183: Existentialism is a Humanism
Existence precedes essence. If you don't know what that means, you're making a statement about how all men should be, you non-existentialist, you. DID YOU KNOW THAT!?!?
Nov 23, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 183
Classical Stuff You Should Know
A.J., Graeme, and Thomas discuss everything having to do with the classical world. Our aim is to help both educators and laypeople enjoy the classical world as much as they enjoy fine ales and good tales.
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Episodes
182: Herodotus III: Egypt and Water Horses
Continuing on in the Landmark Herodotus, we get to a chapter which earns him the moniker, "Father of Lies." Overstating it a bit, don't you think?
Nov 02, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 182
181: Great Expectations
In this episode, we discuss Charles Dickens's "Great Expectations." But you know, if you keep your expectations low, it's harder to be disappointed. I guess, in a way, that's the point of this book.
Oct 26, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 181
180: Herodotus II: Cyrus the Virus
In this second episode on the Landmark Herodotus, we discuss the exploits of Cyrus the great. You can look forward to: baby swapping, kid kingdom, and blood wine for the dead!
Oct 12, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 180
179: The Enchiridion, by Epictetus
The writings of Epictetus are some of the only stoic manuscripts that survive. The Enchiridion is his essential handbook for the budding acolyte of Stoicism.
Oct 05, 2021•56 min•Season 1Ep. 179
178: Foil
A literary foil is something in the story that exists to highlight the characteristics of the protagonists. COULD IT BE that literature is a foil for us!? I THINK YES.
Sep 28, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 178
177: How to Solve the Trolley Problem
The Trolley problem presents a perfect study case from which to look at different ethical viewpoints. But . . . come on. You know you'd pull the lever. It's just the right thing to do.
Sep 21, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 177
176: The Communist Manifesto
In 1848, a small group of social philosophers publish a little pamphlet with big wings: The Communist Manifesto. This podcast is about that thing.
Sep 14, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 176
175: Sir Gawain and the Decent Film
In this episode we talk about the differences in theme and construction between the recent (pretty solid) film about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the poem by the same name.
Sep 07, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 175
174: Herodotus, History, and Happiness
Herodotus put together a pretty stellar history, and the Landmark version is a stellar translation of it. In this episode we discuss the book and several stories from it.
Aug 31, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 174
173: The Happy Equation
Arthur Brooks, a researcher of happiness at Harvard, has distilled his research about happiness into a simple equation. Want to know how to be happy? Turns out this is the way.
Aug 24, 2021•56 min•Season 1Ep. 173
172: Intro to the Epics
The Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid are all part of one story. That story was common knowledge for the Greeks, but mostly unknown to us moderns. This episode is that story, giving the context necessary for understanding the Iliad, which begins in the middle of things.
Aug 17, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 172
171: A Retrospective from the Ombudsman of Fun
Thomas has recently left his position as the Dean of Student Life at Veritas. These are the things he's learned.
Jul 13, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 171
170: John Donne and a Crash Course to Poetry
A.J. has always struggled with his views of poetry as a genre. He might have finally sorted it out with the help of John Donne.
Jul 06, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 170
169: Kierkegaard's "Fear and Trembling"
Kierkegaard faced the absurdity of the universe, the absurdity of faith, and held both in tension. In this episode we explore his book "Fear and Trembling" as it traces the mystifying story of Abraham and Isaac.
Jun 29, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 169
168: The Tempest
Shakespeare's "The Tempest" is a bit of a mystery of a play, especially since nothing really happens.
Jun 22, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 168
167: How We Got the Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is for those of us who don't always know what to say. So . . . all of us. Thomas gives us a little history, then a quick rundown of the book.
Jun 17, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 167
166: Machiavelli's "The Prince" 2: Pie Fortress
This is the second half of A.J.'s series on Machiavelli's "The Prince." It addresses how a prince can establish a reputation. We also chat about pie.
Jun 08, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 166
165: The Great Divorce
"The Great Divorce," by C.S. Lewis, recounts a bus trip to heaven. We discuss the Problem of Evil in the perspective of the book.
Jun 01, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 165
164: Euclid and his "Elements"
Euclid's "Elements" was the math text for over a thousand years. We all try to do a proof, and we end up with something looking like an Eiffel Tower.
May 25, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 164
163: Machiavelli's "The Prince" or "How to kill friends and influence people."
Machiavelli was a statesman that wanted back into the good graces of the Medici. It half worked. This is a discussion of the work that was supposed to do the job of charming the prince. It's entitled, shockingly, "The Prince."
May 18, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 163
162: Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Jane Austen is a delight, and her novel Pride and Prejudice is no exception. In this episode, we review the book and talk about what it takes to change as drastically as Elizabeth and Darcy.
May 11, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 162
161: Rodin's Gates of Hell
While "The Gates of Paradise" mark one of the first uses of perspective in sculpture, Rodin's "Gates of Hell," made much later in response, chronicle the existential despair of human suffering, so that's great!
May 04, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 161
160: Modern Maths
"A Mathematician's Lament," by Paul Lockhart, mourns the way we teach math to children. In many ways, he's right. A.J. will probably still find something to complain about, though.
Apr 27, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 160
159: Satan in Despair, from Milton's Paradise Lost
We all get depressed sometimes. We take a look at when Satan gets the feels in Milton's Paradise Lost.
Apr 20, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 159
158: Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise
Lorenzo Ghiberti sculpted what are perhaps the most famous doors of human history. You can see them in Florence (if you go to a museum), or you can listen to this podcast and see them in your mind's eye. If you want to view them online, we've included a link in the show-notes on our website.
Apr 13, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 158
157: The Intellectual Life
Even smart people need a little direction sometimes (except for Graeme, who is perfect always), and The Intellectual Life by A.G. Sertillanges helps us all in the disciplines of intellectualism.
Apr 06, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 157
156: The Faust and the Furious 2: Mopey Ol' Stiff
The rest of Goethe's Faust is flat bananas, and it ends with a devil flirting with Angels. I can't even. (Also, please don't miss my rhyming pun with "Tokyo Drift." I'm convinced puns are extra good if you have to explain them.)
Mar 30, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 156
155: The Cathars, or "Helios's Acolytes of Love"
Let's talk about gnosticism. Let's talk about heresy. Let's talk about Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie's book, "Montaillou, Cathars and Catholics in a French village, 1294-1324." Let's talk about starting our own cult.
Mar 23, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 155
154: Herding cats the right way according to Milton
As the archangel Michael boots Adam and Eve from Paradise, he gives Adam a vision of the future to, you know, make him feel better. Adam then says that he knows what is right now, and that man only has to obey. Was Milton making a statement about the ways in which we should conduct ourselves in regard to curiosity? I mean, probs.
Mar 16, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 154
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