PODCAST · society
The New Thinkery
by The New Thinkery
The New Thinkery is a podcast devoted to political philosophy and its history, along with its many guises in literature, film, and human experience generally. Named after Socrates' infamous "Thinkery" in Aristophanes' Clouds, The New Thinkery strikes a balance between the seriousness of academia and the playfulness of casual conversation among friends.
Episodes
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Panel: David Bolotin's On Plato's Republic: The 1988 Lecture Notes
In this episode, Alex takes the mic on the road, hosting a special panel on David Bolotin and the recently released volume On Plato's Republic: The 1988 Lecture Notes, which preserves Bolotin's notes and was coedited by Alex and Paul Diduch. Joined by Louis Slawsky, Nasser Behnegar, Peter J....
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Eric Buzzetti & Devin Stauffer on Christopher Bruell: Essays of Five Decades on Philosophy and Philosophers
The guys have emerged from an eight-month slumber to sit down with Eric Buzzetti and Devin Stauffer to talk about their teacher Christopher Bruell and the newly edited collection Christopher Bruell: Essays of Five Decades on Philosophy and Philosophers. They recount what it was like to study with...
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Summer Break at The New Thinkery
Since launching in July 2020, The New Thinkery hasn't taken an extended break—but after nearly five years of weekly episodes, the guys are finally taking a much needed summer pause. The show will return with fresh conversations on political philosophy, literature, film, and more on September 3,...
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Joshua Parens on Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed
Josh Parens joins Alex and Greg to discuss his recently released book, Maimonides's Guide on Obstacles to Knowledge, Being, and Action. Parens elaborates on a bold interpretation of Maimonides's Guide of the Perplexed that highlights how the philosopher uses "obstacles" to structure his defense…
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Richard Polt on Heidegger' Origin of the Work of Art
This week, a full complement of the guys are back, and are joined by Professor Richard Polt for a deep dive into Heidegger's The Origin of the Work of Art. Together, they unpack Heidegger's claims about truth, being, and the unique role art plays in revealing the world. The episode offers an...
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Robert Wyllie on Alasdair MacIntyre
Greg welcomes Prof. Rob Wyllie back to the show for a thoughtful conversation on the philosophical legacy of Alasdair MacIntyre. Ranging across MacIntyre's major works—from After Virtue to his reflections on tradition, ethics, and rationality—they consider his influence on contemporary moral...
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Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness offers more than a critique of empire—it's a meditation on the slipperiness of truth, the fragmentation of self, and the unsettling possibility that meaning is just another European export gone missing. This episode peers into the novella's narrative hall of...
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Ray Bradbury's The Veldt
Imagine a Jetsons-esque home that attempts to meet all of your needs while also featuring a room that makes your imagination into reality. Add some behaviorally troubled children imagining bloodthirsty lions into the mix, and you have the setup for Ray Bradbury's The Veldt. In a dystopian tale…
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Michael McShane on Shakespeare's King Lear
Recorded at the most recent ACTC conference, this episode features Michael McShane—educator, writer, and Shakespearean interlocutor—in a wide-ranging discussion of King Lear with both Greg and Alex. The group examine the play's structural and philosophical dimensions, from the politics of…
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Deacon Harrison Garlick on Gorgias, Part III
To celebrate The New Thinkery's 250th episode... David and Alex take the week off. Instead, Greg joins Deacon Harrison Garlick of Ascend - The Great Books Podcast, to take a closer look at the third section of Plato's Gorgias which centers on a dialogue between Socrates and Calicles. The pair...
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Bernard J. Dobski on Mark Twain's Recollections of Joan of Arc
Professor B.J. Dobski joins Greg and David this week to examine Mark Twain's Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, a work that stands in stark contrast to Twain's more familiar satirical writings. Through careful analysis, and using his latest book—Mark Twain's Joan of Arc: Political Wisdom,...
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Werner Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God
This week, Alex and Greg dive into Werner Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God, unraveling its haunting exploration of madness, ambition, and the human condition. They trace the film's philosophical undercurrents—from existential isolation to the limits of power—set against the backdrop of the...
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Kierkegaard's Philosophical Fragments with Rob Wyllie & Matt Dinan
This week, Greg has locked David and Alex out of the recording room, and replaced them with Kierkegaard scholars Rob Wyllie & Matt Dinan. Together, they dive into Kierkegaard's Philosophical Fragments to examine what it means to become a self, whether truth can be received as a gift, and why...
