The Robin & Boom Show

Robin Phillips and Jason Van Boom
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Philosophy

The Robin & Boom Show is your source for engaging the contemporary world with the Great Tradition. Robin Phillips and Jason Van Boom explore some of the most pertinent issues of our time, drawing on classical Christian approaches to philosophy and society. Topics include technology, politics, education, aesthetics, literature, history, theology, health, science, metaphysics, current events, and much more!

Episodes

  1. 09/19/2019

    The Robin & Boom Show #16 – Modernism, Postmodernism, and Virtue, with Dr. Phillip Cary

    Is it possible to infer values about what we ought to do from facts about how the world is? This question introduces a major problem within meta-ethics, which is how to philosophically justify ethical obligations. In this interview, Dr. Phillip Cary explains how these difficulties in meta-ethics arose out of the political, philosophical, and scientific context of the 17th and 18th centuries. Building on the work of Alasdair MacIntyre, Cary suggests that we have been left with the fragments of a once coherent tradition. The rise of Postmodernism offers a unique opportunity to return to this earlier tradition, and to recover a context in which discussion of virtues make sense. Questions covered in this podcast include: Is it possible to philosophically justify ethical obligations? What is the central Postmodern insight? Is the anti-traditional bias in Modernism itself a type of tradition? What is the good for which human beings were created? How is training in virtue tried to the pursuit of wisdom? In what way do traditions create a context for virtue and rationality? Does Hume’s famous is-ought gap show forth the failure of the Enlightenment project? Can competing traditions speak to each other? How does a recovery of teleology or final causation help us affirm a truth about the good? View all Episodes of The Robin & Boom Show Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom.  The post The Robin & Boom Show #16 – Modernism, Postmodernism, and Virtue, with Dr. Phillip Cary appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

  2. 09/11/2019

    The Robin & Boom Show #15 – Everything Plato, with Dr. Phillip Cary

    Dr. Phillip Cary sheds light on Plato’s philosophy in this latest edition of The Robin & Boom Show. In this podcast you will learn why the ideas of a thinker from the 5th century BC are more relevant today than ever before. Plato offers a valuable antidote to a culture in which goodness, truth, and beauty are so often perceived to be located in the purely immanent. Questions addressed in this podcast include: Was Plato a proto-Gnostic? Did Plato hate the material body? What is the relation between body and soul within Plato’s thought? How did Plato’s spiritual psychology become more complex as he matured? Does Plato’s spiritual psychology shed light on issues we face in the modern world? How do human bodies reflect the forms of ultimate things? How did Socrates influence Plato at the beginning of his career, and Aristotle towards the end of his career? Does erotic love have spiritual value? What is the role of desire in truth-seeking? What role did neoplatonism play in in Eastern Orthodox theology? How did St. Augustine appropriate Plato’s philosophy for the West? Can a contemporary appropriation of neoplatonism shed light on modern issues like malls and movies? View all Episodes of The Robin & Boom Show The post The Robin & Boom Show #15 – Everything Plato, with Dr. Phillip Cary appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

  3. 08/02/2019

    The Robin & Boom Show #14 – Interview with William Kabasenche on Virtue Ethics

    Robin interviews Dr. William Kabasenche, professor of philosophy at Washington State University. They discussed virtue ethics, and how this differs from other common approaches to ethical decision-making. In this podcast you will learn why the ethical life should not start with questions like, “What should you do?”, but instead should seek to ask questions such as “what type of person do I want to become?” Dr. Kabasenche explained how this approach lends insight into questions of genetic screening and end of life issues.   View all Episodes of The Robin & Boom Show Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom.  The post The Robin & Boom Show #14 – Interview with William Kabasenche on Virtue Ethics appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

  4. 06/28/2019

    The Robin & Boom Show #13 – Attentiveness, Technology, Empathy and Stillness (Part 2 of series with Mark Weisman)

    Mark Weisman Robin Phillips and Jason Van Boom continue the discussion with Mark Weisman on technology, empathy, attention and EQ. In this podcast you will learn what Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica and the Great Tradition tell us about bringing attentiveness into our relationships. You will also learn the importance of slowing down to take a reflective turn, how to leverage neuroplasticity for good, and the relationship between the brain, body and emotions. Questions discussed include: What tools and  best practices are available for families who want to push back against the culture of distraction? Is empathetic listening an ability that some people simply have while others do not, or is it a skill that can be developed with practice? How does awareness of one’s own feelings relate to sensitivity towards the emotions of others? How can we develop the intellectual virtue of contemplation, and how does this affect our relationships? How does the Sabbath commandment reflect natural law? From the podcast: “…be aware of what other people are feeling, and listen to the emotions behind what they are saying rather than just being quick to respond to surface issues. Go deeper and really try to listen with your heart and with empathy. Often we get into fights and arguments about issues that are really just proxies for deeper emotional issues, and these deeper emotional issues, when they’re not being adequately addressed or listened to, can cause problems abort issues that are not really the issue.”   View all Episodes of The Robin & Boom Show Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom.  The post The Robin & Boom Show #13 – Attentiveness, Technology, Empathy and Stillness (Part 2 of series with Mark Weisman) appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

  5. 06/15/2019

    The Robin & Boom Show #12 – With Mark Weisman on Empathy, Technology, and EQ (Part 1)

