The New Thinkery

Eric Buzzetti & Devin Stauffer on Christopher Bruell: Essays of Five Decades on Philosophy and Philosophers

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Summer Break at The New Thinkery

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Joshua Parens on Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Josh Parens joins Alex and Greg to discuss his recently released book, Maimonides's Guide on Obstacles to Knowledge, Being, and Action. Parens elabor...

Richard Polt on Heidegger' Origin of the Work of Art

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Robert Wyllie on Alasdair MacIntyre

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Greg welcomes Prof. Rob Wyllie back to the show for a thoughtful conversation on the philosophical legacy of Alasdair MacIntyre. Ranging across MacInt...

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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, a...

Ray Bradbury's The Veldt

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 be...

Michael McShane on Shakespeare's King Lear

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded at the most recent ACTC conference, this episode features Michael McShane—educator, writer, and Shakespearean interlocutor—in a wide-rang...

Deacon Harrison Garlick on Gorgias, Part III

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Bernard J. Dobski on Mark Twain's Recollections of Joan of Arc

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 contra...

Werner Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Kierkegaard's Philosophical Fragments with Rob Wyllie & Matt Dinan

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Greg has locked David and Alex out of the recording room, and replaced them with Kierkegaard scholars Rob Wyllie & Matt Dinan. Together, th...

Eric Adler on Language Studies & "Decolonizing the Curriculum"

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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, D...

Jean Renoir's Rules of the Game

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Patrick Callahan on Pindar

26 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, a full complement of hosts is joined by Prof. Patrick Callahan, Assistant Professor of English and Humanities at St. Gregory the Great Semi...

Brian Chau on the Straussian Generation, Part III

19 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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,...

Brian Chau on the Straussian Generation, Part II

12 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Brian Chau on the Straussian Generation, Part I

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Spencer Klavan on Epicureanism

26 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Zena Hitz on Plato's Charmides

19 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Richard Velkley on Heidegger and Strauss

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Weath...

Averroes and al-Ghazali

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Cri...

Devin Stauffer on Leo Strauss' Natural Right & History, Chapter 4

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Unive...

Christopher Nadon On Classical Education and Why Kids Can't Read Good No More

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Steven Lenzner & Svetozar Minkov on Strauss' Debate with Jacob Klein

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys are back and joined once again by Steven Lenzner & Svetozar Minkov to further discuss their latest edited volume, Leo Strauss' Pu...

Steven Lenzner & Svetozar Minkov on the Intention of Rousseau

08 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, David has been brought back from the dead, but that didn't stop Greg and Alex from bringing two guests on for the show this week: Steven Le...

Panel: Leo Strauss on Plato's Symposium, Part II

01 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Happy New Year from The New Thinkery! This week concludes the Leo Strauss on Plato's Symposium panel from two weeks ago. The group jumps right into it...

Adam Carrington on John Ford's Three Godfathers

25 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this special Christmas edition, Greg and Alex delve into John Ford's poignant Western, Three Godfathers. A tale of redemption, faith, and the endur...

Panel: Leo Strauss on Plato's Symposium, Part I

18 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Greg and David take a break and let Alex do the talking, joined by multiple respected academics as the group gather to discuss Strauss' vie...

Roosevelt Montás on the Virtues of a Liberal Education

11 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is the ideal of a liberal education still achievable in the modern era? Roosevelt Montás, celebrated author and scholar at Columbia University, joins...

Thomas Powers on the Civil Rights Movement

04 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join the guys, minus David who has inexplicably gone missing, for an empassioned conversation with Carthus College's Professor Thomas Powers of Carthu...

Samuel Stoner on Kant's Conjectural Beginnings and the Story of Genesis

27 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Professor Samuel Stoner steps in for David and helps guide Alex and Greg through Immanuel Kant's thought-provoking short essay Conjectural...

Giovanni Ferrari on Plato the Writer

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week all the guys are back in the saddle, and joined by Prof. Giovanni R. F. (John) Ferrari, the Melpomene Distinguished Professor of Classical L...

