Classical Stuff You Should Know

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's "The Social Contract" laid the political ground for the French Revolution and probably the American Revolution too. This is just part 1 . . . MORE TO COME.

In this episode, we discuss Nietzsche's work, "On the Genealogy of Morality," in which he discusses the history of morality through tracing the words used to describe it. We also talk about a recent film that's pretty good, and poor poor Leopardi again. Join us!

In this episode we track Wordsworth's view of how to stay happy in life, specifically through two poems: "Lines Written a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey," and "Elegiac Stanzas Suggested by a Picture of Peele Castle in a Storm, Painted by Sir George Beaumont." Turns out he was idealistic when he was young and cranky when he was old. WHO KNEW

During Stalin's regime in Russia there was one author daring enough to write a Satire . . . one that I can't quite nail down. I ask Graeme to help me.

The Proslogion contains Anselm of Canterbury's Ontological Argument, which is still argued about in philosophical circles today. It's not really convincing, except that it is.

We discuss the romantic movement and how they interpret Paradise Lost to be other than what it really is. Also, we get cranky about bad guys.

This one is about an Italian hunchback who lives with his mom and writes nihilistic poetry about women he can't get. You can't make this stuff up.

Asimov's excellent sci-fi trilogy is worth a read. Plus, space capitalism!

I have finally tackled the (rumored) most difficult book in the English language. Feel free to send me any money you've got for the service I just rendered you.

Thomas was kind enough to reach out to Joshua Gibbs for an interview, and the results speak for themselves. Joshua is a renowned figure in the classical world, and we're happy to have him (and his great big bushy beard) on the podcast.

Josh Gibbs decided to write a pamphlet to kids trembling at the notion of going to a classical school. We, clearly a bunch of children, decided to read it.

Nothing to be done.

In this episode, drawing three books together, Graeme leads us through a discussion about Atlas Shrugged in light of the Therapeutic man . . . and Raskolnikov.

In this installment of Thomas's series on the Landmark Herodotus, we talk about the reign of Cambyses, who gave bad gifts, had bad spies, and couldn't pull back a fancy bow. He was cranky about it.

Leibniz's theory of the best of all possible worlds helps to explain the problem of evil in Theism. "Oh nuh uh" says Voltaire. He wrote Candide in response.

In this episode, we discuss David Hicks's (yep, THAT David Hicks, the one who wrote "Norms and Nobility") article "Is Classical Education Still Possible?" If we agree with him, it could mean that two of us are out of a job, and three of us are out of a podcast.

In Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged," a character gives a two-hundred-page-long speech on objectivism, her philosophy. Hey, if you're looking for an ethos that gives you both independence AND cash, you're in the right place.

This is our first real venture into eastern philosophy. The Tao Te Ching is from the 4th century BC, and lemme tell ya, I've never wanted to be simple like an infant more.

In this episode, we ponder the four causes and unravel the mysteries of the universe. Well, Thomas does. We ruffle his feathers while he does good work.

Sometimes you have feelings. Romeo is one such person who has feelings. Graeme, inspired by a previous episode, ponders on whether Romeo is an existentialist, meaning that the philosophy is immature.

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!?!?

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?

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.

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!

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.