Episodes
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Technological Post-Humanism (What’s Human About Intelligence: The Ethics of AI, Segment)
This is a segment from a course from the Maurin Academy, "What's Human About Intelligence: The Ethics of AI." You can find more information about this course here: https://pmaurin.org/whats-human-about-intelligence/ … More Technological Post-Humanism (What’s Human About Intelligence: The Ethics…
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Technology and Ethical Limits: The Biggest Challenge of Our Time
Why is it so hard to control our own technology so that it helps humanity instead of making things worse? This is the biggest question of our time, and the one we can't afford to get wrong. In light of the Heidegger series and the Maurin Academy course on the Ethics of AI, this video gives some...
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Agonistic Politics v Propaganda & Mass Manipulation, ft. Leo Strauss (Heidegger 3)
Agonistic politics is true democratic politics, as opposed to the propaganda and mass manipulation of contemporary politics. It is important to remember the basis of true democratic politics. … More Agonistic Politics v Propaganda & Mass Manipulation, ft. Leo Strauss (Heidegger 3)
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Heidegger and AI: The Question Concerning Technology Now
Getting ready to discuss the second half of Martin Heidegger's essay "The Question Concerning Technology" with the Great Books/Political Philosophy reading group at the Maurin Academy. This video completes the discussion of terminology in Heidegger's essay. … More Heidegger and AI: The Question...
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“Enframing,” “Standing Reserve” and Other Terms in Heidegger’s The Question Concerning Technology (2)
Getting ready to read Martin Heidegger's essay "The Question Concerning Technology" with the Great Books/Political Philosophy reading group at the Maurin Academy. … More “Enframing,” “Standing Reserve” and Other Terms in Heidegger’s The Question Concerning Technology (2)
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Martin Heidegger’s Character (The Question Concerning Technology, 1)
Getting ready to read Martin Heidegger's essay "The Question Concerning Technology" with the Great Books/Political Philosophy reading group at the Maurin Academy. … More Martin Heidegger’s Character (The Question Concerning Technology, 1)
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Exploring Elites and Democracy: Insights from Dr. Hugo Drochon
The Maurin Academy hosted Dr. Hugo Drochon for a talk on "Elites and Democracy." The lecture originally took place on 8/15/2026. Drochon's argument touches on a handful of thinkers, including the original "elite theorists" Gaetano Mosca, Vilfredo Pareto, and Robert Michels, as well as theorists…
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Join Our Four-Part Series on the Sermon on the Mount, Starting Aug. 12
I interviewed Caleb Owens recently. His class starts this Wednesday, on the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus's Sermon on the Mount was perhaps the most important biblical inspiration for Dorothy Day, Leo Tolstoy, and others who developed Christian pacifism and direct action/mutual aid. … More Join Our...
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Explore the Maurin Academy YouTube Channel & More
Political Philosophy discusses upcoming classes, lectures and how to support the Maurin Academy and join the discussion. … More Explore the Maurin Academy YouTube Channel & More
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Why We Lost Our Sense of Sacrifice (Creation, Food & Agriculture, Public Clip 3)
This is a segment from the third session of a class taught in the Summer of 2026 for the Maurin Academy on Creation, Food and Agriculture. … More Why We Lost Our Sense of Sacrifice (Creation, Food & Agriculture, Public Clip 3)
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How Technical Rationality Breaks Our Bond With Nature (Creation, Food & Agriculture, Public Clip 2)
This is a segment from the second session of a class taught in the Summer of 2026 for the Maurin Academy on Creation, Food and Agriculture. You can join the Maurin Academy's Patreon and get access to this class and all our content recorded, or live and recorded. Get access through Patreon:...
