Avalon Mentors

Discussion of Thrasymachus’ challenge to justice and Socrates answer. What is wrong with the idea that "might makes right"?  How is the definition of Justice as "the advantage of the strong" a flawed definition?  How, moreover, is it a spiritual poison that causes death to the soul?  How could Socrates, Plato, defeat such a seemingly damnable vision of the world? The Patreon Pa...

Discussing Plato’s Republic we get into the opening text discussing setting and character and how the conversation about justice commences. "How can you persuade us," says Polemarchus, "if we refuse to listen?"  Indeed, how can anyone be persuaded if they block out the images and arguments presented to them.  As Glaucon says, "it is not possible" & thus he reveals...

A general introduction to the Republic by Plato in which we look at historical setting character of Plato and the structure of the work. The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

Re-entering the world of podcasting with a new purpose. A brief discussion of one of the ideas from Hamlet and how slavery of the mind is the worst kind of slavery. The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

A brief discussion about that great classic movie blade runner from 1981 and its current relevance to our situation. The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

What legacy do we leave? Does history teach us anything about the unforeseen consequences of our fear? The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

So here we are again It's always such a pleasure The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

Ben and I have been working together since 2001.  We met at Patrick's and had a lively discussion about language, culture, mathematics, religion and the pathways that led us both to our understanding of our place in the universe. The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

I have known Laura for many years working first with her as a colleague at Providence Academy in Plymouth, MN.  She attended Hillsdale College in Michigan where she was first exposed to the great books and classical thinking.  Currently Laura is a middle school teacher at Saint Jerome Classical School.   In this episode we met at the Panera Bread  at Shingle Creek Pkwy in Minnesota.  I had a coffe...

Discussing the strange sense that I am a fraud who will one day be exposed before my peers. The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

Adam and I have known each other for many years. In this episode we met at Claddagh Irish pub in Maple Grove. The conversation ranged from Arthurian stories to modern literature to movies and culture. We both agreed the teaching although a risky and subversive profession is also the noblest. We would both rather be Achilles than Ares. I had the shepherds pie and a Guinness; Adam had the fish and I...

Margaret and I discuss the paradox of the Incarnation as a peaceful Messiah. There doesn’t seem to be any precedent for this event in history. Nor is there any parallel in any other religion or culture. And like all paradoxes it raises more questions that it resolves. The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

I first worked with Dr. Cameron Mikael Thompson, anthropologist and moral psychologist, at Chesterton Academy in Edina, MN.   Cameron specializes in human formation (the applied science of personalistic psychology) and culture. His recent focus has been the restoration and revival of authentic Christian culture. You can find him at http://cameronmthompson.com, and his podcast, The Marchese di Cara...

Reflection on Stonehenge and other neolithic structures. How long they’ve lasted and what in our culture will last when we are long gone. https://www.foxnews.com/science/swedish-stonehenge-ancient-stone-structure-spurs-debate https://www.ancient.eu/Newgrange/ https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180923.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_of_Brodgar https://astronomynow.com/2016/08/19/britains-pre-ston...

Then it struck me why is there no futuristic writing before the 1800s? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Man http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/18247/pg18247-images.html The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

This is a novel way to read the play - through the lens of the Scholastic Debate of the 13th century.  Inspired by the Shakespeare 2020 project initiated by Ian Doescher (of Shakespeare Star Wars fame) I invite you to see this great work as influenced by the struggle between Nominalism and Realism. Shakespeare 2020: https://iandoescher.com/shakespeare/ Nominalism: https://plato.stanford.edu/entrie...

A reading of this great short story by Flannery O'Connor. The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

Reflections on Flannery O'Connor's great short story, "The Life You Save May Be Your Own." The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

More on the Book of Revelation The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

Something something something Apocalypse! The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

Each episode of SCRIBBLEBIBBLE attempts to bring to bear the great works of human culture from the past upon the dilemma of living in the present age.   "Dorothy Sayers, in her excellent book, The Mind of the Maker, divides creative activity into three stages: the idea, the implementation, and the interaction. A book, then, or a computer, or a program comes into existence first as an ideal co...

Each episode of SCRIBBLEBIBBLE attempts to bring to bear the great works of human culture from the past upon the dilemma of living in the present age.  William Carlos Williams "Red Wheelbarrow" Dorothy  Sayers "The Mind of the Maker" Charles Williams The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

Canto 2 of Dante's Divine Comedy. Read along at this link: Digital Dante Music by Aitua; "The Grey Forest IV" The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179

The opening canto of Dante's Divine Comedy. Read along at this link: Digital Dante Music by Aitua; "The Grey Forest IV" The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21129179