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Eric Adler on Language Studies & "Decolonizing the Curriculum"
With the stock market tanking, Alex has fled the country to verify family artifacts are still in a vault in case we go back to bartering. Meanwhile, David and Greg have replaced him this week with The New Thinkery's most prolific guest, Eric Adler, professor of classics and chair of the…
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Jean Renoir's Rules of the Game
Jean Renoir's Rules of the Game isn't just a classic film—it's a sharp critique of society, morality, and the masks we wear. In this episode, all three of the guys sit down to break down how the film exposes the illusions of class, love, and human nature, all under the guise of a lighthearted,...
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Patrick Callahan on Pindar
This week, a full complement of hosts is joined by Prof. Patrick Callahan, Assistant Professor of English and Humanities at St. Gregory the Great Seminary to discuss Pindar's The Odes. A Theban poet for hire, Pindar's works present some unique challenges in disentangling their true meaning, and...
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Brian Chau on the Straussian Generation, Part III
Alex sits down with Brian Chau of From the New World for an extended discussion on a range of topics, from building up UATX, to the Online Right, to Strauss on reactionary thought and esoteric writing. The pair tackle it all. In this closing episode, Brian and Alex focus on interpretations of...
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Brian Chau on the Straussian Generation, Part II
Alex sits down with Brian Chau of From the New World for an extended discussion on a range of topics, from building up UATX, to the Online Right, to Strauss on reactionary thought and esoteric writing. The pair tackle it all. This week, the focus shifts to a look at Hobbesian philosophy and...
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Brian Chau on the Straussian Generation, Part I
This week, Alex sits down with Brian Chau of From the New World for an extended discussion on a range of topics, from building up UATX, to the Online Right, to Strauss on reactionary thought and esoteric writing. The pair tackle it all. Plus, is Gen Z the most esoteric generation to date?
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Spencer Klavan on Epicureanism
A full complement of the guys are joined by Spencer Klavan, repeat offender on the show, host of Young Heretics, newly minted lecturer in the Classica and Languages programs at New College, associate editor at the Claremont Review of Books, and author most recently of Gateway to the Epicureans:...
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Zena Hitz on Plato's Charmides
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,...
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Richard Velkley on Heidegger and Strauss
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…
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Averroes and al-Ghazali
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…
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Devin Stauffer on Leo Strauss' Natural Right & History, Chapter 4
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…
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Christopher Nadon On Classical Education and Why Kids Can't Read Good No More
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...
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Steven Lenzner & Svetozar Minkov on Strauss' Debate with Jacob Klein
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'…
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Steven Lenzner & Svetozar Minkov on the Intention of Rousseau
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…
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Panel: Leo Strauss on Plato's Symposium, Part II
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...
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Adam Carrington on John Ford's Three Godfathers
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...
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Panel: Leo Strauss on Plato's Symposium, Part I
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...
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Roosevelt Montás on the Virtues of a Liberal Education
Is the ideal of a liberal education still achievable in the modern era? Roosevelt Montás, celebrated author and scholar at Columbia University, joins Greg and Alex to examine both its enduring virtues and its shortcomings. Together, the group discuss how a liberal education fosters critical...
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Thomas Powers on the Civil Rights Movement
Join the guys, minus David who has inexplicably gone missing, for an empassioned conversation with Carthus College's Professor Thomas Powers of Carthus College, and author of American Multiculturalism and the Anti-Discrimination Regime, as he explores both the successes and challenges of the new...
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Samuel Stoner on Kant's Conjectural Beginnings and the Story of Genesis
This week, Professor Samuel Stoner steps in for David and helps guide Alex and Greg through Immanuel Kant's thought-provoking short essay Conjectural Beginnings of Human History, where philosophy and religious thought intersect in a speculative retelling of Genesis. The group explore Kant's...
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Giovanni Ferrari on Plato the Writer
This week all the guys are back in the saddle, and joined by Prof. Giovanni R. F. (John) Ferrari, the Melpomene Distinguished Professor of Classical Languages and Literature and a professor of Classics at UC Berkeley. Over the course of the episode, Prof. Ferrari unpacks his unique approach to...
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Damian Jungerman on Hannah Arendt's "Philosophy and Politics"
David and Greg dive into Hannah Arendt's influential essay "Philosophy and Politics" this week alongside returning guest Damien Jungerman, exploring Arendt's insights on the complex relationship between philosophical thought and political action. Together, the group unpacks Arendt's arguments on...
