Who Needs Western Civ?

Clay Greene

Interested in history? Philosophy? Politics? Who Needs Western Civ? explores the controversies and glories of "Western Civilization". From ancient Rome to modern America, the tradition sometimes called Western civilization furnishes us with an incredible history that we are all still processing today. Is it a history of oppression or freedom? Does it begin in Athens or Egypt? Does it include India or Islam, South America and the Pacific Islands, or just Europe and North America? Listen in and enter the conversation about fundamental questions about the West and the world.

  1. 08/12/2025

    Democratic Breakdown with Lorraine Pangle

    Professor Lorraine Pangle joins me to discuss Thucydides and the lessons of the Peloponnesian War for modern democracies. We ask whether politics is a constant process in human life or whether large developments like liberalism represent fundamental breaks.

    49 min

  2. 06/22/2025

    38. Catholic Universities with Lee Trepanier

    What is Western Civilization, and who is it for? Philosopher Lee Trepanier joins us to explore why Catholic universities, in particular, may hold the key to its renewal—or its forgetting.

    41 min

  3. 01/06/2025

    37. A Philosopher's View of Education and Literature with Patrick Deneen

    Patrick Deneen is one of America's foremost political philosophers. Instead of discussing his work on liberalism, we talk about education, literature, and the value of close encounters with the great texts and traditions of Western Civilization.

    48 min

  4. 12/04/2024

    Contemplating the Higher Things with Ryan Haecker

    Ryan Haecker is assistant professor of theology at the University of Austin. We discuss the value of seeking higher truth, the meaning of Western Civilization, and the perpetual renewal of great ideas and works.

    39 min

  5. 10/28/2024

    36. Reading Well to Live Well with Kirsten Herlin

    Professor Kirsten Hall Herlin is an assistant professor of literature at UATX. She is an expert in 18th Century British literature and thought. We talk about the English classics and how reading them carefully can prepare students for life. If a book is doing its job, it pulls you in, but soon enough it pulls you back to life.

    57 min

  6. 09/29/2024

    35. The Odyssey of Liberal Education with Jacob Howland

    Jacob Howland is the Provost of the University of Austin. He helps me see the essential educational experience contained in classic texts like the Odyssey, Genesis, and the Epic of Gilgamesh. We talk about the student experience at the University of Austin and how great texts can change the direction of our lives.

    51 min

  7. 09/02/2024

    34. Liberal Education with Peter Berkowitz

    Peter Berkowitz joins me to discuss the challenges to the modern academy and the modern Tradition of Freedom, the hopes for a renewal of liberal education, and a few short stories that demonstrate the dangers of ideology.

    1h 3m

  8. 06/04/2024

    33. The Medieval Sources of Modern Science with Carlos Casanova

    Who created the scientific method? Carlos Casanova gives an unfamiliar answer: the clerics of the Middle Ages. We discuss the case for the medieval origins of modern science and meet some unfamiliar but fascinating figures in the history of philosophy.

    1h 7m
See All (40)

4.8
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Interested in history? Philosophy? Politics? Who Needs Western Civ? explores the controversies and glories of "Western Civilization". From ancient Rome to modern America, the tradition sometimes called Western civilization furnishes us with an incredible history that we are all still processing today. Is it a history of oppression or freedom? Does it begin in Athens or Egypt? Does it include India or Islam, South America and the Pacific Islands, or just Europe and North America? Listen in and enter the conversation about fundamental questions about the West and the world.

Information

  • Creator
    Clay Greene
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    40
  • Copyright
    © Clay Greene