Ascend - The Great Books Podcast

How did Plato influence St. Augustine? Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Chad Pecknold of the Catholic University of America discuss Plato's influence on St. Augustine. Check out our account on X for daily postings on the great books! Check out our l ibrary of written guides to the great books! Check out FIRE ON THE ALTAR by Dr. Chad Pecknold. The discussion b...

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, host Dcn. Harrison Garlick, along with guests Alec Bianco and Sean Berube, explore St. Basil the Great’s letter To Young Men, on the Right Use of Greek Literature , passionately arguing that Christians—especially young men—should actively read pagan classics like Homer, Plato, and Hesiod. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com Check out our LIBRARY OF WRITTEN...

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast concludes their Christmas reading of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with Fitt 4, exploring Gawain’s restored armor, journey to the eerie Green Chapel, the three axe swings, Bertilak’s revelations, Morgan le Fay’s role, and the court’s final response. Visit our WEBSITE for our reading schedule and more! Check out our 50 QUESTION AND ANSWER GUIDE to Sir Gawa...

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick, Dr. Tiffany Schubert of Wyoming Catholic College, George of the Chivalry Guild, and Banished Kent discuss Fitts 2 and 3 of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight! Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule! Check out our 50 QUESTION-AND-ANSWER GUIDE to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Be sure to visit our sister publication, TH...

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, we are discussing Fitt 1 of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with Dcn. Garlick, Dr. Justin Jackson of Hillsdale College, Chivalry Guild, and Banished Kent. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule. Check out our WRITTEN GUIDE to Sir Gawain and the Greek Knight (posted soon!). Episode Summary The panel dives into the 14th-century Middle En...

Today on Ascend, we discuss Plato, education, the role of the teacher, eros, beauty, and much more drawing from the dialogues First Alcibiades and the Meno. Returning to the podcast, we have Dcn. Garlick, Dr. Frank Grabowski, Dr. Brett Larson, and Thomas Lackey. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule. Visit our LIBRARY OF WRITTEN GUIDES to help you read the great books. What does...

In this episode of Ascend, Deacon Harrison Garlick and Dr. Brian Kemple discuss the violent, grotesque southern tale "The Lame Shall Enter First" by Flannery O'Connor. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule! Check out our LIBRARY of written guides to the great books. Check out the Lyceum Institute . They explore O'Connor's life, her unique Southern Gothic style, and the themes of...

In the incredible final act of Plato’s Gorgias (481–527), Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Greg McBrayer (Ashland University, New Thinkery podcast) tackle the longest and most brutal confrontation: Socrates versus Callicles, the most shameless, most ambitious, and—as Greg insists—nastiest character in all of Plato. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our read schedule! Check out our COLLECTION OF GUID...

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Matthew Bianco of the Circe Institute discuss the second part of Plato's Gorgias --the dialogue between Socrates and Polus—Gorgias’ spirited, “colt-like” student who bursts in at 461b accusing his own teacher of being “too ashamed” to admit rhetoric needs no justice, only the power to persuade. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com f...

"In war and battle, this is the way to do your part." Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by the Athenian Stranger and Johnathan Bi to introduce the Gorgias and discuss the first part: the dialogue of Gorgias and Socrates. What begins as a polite inquiry into the nature of rhetoric erupts into a war for the soul of Athens—and for every reader seeking the good...

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Daniel Wagner dive into Plato’s Meno as a masterclass in education, contrasting Meno’s stagnant, power-seeking sophistry with his slave boy’s humble, rapid learning during the famous geometry demonstration. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule. See our COLLECTION OF GUIDES on the great books. Check out our s...

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL! In this episode, Deacon Harrison Garlick and Dr. Joseph Boyne explore G.K. Chesterton's short story 'The Chief Mourner of Marne,' discussing its themes, characters, and moral implications. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule! Check out our COLLECTION OF GUIDES TO THE GREAT BOOKS . They delve into the significance of transformative texts in education, the role...

The Phaedo is a beautiful dialogue! Join Deacon Harrison Garlick and Dr. Christopher Frey, McFarland Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tulsa, as they conclude their exploration of Plato’s Phaedo , a profound dialogue capturing Socrates’ final hours and his arguments for the soul’s immortality. Reading schedule and more ! Collection of guides on the great books! In this episode, Dcn. Gar...