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John Ford's The Sun Shines Bright
While you are either celebrating or lamenting who appears to be the victor of the 2024 election, the guys are showing their election season spirits, taking a look at John Ford's The Sun Shines Bright. With a backdrop of the Old West, old timey Southern ways lead to the formation of a lynch mob…
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Charles Butterworth on Al-Farabi's Book of Letters
This week, the guys are joined once again by Dr. Charles Butterworth, emeritus professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland, College Park. The group convene to discuss Butterworth's newest book, a new translation of Al-Farabi's Book of Letters, discussing how the book came…
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Patrick Deneen on Strauss' Three Waves of Modernity
This week, Alex and Greg temporarily replace David with friend of the show Professor Patrick Deneen, who teaches at the University of Notre Dame. The group dive right into Strauss' Three Waves of Modernity, dissecting its arguments and unpacking relevant backstory. Plus, if you can't get enough…
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An Overview of Homer's Odyssey
A full complement of hosts are back this week and primed to deliver an overview of Homer's Odyssey. In addition to a plot synopsis, the guys dispel common myths about Odysseus, take a closer look at Penelope, discuss the appropriate time for a person to read the Odyssey in their lives, talk...
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Jonathan Swift's Battle of the Books
This week the guys are back to discuss Jonathan Swift. Everyone has heard of Gulliver's Travels and A Modest Proposal, but he has another work worth looking at: The Battle of the Books. Plus: the audience has voted on who the funniest co-host is.
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Sabrina Little on Athletics and Virtue
This week, the guys are joined by Sabrina Little, assistant professor in the department of Leadership and American Studies at Christopher Newport University. The group discuss athletics, especially running, and how virtue can boost athletic performance. Little's new book, The Examined Run: Why…
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Leo Strauss' "On the Interpretation of Genesis"
This week, the guys return once again to the prophetic teachings of Leo Strauss. This time, the focus is on Strauss' understanding of Genesis, which the guys dissect in an effort to disentangle the Ancient Greek and biblical influences that went into Strauss' interpretation.
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Lincoln and the Founding
This week, in observance of Constitution Day, the guys wax poetic about the virtues of the Founding... is what you probably expected this to say. Instead, Greg wrote an entire academic paper about Lincoln's hushed critique of the Founding, so the guys sit down to unpack the paper's core…
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Eric Adler on Livy's History of Rome, Book I Ch. 1-16
This week, the guys are joined once again by Dr. Eric Adler, Professor and Chair of Classics at the University of Maryland, to talk about the beginning of Livy's History of Rome. Given Rome's impressively long history, it's no surprise that it took Livy over 140 books to recount it just up to the...
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Walter Sterling on T. S. Eliot's "The Waste Land"
This week, the guys are joined by Walter Sterling, the freshly minted president of St. John's College in Santa Fe to discuss one of the twentieth century's most important poems, T. S. Eliot's "The Waste Land." The group work their way through the work's oppressive density and prose to get at the...
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Pano Kanelos on Hamlet and the University of Austin
It's back to school season, and to mark the occasion, the full host complement is joined by Dr. Pano Kanelos, founding president of the University of Austin. Together, the ensemble dissect key moments in Hamlet. That includes a potential recontextualization of the best-known soliloquy in the…
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Robert Wyllie on Understanding Byung-Chul Han
Joining Alex and Greg this week is Professor Robert Wyllie of Ashland University. He guides the group through the thought-provoking world of Byung-Chul Han, one of today's most interesting living philosophers, using his new ciritcal introduction to Han as a baseline. Professor Wyllie delves...
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Flagg Taylor on Jan Patočka's The Spiritual Person & the Intellectual
This week, Alex and Greg delve into Jan Patočka's 1975 essay "The Spiritual Person & the Intellectual," exploring its profound insights on the nature of human existence and the role of intellectuals in society. Joined by Flagg Taylor of Skidmore College, the group examine Patočka's challenge to...
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Michael Davis On Greek Tragedy, and Electra
This week, the guys delve into the rich world of Greek tragedy with professor Michael Davis from Sarah Lawrence College. The group explore the themes of fate, justice, and human nature as discussed in Davis' latest book, Electras: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Focusing on the powerful...
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Mary Nichols on Piety in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
Join the guys this week as they explore the nuanced concept of piety in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics with esteemed scholar Mary Nichols. Nichols is Professor Emerita of Political Science at Baylor University, where she taught from 2004-2018, and brings her profound insights and expertise to…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The New Thinkery is a podcast devoted to political philosophy and its history, along with its many guises in literature, film, and human experience generally. Named after Socrates' infamous "Thinkery" in Aristophanes' Clouds, The New Thinkery strikes a balance between the seriousness of academia and the playfulness of casual conversation among friends.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The New Thinkery have?
The New Thinkery currently has 264 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The New Thinkery about?
The New Thinkery is a podcast devoted to political philosophy and its history, along with its many guises in literature, film, and human experience generally. Named after Socrates' infamous "Thinkery" in Aristophanes' Clouds, The New Thinkery strikes a balance between the seriousness of academia...
How often does The New Thinkery release new episodes?
The New Thinkery publishes regularly with 264 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The New Thinkery?
You can listen to The New Thinkery on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The New Thinkery?
The New Thinkery is created and hosted by The New Thinkery.
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