Damian Jungerman on Hannah Arendt's "Philosophy and Politics"

13 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

David and Greg dive into Hannah Arendt's influential essay "Philosophy and Politics" this week alongside returning guest Damien Jungerman, exploring A...

John Ford's The Sun Shines Bright

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While you are either celebrating or lamenting who appears to be the victor of the 2024 election, the guys are showing their election season spirits, t...

Charles Butterworth on Al-Farabi's Book of Letters

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys are joined once again by Dr. Charles Butterworth, emeritus professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland, Col...

Patrick Deneen on Strauss' Three Waves of Modernity

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Alex and Greg temporarily replace David with friend of the show Professor Patrick Deneen, who teaches at the University of Notre Dame. The ...

An Overview of Homer's Odyssey

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A full complement of hosts are back this week and primed to deliver an overview of Homer's Odyssey. In addition to a plot synopsis, the guys dispel c...

Jonathan Swift's Battle of the Books

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week the guys are back to discuss Jonathan Swift. Everyone has heard of Gulliver's Travels and A Modest Proposal, but he has another work wo...

Sabrina Little on Athletics and Virtue

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys are joined by Sabrina Little, assistant professor in the department of Leadership and American Studies at Christopher Newport Univ...

Leo Strauss' "On the Interpretation of Genesis"

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys return once again to the prophetic teachings of Leo Strauss. This time, the focus is on Strauss' understanding of Genesis, which t...

Lincoln and the Founding

18 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, in observance of Constitution Day, the guys wax poetic about the virtues of the Founding... is what you probably expected this to say. Inst...

Eric Adler on Livy's History of Rome, Book I Ch. 1-16

11 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys are joined once again by Dr. Eric Adler, Professor and Chair of Classics at the University of Maryland, to talk about the beginnin...

Walter Sterling on T. S. Eliot's "The Waste Land"

04 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys are joined by Walter Sterling, the freshly minted president of St. John's College in Santa Fe to discuss one of the twentieth cent...

Pano Kanelos on Hamlet and the University of Austin

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's back to school season, and to mark the occasion, the full host complement is joined by Dr. Pano Kanelos, founding president of the University of ...

Robert Wyllie on Understanding Byung-Chul Han

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Joining Alex and Greg this week is Professor Robert Wyllie of Ashland University. He guides the group through the thought-provoking world of Byung-Chu...

Flagg Taylor on Jan Patočka's The Spiritual Person & the Intellectual

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Alex and Greg delve into Jan Patočka's 1975 essay "The Spiritual Person & the Intellectual," exploring its profound insights on the nature...

Michael Davis On Greek Tragedy, and Electra

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys delve into the rich world of Greek tragedy with professor Michael Davis from Sarah Lawrence College. The group explore the themes ...

Mary Nichols on Piety in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

  Join the guys this week as they explore the nuanced concept of piety in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics with esteemed scholar Mary Nich...

Plato's Lovers

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode, the guys unpack Plato's Lovers, a dialogue centered on the question of what philosophy is. Join the guys as they explore Socra...

Ralph Waldo Emerson's The American Scholar

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join the guys as they delve into Ralph Waldo Emerson's brief essay, "The American Scholar," picking apart the diagnostic value of Emerson's view of th...

CDC Reeve on Aristotle's Dialectic

10 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Alex and Greg replace David with renowned philosopher CDC Reeve. The group delve into Aristotle's Dialectic, exploring the depths of ancien...

Paul Carrese on George Washington

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Fourth of July from the New Thinkery! This week, Alex and Greg are joined by Paul Carrese, professor at Arizona State University and senior fell...

On Fitness

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys mostly put away the books to discuss the importance of fitness, both for physical longevity and mental sharpness. Led by Greg, the...

Ariel Helfer on Plato's Letters

19 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, the guys are joined by Professor Ariel Helfer of Wayne State University to discuss his new book on Plato's Letters. Delve into an eng...

