Project Cosmos: Conversations on the Future of Civilization

Join host Johnny Burtka with Yuval Levin, Sarah Gustafson, Vincent Munoz, and Sohrab Ahmari for an in-depth conversation about Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America and its relevance to contemporary American politics. This roundtable explores Congress and democratic governance, the administrative state, religion in democracy, and the formation of democratic citizens in our modern age.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Why Congress must predominate in a republic7:22 - Andrew Jackson and the paradox of executive power20:50 - Who was Alexis de Tocqueville?27:18 - Tocqueville's reception in America through history36:14 - The pathologies of democracy and soft despotism51:37 - The bank war and Hamiltonian vs. Jacksonian visions1:11:00 - The New Deal, progressivism, and centralized power1:25:25 - Markets, government, and the problem of centralization1:29:27 - The democratic soul and forming citizens1:40:30 - Religion, morality, and American democracy today1:50:25 - Reforming institutions and educating the next generationFeatured Topics: Tocqueville, Congress, separation of powers, Andrew Jackson, administrative state, progressive era, federalism, subsidiarity, religious liberty, democratic soul, education, virtue ethics, institutional reform, aristocracy vs. democracyA production of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute | isi.orgProjectCosmos #Tocqueville #Democracy #Congress #PoliticalPhilosophy #AmericanGovernment #ISI

Join host Johnny Burtka with Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick, Peter Leithart, Hans Boersma, and Zachary Porcu for a deep conversation about re-enchantment in our technological age. This roundtable explores the revival of liturgical Christianity, the spiritual dimensions of technology, and what it means to live in an enchanted world.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - What is enchantment?7:22 - Tolkien, WWI, and "death and the machine"23:33 - How did materialism become dominant?36:14 - Constantine and converting pagan culture51:37 - Technology as spiritual warfare1:11:00 - Asceticism and spiritual formation1:25:25 - The Incarnation and cosmic transformation1:29:27 - What do we do? Practical steps forwardFeatured Topics: Tolkien, liturgy, sacramental ontology, the Reformation, technology and Babel, saints' lives, the Jesus prayer, AI and attention, neo-paganismRecorded live at ISI's Christmas Open House on December 15, 2025, at Butterworth's in Washington, DC.A production of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute | isi.orgProjectCosmos #Enchantment #Christianity #Theology #Tolkien #Technology

Dr. Larry Arnn, president of Hillsdale College, advocates classical liberal arts and civic education. Dr. Joshua Mitchell, Georgetown professor, examines identity politics and the erosion of mediating institutions. Dr. Jacob Imam, founder of the College of St. Joseph the Worker, blends liberal arts with manual trades. Pastor Corey Brooks builds inner-city schools and mentorship. They discuss reviving great books, marrying work and learning, school choice, and resisting illiberal trends.

In this episode of Project Cosmos, Spencer Klavan, Rachel Bovard, Michael Toscano, Gladden Pappin, Leah Libresco Sargent, and Johnny Burtka gather for a thought-provoking roundtable on one of the most pressing questions of our era:👉 How are technology, transhumanism, and AI reshaping the American family and our society’s future?This wide-ranging conversation explores:The promise and peril of AI and emerging technologiesWhether technology can strengthen or undermine families and communitiesThe intersection of faith, ethics, and the digital ageHow education and human skills are changing in the face of automationThe global race for technological supremacy and its impact on policyFamily policy, fertility, and the economic challenges of modern lifeBuilding real community and human connection in a tech-driven world📌 Project Cosmos is ISI’s flagship series—intimate, living-room-style conversations where today’s leading thinkers tackle the deepest political and cultural challenges facing America.Guests:Spencer Klavan – author, classicist, and commentatorRachel Bovard – policy director and writerMichael Toscano – executive director, The Institute for Family StudiesGladden Pappin – political scientist and editorLeah Libresco Sargent – author and speakerJohnny Burtka – President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI)⏰ Chapters:00:00 Introduction & Framing the Technology Debate04:35 Technology, AI, and the American Family14:45 Faith, Ethics, and the Role of Technology26:40 Education, Human Skills, and AI44:40 Policy, Innovation, and Global Competition57:00 Family Policy, Fertility, and Economic Challenges1:15:00 Building Community & Human Connection1:54:43 Final Thoughts & Outro🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of Project Cosmos, where ideas, history, and political strategy meet.ProjectCosmos #Technology #AI #Transhumanism #AmericanFamily #JohnnyBurtka #SpencerKlavan #RachelBovard #MichaelToscano #GladdenPappin #LeahLibrescoSargent #Faith #Ethics #Policy #Family

