The New Thinkery

This week, Alex and Greg are joined once again by none other than Dr. Charles Butterworth, Emeritus Professor of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, College Park. The trio discuss Al-Razi's Book of the Philosophic Life, how it relates to Greek philosophers, and what important lessons we should take away from reading Al-Razi.

From all of here at The New Thinekry, we wish you a Happy Halloween! To celebrate, Alex has prepared a special treat: a dramatic reading of Edgar Allen Poe's classic poem, "The Raven" from memory.

This week the guys visit one of America's greatest poets: Edgar Allen Poe. With Halloween right around the corner, what better time to dig into some of Poe's greatest hits, from The Tell-Tale Heart to The Cask of Amontillado. Plus: a reading of The Raven by Alex, from memory.

This week, the guys are on their own as they tackle one of Rousseau's shorter discourses focusing on the most essential characteristic for a hero to have. Plus: Rousseau was a bit of an oddball. Alex and David recount a couple of stories to illustrate the point.

This week, the guys are joined by Devin Stauffer, Professor and Associate Chair at UT Austin. The group take a look at several of Hobbes' most pivotal works to get at Hobbes' true arguments about human nature, with Professor Stauffer leading the analysis.

This week, the guys are back to the three man band format. They discuss the opening of Strauss' most read work and highlight patterns of thought that continue throughout Natural Right and History.

n this edition of The New Thinkery, Alex and Greg are joined for a second time by Dr. Thomas Cleveland, Academics Program Officer for the Jack Miller Center. The group take a look at a very short text that could be read in an hour, but to understand thoroughly could take years.

This week, the guys are joined by Assumption University's own BJ Dobski. The group discuss Thucydides as a source of ancient history, the extent to which he is reliable, and the archaeology surrounding him personally.

In this episode of The New Thinkery, David and Alex have temporarily replaced Greg with Alex's mother, Fereshteh, who is an expert on Marcel Proust's mammoth 4,000+ page text, In Search of Lost Time. In the episode, the group discuss the first volume of the text, Swann's Way, analyzing the circuitous structure and style of writing utilized, as well as how it contributes to the text's overall message.

This week, the guys are joined by Damian Jungerman, a former US serviceman turned intellectual with a seriously impressive résumé. Jungerman details how great books saved him and how those great books continue to be a source of immense value, as well as sharing candid stories from the battlefield.