Leo Strauss' What Is Political Philosophy?, Part III

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The guys take this week to close out their mini-series on Leo Strauss' What is Political Philosophy? Listen in as they unpack Strauss' analysis of m...

Leo Strauss' What is Political Philosophy?, Part II

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join the guys for an enlightening continuation of last week's discussion on Leo Strauss' What is Political Philosophy? This week, they delve into part...

Leo Strauss' What is Political Philosophy?, Part I

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, the guys delve into the profound insights of Leo Strauss' seminal work, What is Political Philosophy? while cracking their hallmark l...

The New Thinkery at 200

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The New Thinkery is celebrating its 200th episode this week. To celebrate, the guys convene to do a retrospective of sorts. They take the opportunity ...

Marc Landy on America and Modernity

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join the guys as they welcome Marc Landy, professor at Boston College, who provides profound insights from his latest book, America and Modernity. Unp...

Dustin Peone on Comedy and Philosophy

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys are joined by Dustin Peone, instructor of liberal studies at Mercer University and a fellow of the Institute for Vico Studies in A...

Christopher Lynch on Machiavelli on War

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join the guys this week for an engaging discussion on the art of war through the eyes of Niccolò Machiavelli in Christopher Lynch's latest book, Mach...

W. B. Allen on Montesquieu's Spirit of the Laws

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join the guys this week for a deep dive into Montesquieu's Spirit of the Laws with the insightful W. B. Allen, Professor Emeritus of Political Philoso...

Plato's Hipparchus

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join us for a deep dive into the world of Plato as we explore Plato's Hipparchus. The guys unpack this lesser-known dialogue, delving into its themes ...

Laurence Berns on Francis Bacon with Martin Yaffe and Nathan Dinneen

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join Alex and Greg for an enlightening discussion on Francis Bacon with esteemed guests Martin Yaffe and Nathan Dinneen, editors of The Political Phi...

Raúl Rodríguez on Strauss' View of Tocqueville and Nietzsche

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Alex and Greg join a live panel hosted by Michigan State University to explore the perspective of Leo Strauss on two towering figures of ph...

Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act V

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys close out Shakespeare's Hamlet by focusing on Act V. The play reaches its dramatic climax as the threads of betrayal, revenge, and...

Christopher Kelly on Rousseau's Rousseau, Judge of Jean-Jacques, Part II

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing on Part I from last week, Greg and Alex again replace David with renowned Rousseau scholar Dr. Christopher Kelly, professor of political sc...

Christopher Kelly on Rousseau's Rousseau, Judge of Jean-Jacques, Part I

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Greg and Alex replace David with renowned Rousseau scholar Dr. Christopher Kelly, professor of political science at Boston College. The gro...

Robert Bresson's A Man Escaped ft. Tom Cleveland & James Guess

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Alex and Greg replace David with not one, but two guests! Tom Cleveland rejoins the show with a new title as the Executive Director of the ...

Douglas Kries on Augustine City of God

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week Douglas Kries, a distinguished scholar from Gonzaga University, joins the guys as they delve into the profound insights of Augustine's monum...

Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act IV

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join the guys as they delve into the heart of Shakespeare's masterpiece, Hamlet. Act IV revolves around a pivotal moment in the play where the intrica...

Devin Stauffer on Leo Strauss' Natural Right & History, Chapter 5, Part 1 on Hobbes

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join us as we delve into the profound insights of political philosopher Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History featuring returning special guest Devin...

Kaishuo Chen on Confucius and Esotericism

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Kaishuo Chen, a PhD student at Boston College, joins the guys this week for a dive into the teachings of Confucius and exploring the intersection of h...

Xenophon's Apology

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, delve into the profound philosophical insights of Xenophon's Apology as the guys explore the teachings and reflections of Socrates fr...

Roundtable Discussion of Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Greg and Alex are joined roundtable-style at UATX by Mark Blitz, Fletcher Jones Professor of Political Philosophy at Claremont McKenna Univ...

Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act III

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys continue their mini-series breaking down Shakespeare's Hamlet, this time with a focus on Act III. Delve into the intricate web o...

