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The New Thinkery: Daily Summaries Delivered
by The New Thinkery
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.
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- Mar 31, 20261h 11m
Panel: David Bolotin's On Plato's Republic: The 1988 Lecture Notes
In this episode, Alex takes the mic on the road, hosting a special panel on the late David Bolotin and the recently released volume On Plato's Republic: The 1988 Lecture Notes, which preserves Bolotin's notes and was coedited by Alex and Paul Diduch. Joined by Louis Slawsky, Nasser Behnegar, Peter J. Hansen, Paul Ulrich, Joshua Parens, Paul Diduch, and Travis Mulroy, the group reflect above all on Bolotin himself: his presence in the classroom, his precision as a reader, and the lasting impression he made as a teacher. The book gives the panel its occasion, but Bolotin remains its real subject.
- Feb 10, 20261h 39m
Eric Buzzetti & Devin Stauffer on Christopher Bruell: Essays of Five Decades on Philosophy and Philosophers
The guys have emerged from an eight-month slumber to sit down with Eric Buzzetti and Devin Stauffer to talk about their teacher Christopher Bruell and the newly edited collection Christopher Bruell: Essays of Five Decades on Philosophy and Philosophers. They recount what it was like to study with Bruell at Boston College, why his writing is equal parts illuminating and elusive, and how his work presses readers back toward tough questions of philosophy. Along the way, they discuss Bruell's relationship to Strauss, his long engagement with Plato, Xenophon, Aristotle, and the moderns, as well as why he resisted easy slogans about nature, happiness, and the philosophical life. If serious reading and soul-forming education are your thing, buckle up for this 99-minute marathon.
- Jun 25, 20259 min
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!
- Jun 18, 20251h 17m
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.
- Jun 11, 20251h 6m
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?
- Jun 4, 202558 min
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
- May 28, 20251h 3m
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.
- May 21, 202546 min
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.
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About The New Thinkery
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.
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