines: Why Humans Must Lead