Ronna Burger on Moses as Lawgiver and Founder

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys are joined by Ronna Burger, Professor of Philosophy, Catherine & Henry J. Gaisman Chair, and Director of Judeo-Christian Studies a...

Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History, Chapter 3

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys return to Leo Strauss' crucially important book, Natural Right and History. The guys discuss the intricate relationship between c...

Peter J. Ahrensdorf on Homer

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The guys are joined by Peter J. Ahrensdorf, the James B. Duke Professor of Political Science and Affiliated Professor of Classics at Davidson College ...

Dickens' A Christmas Carol

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's classic episode of The New Thinkery, the guys discuss the Christmas classic: A Christmas Carol. They go through the book's plot, themes...

Eric Adler on the New Humanism

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys are joined for a record sixth time by Dr. Eric Adler, Professor and Chair of Classics at the University of Maryland to talk about ...

Tim Burns on Leo Strauss, Part II

06 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this continuation of a two-part discussion, Professor Tim Burns guides the guys through a thoughtful talk on Leo Strauss, with further discussion...

Tim Burns on Leo Strauss, Part I

29 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this opening of a two-part discussion, Professor Tim Burns guides the guys through a thoughtful discussion on Leo Strauss, democracy, technology, a...

On Gratitude

22 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Thanksgiving from The New Thinkery! As the guys convene as the holiday season kicks into high gear, the topic of gratitude is predictably front ...

Kafka's In the Penal Colony

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join the guys as they dissect Franz Kafka's In the Penal Colony. Dive into the intricacies of the story, exploring its symbolism, existential themes, ...

Musings on Plato's Symposium Panel

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Alex gathers with Jeff Black of St. John's College, David Levy of St. John's College, and Michael McShane of the Dallas Institute to discus...

Fritz Lang's M

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A belated Happy Halloween from the guys at The New Thinkery! Join the guys for a spine-tingling analysis of the 1931 classic, M, as they explore its ...

Stripes & Coriolanus with B.J. Dobski

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join us for an engaging episode with the guys and returning special guest, B.J. Dobski, professor of political science at Assumption University. They ...

Hesiod's "Works and Days," Part I

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join the guys this week as they delve into the ancient wisdom of Hesiod's "Works and Days." Discover timeless insights on labor, virtue, and the human...

Hannah Arendt's "Ideology and Terror" ft. Damian Jungerman

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join the guys, with returning guest and Damian Jungerman, an expert on Hannah Arendt, as they unpack Arendt's profound essay, "Ideology and Terror," w...

Nasser Behnegar on Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History, Chapter 2

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The guys are joined by Professor Nasser Behnegar, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at Boston College. The group discuss how Strau...

Shilo Brooks on Nietzsche's "On the Use and Disadvantage of History for Life"

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Alex and Greg take over the show to speak with Shilo Brooks, Executive Director of the James Madison Program at Princeton University, about...

Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act II

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing their mini-series breaking down Shakespeare's Hamlet, the guys sit down this week to take a close look at Act II. The guys analyze every de...

Alex Priou's Musings on Plato's Symposium

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys gather to discuss a new book written by our very own Alex Priou! The book, Musings on Plato's Symposium, is a short but powerful s...

Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act I

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing their mini-series on Shakespeare's Hamlet, the guys move from an overview to an thorough analysis of the play's first act. An emphasis is ...

Jacob Howland on the Crisis of Higher Education and the University of Austin

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The guys are joined this week by Professor Jacob Howland, Dean of UATX's Intellectual Foundations program. The group takes a closer look at higher edu...

Ray Bradbury's The Veldt

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 be...

Heidegger's The Question Concerning Technology

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In an increasingly tech-driven world, it's easy to forget the human, and what essence of technology actually is. Heidegger's essay, The Question Conc...

Steven Hayward on David Mitchell's "Cloud Atlas"

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the guys are joined for the third time by author, political commentator, and policy scholar Steven F. Hayward, who is replacing David for t...