The New Thinkery

This week, the guys return to ancient Greece and the roots of Western political philosophy, Plato and Socrates. In this installment of an ongoing series analyzing Plato's Symposium, the guys break down the short, yet telling, speech by Phaedrus. Plus: you have mailbag questions, and the guys have the answers.

This week the guys return to Greek philosophy after their trip to the movies. They go through Aristotle's discussion of courage in Book III of the Nicomachean Ethics. Spoiler: there's more to it than just facing your fears.

The guys headed to the movies this week and watched Zulu. They discuss the movie's plot, themes, and underlying philosophy to tease out the hidden importance of the film and its characters. Plus: you don't want to miss Greg's reaction when he looks up "WAP" and sees the lyrics!

On this week's episode of The New Thinkery, the guys are kicking off a new series of episodes aimed at breaking down one of the greatest works of political philosophy ever put to paper: Plato's Symposium. In the inaugural episode, the guys focus on the historical and political context in which Plato's Symposium takes place, as well as break down the opening of the dialogue.

This week, the guys are joined by one of Greg's former teachers, Robert C. Bartlett, Behrakis Professor of Hellenic Political Studies at Boston College. Together, they discuss his new book of translations of and essays on Aristophanes' two earliest plays: the Acharnians and the Knights. Don't miss out on a history lesson in ancient Greece and the answers to some big questions, like what role humor should play in human life and what color Professor Bartlett's first car was!

Join the guys this week as they break down Plato's famous book, Gorgias. They analyze the larger themes of the book with a dash of humor, while also pausing to explain some of the most important passages. Plus: what do broken arms, German elementary schoolchildren, and "cheese farms" have to do with rhetoric?

In this episode of The New Thinkery, the guys interview Dr. Charles Butterworth, Emeritus Professor of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, College Park. Ever the teacher, Dr. Butterworth covers several topics, including: his education, teaching methods, and fun stories about times in the classroom; he even answers some rapid fire questions.

On this week's edition of The New Thinkery, the guys discuss how to (and not to) teach political philosophy. Alex and Greg teach political philosophy as a full-time job, so they have several key insights pinpointing where professors can go wrong. They also give concrete advice on what good professors should do to get the best results from students. Just wait until Greg starts talking about Nietzsche! Plus: what animal story does David have to share this time?

Alex, David, and Greg are back again this week, but they leave the realm of hard philosophy books to tease out the underlying political philosophy in Shakespeare's lesser-known, but nevertheless important play, Measure for Measure. Listen in as they talk about everything from how Machiavelli influences Shakespeare to what the phrase "willy-nilly" actually means.

Join Alex, David, and Greg as they discuss how to read Plato, perhaps the most influential philosopher in history, while also talking about the insights that are illuminated by their reading. Plus: Greg has a strange story about a cat and the guys answer mailbag questions.

As a follow up to the last episode of The New Thinkery, the guys look specifically at chapter 15 of Machiavelli's The Prince. Their close reading elucidates the world-historical shift Machiavelli initiated. Plus: David's hawk story from last week comes to a conclusion.

Join Alex, David, and Greg as they dive into one of the most infamous and polarizing books in political philosophy, Machiavelli's The Prince. The guys introduce the book and break down its most important points while connecting its wisdom to modernity. Plus: David has a short story to tell about a hawk.

In 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 the decisive treatise, check out Charles Butterworth's excellent translation, which contains a very insightful introductory essay and many helpful notes.

Join the crew of The New Thinkery as they talk about the new show, its focus, and introduce themselves. Stay tuned for future releases right here, every Wednesday!