Nature and the Nation Dylan John

In this episode, I explore Eric Hoffer's description of the various types of people that constitute the leaders and followers of mass movements, as described in his classic 1951 book, The True Believer.

In this episode I examine the competing forces of Physis (Nature) and Nomos (Custom) as detailed in the erudite examination The Sophists by W. K. C. Guthrie.

In this episode I examine the connections between Nomos, Physis, and Moira in early Greek philosophy as detailed by Cornford in From Religion to Philosophy.

In this episode I look at the violent glory of war in Homer's Iliad, as detailed in Bernard Knox's introduction to the Robert Fagles translation of this classic epic poem of war, and several choice readings of the battle for the Argive ships.

In this episode I look at Thomas Cahill's examination of Ancient Greece in Sailing the Wine Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter. I pay special attention to the first three chapter where Cahill discusses Homer and his great works, The Iliad and the Odessey.

In this episode I explore another essay in Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey's massive History of Political Philosophy 3rd Edition. This time it's David Hume and his so-called skepticism, which I call into question on account of his deference to habit and custom. This episode is the fourth of a series.