McConnell Center

Vital Remnants

Education EN ↓ 83 episodes

20 years after the publication of Vital Remnants: America's Founding and the Western Tradition, a book that set out to help America remember her vital roots in the western tradition, Dr. Gary L. Gregg II takes up the title of Vital Remnants once more to continue the mission of serving the future by remembering, thinking about, and learning from the great thinkers of the past. Join Dr. Gregg as he guides listeners through some of the most important texts in human history. Whether you are looking for help in reaching a long abandoned reading goal and continuing your life-long learning, or lookin...

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Author

McConnell Center

Episodes

1.8 Plato's Republic | Bonus: Plato v. Aristotle & the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization 15.06.2019 26:26

Target 8 Reading Recommendation: Arthur Herman, The Cave and the Light: Plato Versus Aristotle, and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization (Random House, 2013) In this bonus episode, Dr. Gary Gregg recommends a variety of books and authors for listeners to read after finishing up The Republic . Dr. Gregg focuses mainly on Arthur Herman's book, The Cave and the Light: Plato Versus Aristo...

1.7 Plato's Republic | Of Poets & the Afterlife: Imagining Your Life Choices 15.05.2019 57:53

In this episode of Vital Remnants, Dr. Gary Gregg guides listeners through the final book of The Republic. He first discusses the opening of Book X, in which Plato presents the conflict between poetry and philosophy and spends a significant amount of time criticizing the poets–Homer in particular. Once again we are reminded of the tripartite soul and are challenged to consider how the types of ent...

1.6 Plato's Republic | The Tyrannical Soul & Cultivating the Proper Soul 15.04.2019 42:21

After considering the other types of governments and individuals in last month's installment, Dr. Gary Gregg takes a deeper dive into Plato's outline of the mind and government of the tyrant. He then discusses a new image Plato provides of the human soul in book IX, and concludes by considering the idea of the proper cultivation of one's soul. Target 6 Reading: Book IX, pp. 251-275 of "The Repub...

1.5 Plato's Republic | The Types of Political Leadership & the Types of Political Communities 15.03.2019 50:46

Having now arrived at one of the most important sections of The Republic, Dr. Gary Gregg discusses Plato's types of governments and how they decline from the best to the worst. Spoiler alert–democracy is certainly not the best in his view. Listeners are encouraged to consider Plato's strong indictment of democracy and to take a hard look at our American system through this lens to see how closely...

1.4 Plato's Republic | The Philosopher Kings & the Responsibilities of Leadership 15.02.2019 49:47

In this episode, Dr. Gary Gregg outlines Plato's views on political leadership and uses this framework to consider today's institutions and public figures. He walks us through the Allegory of the Ship and the famous Allegory of the Cave. Lastly, Connor Tracy joins Dr. Gregg to discuss Plato's concept of the "Divided Line." Target 4 Reading: Books V, VI & VII, pp. 153-220 of "The Republic of Plato"...

1.3 Plato's Republic | The Education & Proper Political Culture for Leadership Part II 14.01.2019 56:16

In this episode of Vital Remnants, Dr. Gary Gregg discusses Plato's call for the combination of political power and philosophy within our leaders (1:34), the three parts of society (5:00), Plato's tests for leadership (7:31), and the "Myth of the Metals" (15:41). He then revisits education (22:28), the four parts of virtue (26:07), Plato's definition of justice (32:05) and the burden of leadership...

1.2 Plato's Republic | The Education & Proper Political Culture for Leadership Part I 15.12.2018 53:54

In the second episode of this season of Vital Remnants, Dr. Gary Gregg begins by comparing Plato's philosophical assumptions about the origin of communities with those that have shaped the modern understanding, including the views of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau (5:11). Gregg then dives into the creation of Plato's city and discusses the origins of war (13:20), the need for guardians, and the questi...

1.1 Plato's Republic | Justice & Leadership 14.11.2018 56:47

In this inaugural episode of our walk through Plato's Republic , Dr. Gary Gregg introduces listeners to the importance of "The Republic" and lays out a few key concepts of Platonic thought that will help inform the modern reader's understanding as they work through the text. He then walks through the various definitions of Justice presented throughout the dialogue and discusses the implications of...