Johannes A. Niederhauser

Johannes A. Niederhauser

Philomythical musings halkyon.substack.com

  1. 2d ago

    Nolan’s Odyssey True Subversion: The Christianisation of Homer

    My final verdict on the worst adaptation of Homer ever made. No wonder Ben Shapiro and Pageau love it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit halkyon.substack.com

    Nolan’s Odyssey True Subversion: The Christianisation of Homer

  2. 4d ago

    Reading the Rosetta Stone: How to Approach Ancient Egyptian Metaphysics

    The one thing the ancient Egyptian priests hated most about foreigners visiting their temples was empty periergia: simple, surface-level curiosity that fixated on the strange and the exotic, while ignoring the underlying principles, the cultural significance of their language, and the importance of myth and ritual as their foundational belief system. Ancient Egypt was always more than its odd customs, its monuments, and its mummies; yet approaching it from the outside often yields an image of Egypt as a civilization of curiosities rather than one of thought. This masterclass by Carla Berenice Groh begins from the opposite premise. At Halkyon Academy, we champion an approach to learning that honors the internal logic and integrity of history’s greatest civilisations. We believe that ancient Egyptian culture must be approached through its own native categories, its own language, its own sacred architecture, and its own literary imagination. Key Takeaways of Carla’s Course By the conclusion of our six weeks together, you will have gained substantial insights into the Ancient Egyptian world, walking away with: * Basic Hieroglyphic Literacy: Learn to decipher hieroglyphs. You will be able to structurally parse and decipher authentic monumental inscriptions and royal titulature on Old Kingdom obelisks. * The Metaphysics: Confidently interpret the temporal and spatial metaphysics of Egyptian thought. You will hold a sound understanding of native categories like Ma’at (cosmic order), Isfet (chaos), and the dual nature of time (Neheh and Djet). * Anatomy of the Soul: Decode the intricate geography of the afterlife. Through the Pyramid Texts and the Book of the Dead, you will learn to understand the distinct metaphysical roles of the Ka, Ba, and Akh, and the ritual technologies used for ascension. * Textual Critical Thinking: Develop a close, analytical eye for primary sources. By parsing ancient wisdom and crisis literature, you will see exactly how the Nile Valley civilisation grappled with universal human questions of suffering, anxiety, and cosmic restoration. Join Carla’s here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit halkyon.substack.com

    Reading the Rosetta Stone: How to Approach Ancient Egyptian Metaphysics

  3. Jul 5

    Why Odysseus Matters in Plato's Republic

    Even though Plato apparently bans Homer alongside other poets from his Ideal City, he still heralds Odysseus as an ideal hero. Plato even ends his Republic with a continuation of the myth of Odysseus. Plato lets the soul of Odysseus choose new life-pattern before it is reborn. And its choice is remarkable: After having gone through the heroic life Odysseus chooses the life-pattern of a layman. No one will know him except for his family and he will return into obscurity after his death. Furthermore, Socrates earlier in the book praises Odysseus as a good man, because he shows to have a good and just order of his soul-parts in place. Why is Odysseus so important to Plato? What do you make of Plato’s continuation of his story in the Myth of Er? Let me know in the comments. And if you’re ready to read Homer’s Odyssey, feel free to take my course on it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit halkyon.substack.com

    Why Odysseus Matters in Plato's Republic

  4. Jul 2

    Homer vs. Adorno: You Can Return Home!

    Reading Adorno again on Odysseus I was struck by the simplistic and all too obvious subversion. Adorno understands Odysseus, who would have thought it, as a bourgeois, or rather as the burgeois archetype. While this can be easily wiped away as a case of extreme presentism, and, dare I say, of rather bourgeois presentism on the part of Theodor himself, Adorno’s more dangerous but equally intolerable claim is that Odysseus loses his identity entirely. Odysseus becomes and remains nobody, insinuates Adorno, and returns as nobody to Ithaca. This entirely corrupts the entire project of nostos that leads to the restoration of the order of the household and kingdom. How we read the Odyssey determines how we understand ourselves as Europeans or as of European descent. We should be aware of Adorno’s misreading but at the same time also be able to show why it is such a profound misreading. Learn how to read the Odyssey with the attention and respect it deserves at my summmer seminar on the text. Begins July 11. Enrolment closing soon. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit halkyon.substack.com

    Homer vs. Adorno: You Can Return Home!

  5. Jun 1

    Peterson's "Nietzsche" Course: The Last Man Speaks and Flattens

    This course is a lot better. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit halkyon.substack.com

    Peterson's "Nietzsche" Course: The Last Man Speaks and Flattens

  6. May 28

    Nietzsche Predicted the Death of Academiy Philosophy. I Built the Answer

    Some musings on the state of Academic philosophy and how to read philosophy today. Also, an invitation to join my Halkyon Philosophy Academy. And just this weekend 25% off all our courses. Use coupon HALKYON at the checkout. I see you in Arcadia. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit halkyon.substack.com

    Nietzsche Predicted the Death of Academiy Philosophy. I Built the Answer

  7. May 25

    The Meaning of Life in Ancient Egypt

    In this dialogue Carla and Johannes explore ancient Egyptian civilisation and their profound answers to the human condition. Our discussion focuses on how their conceptualisation of life, deeply tied to afterlife beliefs, provided coherence for thousands of years. The connection between their religion and civilisation is evident in how they addressed fundamental questions about existence. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit halkyon.substack.com

    The Meaning of Life in Ancient Egypt

  8. Mar 31

    Goethe's Faust: The Founding Myth of Modernity

    And when you’re ready to understand your time, join this course. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit halkyon.substack.com

    Goethe's Faust: The Founding Myth of Modernity
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About

Philomythical musings halkyon.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Johannes A. Niederhauser
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    90
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Johannes A. Niederhauser
  • Show Website
    Johannes A. Niederhauser

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