The New Thinkery

The New Thinkery
  • 4.9 (237)
  • PHILOSOPHY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The New Thinkery is a podcast devoted to political philosophy and its history, along with its many guises in literature, film, and human experience generally. Named after Socrates' infamous "Thinkery" in Aristophanes' Clouds, The New Thinkery strikes a balance between the seriousness of academia and the playfulness of casual conversation among friends.

  1. 06/25/2025

    Summer Break at The New Thinkery

    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 taking a much needed summer pause. The show will return with fresh conversations on political philosophy, literature, film, and more on September 3, 2025, with high-caliber guests on the horizon. In the meantime, revisit your favorite episodes, catch up on ones you may have missed, and spread the word. See you in September, and thank you all for listening in for the past few years!

    10 min

  2. 06/18/2025

    Joshua Parens on Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed

    Josh Parens joins Alex and Greg to discuss his recently released book, Maimonides's Guide on Obstacles to Knowledge, Being, and Action. Parens elaborates on a bold interpretation of Maimonides's Guide of the Perplexed that highlights how the philosopher uses "obstacles" to structure his defense of law, prophecy, and providence. This episode delves into Parens' middle-ground reading, reframing skeptical and dogmatic extremes as intentionally vague limits that safeguard both revelation and philosophical reason.

    1h 18m

  3. 06/11/2025

    Richard Polt on Heidegger' Origin of the Work of Art

    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 Art. Together, they unpack Heidegger's claims about truth, being, and the unique role art plays in revealing the world. The episode offers an accessible entry point into one of Heidegger's most challenging—and strangely beautiful—essays. Plus: the virtues of... typewriters?

    1h 7m

  4. 06/04/2025

    Robert Wyllie on Alasdair MacIntyre

    Greg welcomes Prof. Rob Wyllie back to the show for a thoughtful conversation on the philosophical legacy of Alasdair MacIntyre. Ranging across MacIntyre's major works—from After Virtue to his reflections on tradition, ethics, and rationality—they consider his influence on contemporary moral philosophy and make an attempt at placing his thoughts intellectually.    Recommended reading: Alasdair MacIntyre, R.I.P. Ethics in the Conflicts of Modernity: An Essay on Desire, Practical Reasoning, and Narrative

    59 min

  5. 05/28/2025

    Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness

    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, and the unsettling possibility that meaning is just another European export gone missing. This episode peers into the novella's narrative hall of mirrors, examining its existential fog, moral vertigo, and the peculiar power of a story that both reveals and withholds in the same breath.

    1h 3m

  6. 05/21/2025

    Ray Bradbury's The Veldt

    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 behaviorally troubled children imagining bloodthirsty lions into the mix, and you have the setup for Ray Bradbury's The Veldt. In a dystopian tale that would make an excellent episode of Black Mirror, Bradbury explores the pitfalls of tech that robs humanity of purpose. The guys discuss and analyze the story's plot, characters, and more in this week's rerelease.

    47 min

  7. 05/14/2025

    Michael McShane on Shakespeare's King Lear

    Recorded at the most recent ACTC conference, this episode features Michael McShane—educator, writer, and Shakespearean interlocutor—in a wide-ranging discussion of King Lear with both Greg and Alex. The group examine the play's structural and philosophical dimensions, from the politics of authority and the aesthetics of suffering to questions of justice, recognition, and the limits of language. McShane brings a scholarly yet accessible lens to one of Shakespeare's most harrowing tragedies. Plus: the guys turn it over to the crowd and field a range of questions from the audience!

    1h 22m

  8. 05/07/2025

    Deacon Harrison Garlick on Gorgias, Part III

    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 Books Podcast, to take a closer look at the third section of Plato's Gorgias which centers on a dialogue between Socrates and Calicles. The pair follow Socrates as he dismantles the arguments of Callicles, challenging the nature of power, justice, and the good life. As the dialogue intensifies, Socrates draws a stark contrast between the pursuit of pleasure and the pursuit of virtue. Listen in as the guys unpack these timeless questions and consider what it truly means to live well. If you haven't already, subcribe to both The New Thinkery and Ascend - The Great Books Podcast!

    1h 21m
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4.9
out of 5
237 Ratings

About

The New Thinkery is a podcast devoted to political philosophy and its history, along with its many guises in literature, film, and human experience generally. Named after Socrates' infamous "Thinkery" in Aristophanes' Clouds, The New Thinkery strikes a balance between the seriousness of academia and the playfulness of casual conversation among friends.

Information

  • Creator
    The New Thinkery
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    262
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The New Thinkery

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