Today on Ascend: the Great Books Podcast, we are discussing Plato's Phaedo , or in ancient times, it had the subtitle of On the Soul . It tells of the death of Socrates and his various arguments for the immortality of the soul. The Phaedo is a complicated dialogue. It's a long dialogue, but it's very beautiful and very much worth the effort. So it merits a slow, attentive, and subtle read. And to...

Today, we are introducing Plato's Phaedo , "on the soul," with Alec Bianco of the Circe Institute and with Athenian Stranger . We'll discuss why to read the great books, why we read Plato, how you should read Plato, and why to read the Phaedo. We then do a deep dive into the opening of the Phaedo , especially on the setting and the myth of Theseus-where a subtle, attentive read unearths a beautifu...

In this episode, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos dive into Plato’s Crito , a dialogue set in Socrates’ prison cell as he awaits execution. They explore Socrates’ refusal to escape, his debt of gratitude to Athens, and the tension between philosophy and the polis’s poetic traditions. Through engaging analysis, they unpack the dialogue’s themes of justice, piety, and civic obligati...

In this episode of the Ascend the Great Books podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick and Father Justin Brophy, OP, delve into the second part of Plato's Apology, exploring Socrates' defense during his trial. They discuss the significance of Socrates' thoughts on death, virtue, and the role of philosophy in life. The conversation also touches on the influence of Saint Justin Martyr, the relationship betw...

In this episode of Ascend, The Great Books Podcast , host Deacon Harrison Garlick is joined by Fr. Justin Brophy, a Dominican friar and Assistant Professor of Political Science at Providence College, to dive into the first half of Plato’s Apology . Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule. Check out our collection of guides on the great books! The discussion explores Socrates’ d...

How would a Christian answer the Euthyphro dilemma? Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Donald Prudlo, the Warren Professor of Catholic Studies at the University of Tulsa, to discuss Aquinas and the Euthyphro dilemma. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule and more! Need a guide to a great book? Check out our online collection . Also, c...

In this episode of the Ascend the Great Books podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick and guests delve into the complexities of Plato's Euthyphro, exploring themes of piety, morality, and the divine - including the famous "Euthyphro Dilemma." The podcast welcomes back Dr. Joey Spencer, who serves as a tutor of theology, an archivist, and an expert in angels and demons. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com...

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, we are joined by Dcn. Garlick, Dr. Frank Grabowski, Thomas Lackey, and Dr. Joey Spencer to discuss the first part of Plato’s Euthyphro—a dialogue on piety. Dr. Spencer is the diocesan Archivist for the Diocese of Tulsa, a tutor in Theology, and an expert in the theology of angels and demons. We discuss the context of the dialogue and move into conversation...

In this episode of the Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick and Dr. Daniel Shields discuss the significance of Plato's First Alcibiades, particularly in the context of its use at Wyoming Catholic College. They explore the themes of self-knowledge, the relationship between philosophy and politics, and the importance of mentorship in education. The conversation delves into the character of A...

KNOW THYSELF. Today, we have the second part of the excellent conversation on First Alcibiades with Dcn. Garlick, Alec Bianco, and Athenian Stranger. The conversation starts at 124(b)! First Alcibiades is one of the BEST PLACES you could start with Plato. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule and more! Check out our WRITTEN GUIDE to First Alcibiades . From the guide: 14. What...

PLATO IS PHILOSOPHY - and there is no better place to start with Plato than First Alcibiades . Today, we are discussing First Alcibiades with Alec Bianco of the Circe Institute and with the Athenian Stranger. Go check out their X accounts. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule. Check out our PATREON for written guides on the great books! We also have a NEW COMMUNITY CHAT on Plato...

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, we are continuing our study of Plato by diving into the Life of Alcibiades by Plutarch with Alex from the Cost of Glory podcast. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources! Visit our PATREON page for written guides and to chat with others! Alex is fantastic. Alex and Dcn. Garlick discuss a few preliminaries on why you should read about Alcibiades be...