The New Thinkery

In this episode, Alex takes the mic on the road, hosting a special panel on David Bolotin and the recently released volume On Plato's Republic: The 1988 Lecture Notes , which preserves Bolotin's notes and was coedited by Alex and Paul Diduch. Joined by Louis Slawsky, Nasser Behnegar, Peter J. Hansen, Paul Ulrich, Joshua Parens, Paul Diduch, and Travis Mulroy, the group reflect above all on Bolotin...

The guys have emerged from an eight-month slumber to sit down with Eric Buzzetti and Devin Stauffer to talk about their teacher Christopher Bruell and the newly edited collection Christopher Bruell: Essays of Five Decades on Philosophy and Philosophers . They recount what it was like to study with Bruell at Boston College, why his writing is equal parts illuminating and elusive, and how his work p...

Since launching in July 2020, The New Thinkery hasn't taken an extended break—but after nearly five years of weekly episodes, the guys are finally taking a much needed summer pause. The show will return with fresh conversations on political philosophy, literature, film, and more on  September 3, 2025 , with high-caliber guests on the horizon. In the meantime, revisit your favorite episodes, catch...

Josh Parens joins Alex and Greg to discuss his recently released book, Maimonides's Guide on Obstacles to Knowledge, Being, and Action . Parens elaborates on a bold interpretation of Maimonides's Guide of the Perplexed that highlights how the philosopher uses "obstacles" to structure his defense of law, prophecy, and providence. This episode delves into Parens' middle-ground reading, reframing ske...

This week, a full complement of the guys are back, and are joined by Professor Richard Polt for a deep dive into Heidegger's The Origin of the Work of Art . Together, they unpack Heidegger's claims about truth, being, and the unique role art plays in revealing the world. The episode offers an accessible entry point into one of Heidegger's most challenging—and strangely beautiful—essays. Plus: the...

Greg welcomes Prof. Rob Wyllie back to the show for a thoughtful conversation on the philosophical legacy of Alasdair MacIntyre. Ranging across MacIntyre's major works—from After Virtue to his reflections on tradition, ethics, and rationality—they consider his influence on contemporary moral philosophy and make an attempt at placing his thoughts intellectually.    Recommended reading: Alasdair Mac...

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness offers more than a critique of empire—it's a meditation on the slipperiness of truth, the fragmentation of self, and the unsettling possibility that meaning is just another European export gone missing. This episode peers into the novella's narrative hall of mirrors, examining its existential fog, moral vertigo, and the peculiar power of a story that both reveals...

Imagine a Jetsons-esque home that attempts to meet all of your needs while also featuring a room that makes your imagination into reality. Add some behaviorally troubled children imagining bloodthirsty lions into the mix, and you have the setup for Ray Bradbury's  The Veldt . In a dystopian tale that would make an excellent episode of  Black Mirror , Bradbury explores the pitfalls of tech that rob...

Recorded at the most recent ACTC conference , this episode features Michael McShane—educator, writer, and Shakespearean interlocutor—in a wide-ranging discussion of King Lear with both Greg and Alex. The group examine the play's structural and philosophical dimensions, from the politics of authority and the aesthetics of suffering to questions of justice, recognition, and the limits of language. M...

To celebrate  The New Thinkery 's 250th episode... David and Alex take the week off. Instead, Greg joins Deacon Harrison Garlick of Ascend - The Great Books Podcast , to take a closer look at the third section of Plato's  Gorgias which centers on a dialogue between Socrates and Calicles. The pair follow Socrates as he dismantles the arguments of Callicles, challenging the nature of power, justice,...

Professor B.J. Dobski joins Greg and David this week to examine Mark Twain's Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc , a work that stands in stark contrast to Twain's more familiar satirical writings. Through careful analysis, and using his latest book— Mark Twain's Joan of Arc: Political Wisdom, Divine Justice, and the Origins of Modernity —as a backdrop, Dobski illuminates Twain's treatment of vir...

This week, Alex and Greg dive into Werner Herzog's  Aguirre, the Wrath of God , unraveling its haunting exploration of madness, ambition, and the human condition. They trace the film's philosophical undercurrents—from existential isolation to the limits of power—set against the backdrop of the unforgiving Amazon. Through sharp analysis and reflective banter, they uncover what Herzog's fever dream...