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How Urbanization Caused a (Land) Fertility Crisis Affecting Us All (CFA Public Segment 1)
This is a segment from the first session of a class taught in the Summer of 2026 for the Maurin Academy on Creation, Food and Agriculture. … More How Urbanization Caused a (Land) Fertility Crisis Affecting Us All (CFA Public Segment 1)
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Leo Strauss on Maimonides and Esoteric Writing
https://leostrausscenter.uchicago.edu/audio-transcripts/courses-audio-transcripts/ Get in on everything we do: https://patreon.com/maurinacademy Find out more about our classes and see our schedule here: Political Philosophy Podcast: https://political-philosophy.com Dustbowl Diatribes and…
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Historicism’s Deadly Effect on Thinking (Persecution and the Art of Writing, 4)
In her public podcast, which you can also find on pretty much all podcast platforms, Laurie has been reading and discussing Leo Strauss's book Persecution and the Art of Writing, and this is the last video on the chapter in the book by the same name. Next time, she'll discuss Strauss's next...
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Persecution and Horse Logic (Persecution and the Art of Writing, 3)
Get in on everything we do: https://patreon.com/maurinacademy … More Persecution and Horse Logic (Persecution and the Art of Writing, 3)
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Antimodern Progress: The Ideas of Jacques Maritain (Upcoming Class)
You can find out more about this class, coming Feb. 4, 2026, here: https://pmaurin.org/antimodern-progress-contradiction-or-christian-alternative/ … More Antimodern Progress: The Ideas of Jacques Maritain (Upcoming Class)
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Why Exoteric Writing? (Strauss, Persecution and the Art of Writing, 2)
Get in on everything we do: https://patreon.com/maurinacademy … More Why Exoteric Writing? (Strauss, Persecution and the Art of Writing, 2)
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Introduction to Persecution and the Art of Writing by Leo Strauss (New Series)
This is the introductory lecture for a series on Persecution and the Art of Writing by Leo Strauss. … More Introduction to Persecution and the Art of Writing by Leo Strauss (New Series)
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Fair Labor Standards in the United States: A Conversation With Constitutional Law Expert John Fliter
Dr John Fliter, author of U.S. vs. Darby Lumber Co.: The Triumph of Fair Labor Standards (University Press of Kansas, 2025), is our guest today. The interview covers the history of the struggle for fair labor standards in the US, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the state of labor today. … More...
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Dislocation as a Symptom of Modernity: The Case of Peter Maurin (Recent Talk)
This is my talk from a recent visit to Milwaukee to view Maurin documents at Marquette University. It was part of a Catholic Worker roundtable with Lincoln Rice. It represents my initial thoughts on how Maurin's life, in some ways, is a microcosm of modern dislocation, not any extensive research…
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What AI Means (And Doesn’t Mean) for Our World, with Stephen Paff (Excerpt)
Stephen Paff, host of Democracy Demythologized and author of the Ethnodata blog joined Laurie for a conversation about AI. This is a short segment of a longer conversation and discussion with patrons of the Maurin Academy. … More What AI Means (And Doesn’t Mean) for Our World, with Stephen Paff...
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Pastor Caleb Campbell: Disarming Leviathan
Pastor Caleb Campbell, Desert Springs Bible Church, has published a new book, Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor, with Blackstone Publishing. It is available in paperback, Kindle and Audible editions....
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The Usefulness of Common Sense in the Age of Digital Deception (Being There 6)
We finish up the discussion of Jerzy Kosinski's novel Being There with "Chauncey Gardiner" being launched into the stratosphere of American power while being an acknowledged complete unknown on both sides of the Cold War. What does this satirical novel have to say about our lack of common sense?…
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The Vulnerabilities of Democracy in the Age of Image
On the Maurin Academy's Political Philosophy podcast, Laurie is covering Jerzy Kosinski's Being There, a satirical novel about an image and wealth-obsessed American society bent on the mass narcissism of literally loving a politician. This is part 5 in the series. … More The Vulnerabilities of...
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Romantic Democracy: The Blind Following the Blind. (Kosinski’s Being There, 4)
We continue with our discussion of Jerzy Kosinski's novel, Being There, at the point where "Chauncey Gardiner," mistaken for a wealthy and handsome businessman, meets the President of the United States and the American press--and a desperate heiress. … More Romantic Democracy: The Blind Following...