In this episode of Project Cosmos, host Johnny Burtka is joined by Ross Douthat, Aaron M. Renn, Michael Miller, Matthew Walther, and Frank Hanna for a profound roundtable on one of the most urgent questions of our time:👉 What does it mean to be a techno-optimist? Can technology serve the common good, or is it leading us toward dystopia?This wide-ranging conversation explores:The promise and peril of AI, biotech, and digital innovationThe tension between faith, tradition, and technological progressHow technology shapes culture, politics, and the future of AmericaThe moral and spiritual challenges of the digital ageDecentralization, blockchain, and the search for communityThe role of leadership, witness, and spiritual renewal in a technological societyGlobal competition, China, and the future of Western civilizationThe importance of subsidiarity, education, and local solutions⏰ CHAPTERS:00:00 - Introduction: Technology and Conservative Perspectives40:46 - The Virtues and Pitfalls of Modern Technology55:02 - Hyper-Politics and the Failure of Political Solutions1:06:28 - Global Competition and China's Technological Rise1:19:59 - Ameliorating the Worst: Limited Reforms and Class Divides1:26:34 - Christian Anthropology and Decentralized Solutions1:32:44 - Personal Witness and Spiritual Awakening📌 Project Cosmos is ISI’s flagship series—intimate, living-room-style conversations where today’s leading thinkers tackle the deepest political, philosophical, and cultural challenges facing America.Guests:Johnny Burtka – President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI)Aaron M. Renn – writer, urban analystMichael Matheson Miller – social philosopher, Acton InstituteMatthew Walther – editor, The LampRoss Douthat – columnist, The New York TimesFrank Hanna – entrepreneur, philanthropist🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of Project Cosmos, where ideas, technology, and society meet.ProjectCosmos #JohnnyBurtka #AaronMRenn #MichaelMiller #MatthewWalther #RossDouthat #FrankHanna #TechnoOptimism #Technology #Society #AI #Faith #Decentralization #Podcast #FutureOfCivilization #Leadership #Philosophy #Culture #AmericaLearn more about ISI’s educational programs: https://isi.org

Project Cosmos returns with a special LIVE episode, filmed at ISI’s annual Homecoming Weekend in Wilmington, DE. This in-depth roundtable brings together leading voices in the conservative intellectual movement—including Phillip Blond, Rod Dreher, Mary Harrington, Michael Gibson, Dan McCarthy, Nathan Pinkoski, Kevin Roberts, Justin Shubow, and Johnny Burtka—for an unfiltered, wide-ranging dialogue on one of the most pressing questions of our time:👉 How can we recover the Golden Age Mindset and restore Western civilization?Join us as our panel explores:The moral and intellectual foundations needed for civilizational renewalLessons from the Western tradition and how to apply them todayThe challenges and opportunities facing young leaders in AmericaThe role of art, education, and culture in shaping the futureStrategies for building resilient communities and institutionsWhat it means to pursue a “Golden Age” in the 21st centurySet against the backdrop of ISI’s beautiful Brandywine Valley campus, this episode captures the spirit of fellowship, learning, and bold conversation that defines Homecoming Weekend.Featured Guests:Phillip Blond – Political thinker, founder of ResPublicaRod Dreher – Author, The Benedict OptionMary Harrington – Author, Feminism Against ProgressMichael Gibson – Venture capitalist, authorDan McCarthy – Editor-in-Chief, Modern AgeNathan Pinkoski – Senior Fellow, Center for Renewing AmericaKevin Roberts – President, The Heritage FoundationJustin Shubow – President, National Civic Art SocietyJohnny Burtka – President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI)📌 Project Cosmos is ISI’s flagship series—intimate, living-room-style conversations where today’s leading thinkers tackle the deepest political and cultural challenges facing America.🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of Project Cosmos, where ideas, history, and strategy meet.ProjectCosmos #GoldenAgeMindset #WesternCivilization #ISIHomecoming #PhillipBlond #RodDreher #MaryHarrington #MichaelGibson #DanMcCarthy #NathanPinkoski #KevinRoberts #JustinShubow #JohnnyBurtka #Conservatism #CivilizationalRenewal