This week, Greg has locked David and Alex out of the recording room, and replaced them with Kierkegaard scholars Rob Wyllie & Matt Dinan. Together, they dive into Kierkegaard's Philosophical Fragments to examine what it means to become a self, whether truth can be received as a gift, and why Socrates might need a divine upgrade. It's a lively exploration of paradox, passion, and the mysteries at t...

With the stock market tanking, Alex has fled the country to verify family artifacts are still in a vault in case we go back to bartering. Meanwhile, David and Greg have replaced him this week with  The New Thinkery 's most prolific guest, Eric Adler, professor of classics and chair of the department at the University of Maryland at College Park.  The trio discuss Adler's latest article, The Hypocr...

Jean Renoir's Rules of the Game isn't just a classic film—it's a sharp critique of society, morality, and the masks we wear. In this episode, all three of the guys sit down to break down how the film exposes the illusions of class, love, and human nature, all under the guise of a lighthearted, bordering on flippant comedy that ends with a homicide. What does it say about the "rules" we still follo...

This week, a full complement of hosts is joined by Prof. Patrick Callahan, Assistant Professor of English and Humanities at St. Gregory the Great Seminary to discuss Pindar's  The Odes . A Theban poet for hire, Pindar's works present some unique challenges in disentangling their true meaning, and what he was actually like. Fortunately, Prof. Callahan has spent years deciphering every line we have...

Alex sits down with Brian Chau of  From the New World for an extended discussion on a range of topics, from building up UATX, to the Online Right, to Strauss on reactionary thought and esoteric writing. The pair tackle it all. In this closing episode, Brian and Alex focus on interpretations of Bronze Age Pervert , including critique of the man himself, while also crediting him where academics have...

Alex sits down with Brian Chau of From the New World for an extended discussion on a range of topics, from building up UATX, to the Online Right, to Strauss on reactionary thought and esoteric writing. The pair tackle it all. This week, the focus shifts to a look at Hobbesian philosophy and Machiavellianism. 

This week, Alex sits down with Brian Chau of From the New World for an extended discussion on a range of topics, from building up UATX, to the Online Right, to Strauss on reactionary thought and esoteric writing. The pair tackle it all. Plus, is Gen Z the most esoteric generation to date?

A full complement of the guys are joined by Spencer Klavan, repeat offender on the show, host of Young Heretics , newly minted lecturer in the Classica and Languages programs at New College, associate editor at the Claremont Review of Books , and author most recently of  Gateway to the Epicureans: Epicurus, Lecretius, and their Modern Heirs . The group sit down to unpack the concept of epicureanis...

In this episode, the guys are all here, and joined by Zena Hitz of St. John's College. Together, the group dive into Plato's Charmides . What does true wisdom look like? Can self-knowledge lead to a well-ordered soul? Listen in as the cast explore the dialogue's reflections on temperance, philosophy, and the limits of human understanding. Plato's insights offer a compelling perspective on the purs...

In this rerelease of The New Thinkery , the guys are back to help bring in the new year, and are joined by Dr. Richard Velkley, the Celia Scott Weatherhead Professor of Philosophy at Tulane University. They discuss Heidegger, Leo Strauss, and the underlying premises of philosophy. After you've heard the serious stuff, stick around for the lightning round Q&A at the end! Editor's note: please forgi...

In this rerun of 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 ver...

This week, David has once again died, but Alex and Greg have brought back Dr. Devin Stauffer, Professor and Associate Chair of Government at the University of Texas at Austin. Together, the group dive into chapter four of Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History. Stauffer unpacks Strauss' critique of relativism, his reflections on modernity, and his arguments for the enduring relevance of classical...

This week, Alex and Greg meet up at UATX and are joined by Dr. Christopher Nadon, Associate Professor of Government at Claremont McKenna College and teacher of Western Civilization and humanities at Emet Classical Academy in New York. The group touch on Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind before delving into Dr. Nadon's experience with just how far American students have fallen academic...