    Robin and Jason are joined by Mark Weisman to discuss some of the ways digital technology is eroding skills in empathy and emotional intelligence (EQ). Mark Weisman contributes to this discussion from his perspective working for years in the tech industry. In this podcast you will learn the difference between “emotional empathy” and “cognitive empathy”, and why EQ is central to human flourishing. You will also learn what the latest brain science shows about the corrosive effect of too much screen-time, particularly in brain regions associated with emotional maturity, introspection, expression recognition and emotional regulation. (For more on this topic, visit out emotional intelligence archives.) View all Episodes of The Robin & Boom Show Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom.  The post The Robin & Boom Show #12 – With Mark Weisman on Empathy, Technology, and EQ (Part 1) appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

  6. 06/08/2019

    The Robin & Boom Show #11 – Mueller Report and EU Elections

    Jason asks Robin about Trump; Robin asks Jason about the EU. Robin suggests that the full impact of the Mueller Report has been eclipsed by left-wing overreach. President Trump is neither Jesus nor Hitler, but he has been creating new norms by pushing the envelope. This episode also features a discussion of the European Union in light of the May 2019 elections. In this show you will learn about the changing climate of European politics, as well as the difference between Europe, the EU, and the Euro. View all Episodes of The Robin & Boom Show Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom.  The post The Robin & Boom Show #11 – Mueller Report and EU Elections appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

  7. 05/31/2019

    The Robin & Boom Show #10 – C. Derick Varn on Higher Education and Cheating

    Jason Van Boom interviews author and educator, C. Derick Varn, about the with the college admissions bribery scandal, and what this tells us about trends in higher education today. How does modern education compare to the medieval university? Is there value in elite education? What is a meritocracy? What does it mean for a student to teach himself? How has our system of university degrees developed since the Middle Ages, and is it still viable? These are some of the many questions addressed in this episode. View all Episodes of The Robin & Boom Show Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom.  The post The Robin & Boom Show #10 – C. Derick Varn on Higher Education and Cheating appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

  8. 05/24/2019

    The Robin & Boom Show #09 – Conversation with Steven Schloeder on Ecclesiastical and Civic Architecture

    What do recent developments in the rebuilding of Notre Dame cathedral tell us about trends in ecclesiastical and civic architecture? How does the sacramental understanding of architecture compare with modern architectural designs, including the proposal to rebuild the spire of Notre Dame cathedral along postmodernist lines? Jason Van Boom discusses these questions with architect and theologian Steven Schloeder. In this conversation they compared contemporary attitudes towards design with medieval understandings, looking at how these competing attitudes reveal a clash in what it means to be human. Van Boom and Schloeder also explored some of the symbolism of Catholic and Orthodox church structures, and what this tells us about God’s relationship to mankind. View all Episodes of The Robin & Boom Show Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom.  The post The Robin & Boom Show #09 – Conversation with Steven Schloeder on Ecclesiastical and Civic Architecture appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

  9. 05/22/2019

    The Robin & Boom Show #05 – Interview with Michael d’Esterre on Classical Education and Emotional Wellness

    What is classical education? How can the liberal arts fortify children against anxiety, depression and addiction? What was Charlotte Mason’s contribution to classical education? These are some of the questions that Robin and Jason explore with this week’s guest, Michael d’Esterre. Michael is a clinical social worker in Spokane Washington, who is turning to the liberal arts to find answers to some of our society’s most pressing problems, including mental disorders and addiction. View all Episodes of The Robin & Boom Show Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom.  The post The Robin & Boom Show #05 – Interview with Michael d’Esterre on Classical Education and Emotional Wellness appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

  10. 05/03/2019

    The Robin & Boom Show #07 – Interview with Dr. David Wang on Notre-Dame Cathedral (Part 2)

    In this second interview with Dr. David Wang, we continue to learn about Notre-Dame Cathedral and the significance of the recent fire. Dr. Wang explains how Notre-Dame cathedral is an incarnation of a sacramental ordering of the world, a way of looking at creation in which “the small human being is in the embrace of an immensely larger immaterial reality, such that the small human being receives benefit.” Drawing on his experience as former head of the architectural department at Washington State, Dr. Wang contrasts this ancient sacramental understanding of buildings with postmodern architecture. The conversation steered into the implications of living in an increasingly machine-driven culture, in which our reliance on cyberspace and “disembodied communities” (i,e., communities bereft of any organic relationship to the immediate vicinity around where we live) are orienting human beings to new ways of negotiating embodiment. View all Episodes of The Robin & Boom Show Disclaimer: the ideas expressed on the Robin & Boom Show’s host website, www.robinmarkphillips.com, should not be taken as reflecting the views of Jason Van Boom.  The post The Robin & Boom Show #07 – Interview with Dr. David Wang on Notre-Dame Cathedral (Part 2) appeared first on Robin Mark Phillips.

  • 10 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Robin & Boom Show is your source for engaging the contemporary world with the Great Tradition. Robin Phillips and Jason Van Boom explore some of the most pertinent issues of our time, drawing on classical Christian approaches to philosophy and society. Topics include technology, politics, education, aesthetics, literature, history, theology, health, science, metaphysics, current events, and much more!

Information

  • Creator
    Robin Phillips and Jason Van Boom
  • Years Active
    2019
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Robin & Boom Show