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An Empty Signifier Makes an Ideal Lover (Being There, Part 3)
We continue with our discussion of Jerzy Kosinski's novel, Being There, at the point where "Chauncey Gardiner" meets EE by accident and gets mistaken for a wealthy and handsome businessman. … More An Empty Signifier Makes an Ideal Lover (Being There, Part 3)
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Victim or Boss? Depends on Your Perspective (Being There, Part 2)
Jerzy Kosinski's "Being There" satirizes American democracy and the influence of electronic media on society. The video reviews the novel's initial chapters, which inspired a film featuring Peter Sellers and Shirley MacLaine. Additional resources include the Maurin Academy's podcasts and social...
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From Gardener to Politician: The Impact of Media in ‘Being There’ (1)
We begin a new series inspired by Jerzy Kosinski's classic novel, Being There (1971). Being There is a satirical and allegorical tale about the adventures of Chance, a simple gardener who has previously lived a sheltered life saturated with television as his main source of human contact. Chance…
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Thomas Aquinas’s Natural Law Theory: Brief Explanation (Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics Public Segment #4)
This is a segment of an hour long lecture followed by a Q & A session for patrons of the Maurin Academy. To get the entire course and all the courses, reading groups and our lecture series, support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/maurinacademy … More Thomas Aquinas’s Natural Law Theory: Brief...
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The Quality of Friendships: Does it Matter for Politics? Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics Public Segment #3
This is a segment of an hour long lecture followed by a Q & A session for patrons of the Maurin Academy. To get the entire course and all the courses, reading groups and our lecture series, support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/maurinacademy … More The Quality of Friendships: Does it Matter...
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Introduction to Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics, Public Segment #2: The Mean Between Extremes
This is a segment of an hour long lecture followed by a Q & A session for patrons of the Maurin Academy. To get the entire course and all the courses, reading groups and our lecture series, support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/maurinacademy … More Introduction to Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics,...
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Introduction to Ivan Illich: A New Maurin Academy Class Starting June 17
Starting June 19, the Maurin Academy will host a class by Deacon Chris May on Ivan Illich. Here Deacon May discusses who Illich was and why we should know more about him. … More Introduction to Ivan Illich: A New Maurin Academy Class Starting June 17
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The Relationship Between Freedom and Justice (Federalist 51, Part 3)
We finish up Federalist 51 and end the series on Federalist 10 and 51, the basics of American Political Thought. … More The Relationship Between Freedom and Justice (Federalist 51, Part 3)
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American Liberty: How Is It Secured? (Federalist 51 Part 2)
In Federalist 51, the author asserts that the legislative branch is always the strongest branch in a republic. Why, and is this true? The founders wanted a government that helped people enjoy their liberty, but has the definition of liberty changed? … More American Liberty: How Is It Secured?...
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Are Checks and Balances Necessary in the US Constitution? (Federalist 51, Part 1)
The American founders were concerned about one branch of government becoming too powerful and trampling on the freedoms of Americans by suppressing the other branches' freedom. Here Madison or Hamilton (which one is not clear) discusses how the new constitution tries to reduce the chances of this...
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Madison Would Be Surprised — and Disappointed (Federalist 10, Part 4)
James Madison tried hard to faction-proof the US Constitution, but he did not anticipate the effects of instant media and the massification of modern populations. … More Madison Would Be Surprised — and Disappointed (Federalist 10, Part 4)
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Did Madison Foresee the Demise of Democracy? (Federalist 10, Part 3)
Madison devoted the majority of Federalist paper #10 to the dangers of a violent majority faction and corrupt demagogues. In this part of the paper, we see Madison hoping that a large republic will prevent such a faction from existing, or if it exists, will blunt its ability to tyrannize over the...
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James Madison Warns Against Violent Majority Factions & Demagogues (Federalist 10, Part 2)
Laurie continues her series of Federalist 10 and 51. This is the second video on Federalist 10, heading into how to handle the effects of a violent faction of the majority. … More James Madison Warns Against Violent Majority Factions & Demagogues (Federalist 10, Part 2)
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New Dialectic of Enlightenment Reading Group Starting March 19, 2025
You can find out more about this reading group and the ways to join here: https://pmaurin.org/reading-dialectic-of-enlightenment-with-jakob-hanschu/ Support us on Patreon at any level and get in on Jakob's reading group and more: https://patreon.com/maurinacademy … More New Dialectic of...