In the second episode of Project Cosmos, James Orr, Alex Petkas, Nathan Pinkoski, Dan McCarthy, Johnny Burtka and Bill Rivers. gather for a profound roundtable on one of the most enduring questions in history:👉 Can you be a great man and a good father? What does true greatness mean in the modern world?This wide-ranging conversation explores:The tension between ambition, leadership, and family lifeHistorical and philosophical perspectives on greatness and virtueLessons from Aristotle, Plutarch, and the “mirror for princes” traditionThe impact of technology and AI on legacy and authenticityThe role of education, faith, and tradition in shaping leadersHow heritage, family, and culture influence the pursuit of greatnessThe challenges of work-life balance for leaders and public figuresThe meaning of providence, spontaneity, and timing in a successful life⏰ CHAPTERS:0:00 Introduction1:13 Can Great Men Be Good Husbands & Fathers?5:00 Historical Examples of Leadership and Fatherhood8:07 The Challenge of Work-Life Balance for Leaders10:04 The Importance of Timing and Providence in Leadership14:01 Spontaneity vs Structure in Leadership16:51 The Role of Family Heritage & Legacy21:01 Technology, Innovation and Leadership32:11 The Challenge of AI and Human Authenticity1:12:52 The Left's Relationship with Heroism and Greatness1:28:20 Education, Leadership and the Great Books?1:40:49 The Role of Faith in Leadership📌 Project Cosmos is ISI’s flagship series—intimate, living-room-style conversations where today’s leading thinkers tackle the deepest political, philosophical, and cultural challenges facing America.Guests:James Orr – philosopher, Cambridge UniversityJohnny Burtka – President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI)Dan McCarthy – editor, Modern AgeNathan Pinkoski – political theorist, St. Michael’s CollegeBill Rivers – novelist, speechwriterAlex Petkas – classicist, host of The Cost of Glory podcast🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of Project Cosmos, where ideas, history, and leadership meet.ProjectCosmos #JamesOrr #JohnnyBurtka #DanMcCarthy #NathanPinkoski #BillRivers #AlexPetkas #GreatMen #Fatherhood #Leadership #Philosophy #History #AI #Education #Faith #LiberalArts #WorkLifeBalance #Legacy #Conservatism #PoliticsLearn more about ISI’s educational programs: https://isi.org

In the debut episode of Project Cosmos, Christopher Rufo, Patrick Deneen, Christopher Caldwell, Curtis Yarvin, and Johnny Burtka (President of ISI) gather for a provocative roundtable on one of the most urgent questions of our time:👉 What is the future of executive power and can it serve the common good?This wide-ranging discussion covers:-The meaning of the common good in a pluralistic 21st-century America-Whether liberalism has failed, and what comes next-The origins and growth of the administrative state-Should bureaucracy be dismantled, reformed, or used for populist ends?-The role of DOGE reforms, tech, and MAGA in shaping political power-How the Civil Rights revolution reshaped executive authority-Is America an oligarchy—and what can be done about it?-Historical lessons from Hamilton, Jefferson, Jackson, and Lincoln-And the bold question: Should Americans embrace Caesarism?📌 Project Cosmos is ISI’s new flagship series—intimate, living-room-style conversations where today’s leading thinkers tackle the deepest political and cultural challenges facing America.Guests:Christopher Rufo – writer, senior fellow at the Manhattan InstitutePatrick Deneen – political theorist, author of Why Liberalism FailedChristopher Caldwell – journalist, author of The Age of EntitlementCurtis Yarvin – political theorist and bloggerJohnny Burtka – President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI)🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of Project Cosmos, where ideas, history, and political strategy meet.#ProjectCosmos #ChristopherRufo #PatrickDeneen #ChristopherCaldwell #CurtisYarvin #JohnnyBurtka #AdministrativeState #ExecutivePower #Conservatism #Politics #CommonGood