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Federalist 10 Deciphered: Madison on the Dangers of Factions and the Separation of Powers (Part 1)
Laurie begins a short series on Federalist 10 and 51, untangling the antiquated language of these important writings by the American founders having to do with important constitutional principles such as the separation of powers and checks and balances. She starts with Federalist 10 and the...
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What Did Plato Say About Democracy and Demagogues?
Laurie discusses Plato's view of democracy--its strengths and weaknesses, particularly its vulnerability to demagogues--and what he thought about other types of regimes. Pardon the reverberation on this recording! … More What Did Plato Say About Democracy and Demagogues?
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HUMBLE IS What We Need – Sit Down!
You're lucky Laurie isn't ending that sentence the way Kendrick does. Get Laurie's book, The Gap in God's Country in hardcover, paperback and kindle/e-edition. Kindle: https://a.co/d/9m0zrg8 … More HUMBLE IS What We Need – Sit Down!
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Coming Up: The Maurin Academy Speaker Series and Beyond
Laurie discusses some plans for guest speakers, her new Great Books reading group, and plans for the channel. … More Coming Up: The Maurin Academy Speaker Series and Beyond
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Direct Action vs. Liberal Charity (Gap in God’s Country Segment from Session5 )
Dr. Laurie M. Johnson discussing themes from her new book, subtitled A Longer View On Our Culture Wars, focusing on solving political disputes. This session dealt with direct action vs. the charity model. Get the book: https://a.co/d/9sJwfDe Kindle: https://a.co/d/9m0zrg8 … More Direct Action vs....
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Gazing Into the Abyss of Deep Pluralism (w/ Benjamin Studebaker) Dustbowl Diatribes SO 3, Ep. 27
Spencer and Laurie talk with Benjamin Studebaker about his new book, Legitimacy in Liberal Democracies. Studebaker will give a speech for the Maurin Academy March 3, 2025. Maurin Academy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/maurinacademy … More Gazing Into the Abyss of Deep Pluralism (w/ Benjamin...
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Narcissistic Leaders in Church and State–Segments from Session 4 of The Gap in God’s Country series
These are segments of the fourth session in Dr. Laurie M Johnson's 5-part series on her new book, The Gap in God's Country: A Longer View on Our Culture Wars (Wipf & Stock, 2024). Dr. Laurie M. Johnson discussing themes from her new book, subtitled A Longer View On Our Culture Wars, focusing on...
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The Gap in God’s Country: Segments From Session 3
Dr. Laurie M. Johnson discussing themes from her new book, subtitled A Longer View On Our Culture Wars, focusing on solving political disputes. You can join in live for the following sessions by registering on Eventbrite or joining us on Patreon. … More The Gap in God’s Country: Segments From...
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Explore Carl Jung’s The Undiscovered Self in Monthly Sessions!
Starting January 2, Laurie Johnson will be holding first Thursday monthly sessions in a new reading group. The first book covered (over three monthly sessions) will be Carl Jung's The Undiscovered Self. Discussion can continue on the Maurin Academy Slack Great Books channel. Reading is optional…
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The Gap in God’s Country: Segments From Session 2
Dr. Laurie M. Johnson discussing themes from her new book, subtitled A Longer View On Our Culture Wars, focusing on solving political disputes. You can join in live for the following sessions by registering on Eventbrite or joining us on Patreon. … More The Gap in God’s Country: Segments From...
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The Gap in God’s Country – Segments from Session 1
Dr. Laurie M. Johnson discussing themes from her new book, subtitled A Longer View On Our Culture Wars, focusing on solving political disputes. You can join in live for the following sessions by registering on Eventbrite or joining us on Patreon. … More The Gap in God’s Country – Segments from...
About this show
A podcast devoted to the history of political thought in the spirit of sharing, not perfection. Explanation and discussion of classic and contemporary political ideas. YouTube: YouTube.com/politicalphilosophy
Hosted by
Dr Johnson
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