Troilus and Criseyde by Geoffrey Chaucer is the tale of love gained and love lost. Heavily impacted by the chivalric codes, is this a story about a frivolous affair or is something else going on? Dive into this work with Dr. Junius Johnson and Fr. Wesley Walker on this episode of The Classical Mind!FYI: there are a few places where the audio might sound a tad choppy. This will be fixed in future episodes. The Classical Mind is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

What are human beings like outside of the constraints of social conventions? How do we work out the tension between state sovereignty and individual freedom? What place does religion have in society? , Dr. Junius Johnson and Fr. Wesley Walker discuss these questions and more as they delve into Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s monumental work of political philosophy, The Social Contract. Rousseau was a fascinating character whose work influenced generations of thinkers after him. Endnotes: Wesley and Junius co-offer this lecture by former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, “Faith on Modern Areopagus” in which he discusses some of the positive connections between liberalism and Christianity: Tell us what you think below. What are your impressions of Rousseau? What do you think of his reconstruction of the state of nature? Do you think his articulation of the Social Contract, especially the way the general will and individual wills interact, is persuasive? Is his account of religion in civil society helpful, harmful, or neutral? Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

In this episode, Dr. Junius Johnson and Fr. Wesley Walker explore the philosophical questions surrounding the nature of piety, ethics, and the divine. Join us for an enlightening discussion that delves deep into this timeless work of ancient philosophy.End Notes: * God Matters by Herbert McCabe* St. Anselm* “With or Without You” by U2 Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

On today's episode, Junius and Wesley discuss the timeless world of Greek tragedy! They explore the profound themes and dramatic elements of Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and Aristotle's Poetics. Gain insights into the complexities of fate, tragedy, and catharsis in these classical works. Whether you're a literature enthusiast or a student of ancient philosophy, this discussion promises to deepen your understanding of these literary masterpieces. Subscribe now and embark on a journey through the classical mind. Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

On this episode, Junius and Wesley discuss Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel Brothers Karamazov. Endnotes* Junius: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky* Wesley: Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

On today’s special episode, Junius and Wesley select the books that will make up our reading list in season 2. One of the reasons to support us for $5 is that you can access the video of the draft which came out a few weeks ago.Thank you to all of you who support us, financially or otherwise. We appreciate you! Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

Today we discuss The Iliad by Homer. End Notes: -Hesiod, Theogony and Works and Days-Statius, Thebaid-The Blues of Achilles by Joe Goodkinwidth="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

In today's episode, Fr. Wesley Walker sits down to discuss Robinson Crusoe with Dr. Karen Swallow Prior. Dr. Prior's forthcoming book is The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis. It comes out on August 8. You can find more of her work at her website: https://karenswallowprior.com. Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

Today, we’re discussing Utilitarianism by J.S. Mill. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory which emphasizes the maximizing of pleasure and the minimizing of pain. End Notes:The Dark KnightEnder’s GameRailton: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2265273 Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

Flannery O’Connor’s Wise Blood is…something. A Catholic novel, a debut novel, a difficult and strange novel. Wesley and Jared discuss Wise Blood, the difficulty in reading about difficult characters, religion in O’Connor’s works, and much more. ‘Hazel Motes Is Not Black’: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26671329'Uncommon Grace: https://www.pbs.org/video/uncommon-grace-the-life-of-flannery-oconnor-yv87qa/ Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

In this episode, we discuss Macbeth, a work of Shakespeare’s that Jared had never read. Topic include: political propaganda, the problem of evil characters, Wicked and Darth Vader, the Great Conversation, and the Book of Job. Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

Jared and Wesley discuss Beowulf, and Jared is eventually converted.Check out the podcast and newsletter: theclassicalmind.comYou can also check out our reading list for the coming year. Just look for our reading list on Substack. Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

In this episode, Wesley and Jared discuss Boethius’ ‘Consolation of Philosophy.’ Topics include parallels between this work and the Book of Job, the nature of Fortune and happiness, and the importance of remembering who you are. Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

This month, Wesley is joined by Dr. Anika Prather to discuss the autobiography of Frederick Douglass. They discuss the relevance of the classics to Douglass and to other Black Americans, the ways in which evil dehumanizes both victim and victimizer, and more. More about Anika Prather: https://drprather.com/→ Support us on Substack For $5 per month, you get access to bonus episodes and discussion thread, plus you get to help us choose future books for the show. www.theclassicalmind.com → Read along with us! We post the books in advance, giving listeners time to read these great books. Check out our reading list: https://www.theclassicalmind.com/p/season-1-reading-list. → Contact and Social Media Twitter: @mindclassical TikTok: @theclassicalmindpodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Kyj04yISmHr1V-UlJz4eg Email: [email protected] Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

How can you be an intellectual? What are the habits and virtues you would need to cultivate? What's the point of intellectual activity? Do you need to be in the academy? These are the sorts of questions that A.G. Sertillanges tries to answer in his book 'The Intellectual Life.' Join us for our discussion. Check out the podcast and newsletter: theclassicalmind.com You can also check out our reading list for the coming year. Just look for our reading list on Substack. End NotesKyle: 'The Sociological Imagination’ by C. Wright Mills Wesley: '16 Precepts for Acquiring Knowledge' by Thomas AquinasJared: 'Plain Style' by Christopher Lasch Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

Plato is one of the towering figures in the world of philosophy. Alfred North Whitehead infamously called all of Western philosophy a series of footnotes to Plato. In this episode, we discuss Plato’s Apology. This dialogue is a great introduction to reading Plato. For one, it is much shorter than texts like Republic. It is also dialectically straightforward — since most of the text is a monologue from Socrates, it can be easier to grasp the structure of the arguments. And finally, it is emotionally engaging in a way that some of Plato’s other dialogues are not. → Support us on SubstackFor $5 per month, you get access to bonus episodes and discussion thread, plus you get to help us choose future books for the show. www.theclassicalmind.com→ Read along with us!We post the books in advance, giving listeners time to read these great books. Check out our reading list. → End NotesEvery month, we each recommend a book or other piece of media.Wesley: ‘Gorgias’ by Plato and Plato’s Philosophers by Catherine ZuckertJared: ‘Timaeus’ by Plato and Anathem by Neil Stephenson→ Contact and Social MediaTwitter: @mindclassicalTikTok: @theclassicalmindpodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Kyj04yISmHr1V-UlJz4egEmail: [email protected] Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

→ Support us on SubstackFor $5 per month, you get access to bonus episodes and discussion thread, plus you get to help us choose future books for the show. www.theclassicalmind.com→ Read along with us! We post the books in advance, giving listeners time to read these great books.→ End NotesEvery month, we each recommend a book or other piece of media. Wesley: Rescuing Socrates by Roosevelt MontasJared: Savage Gods by Paul Kingsnorth → Contact and Social MediaTwitter: @mindclassicalTikTok: @theclassicalmindpodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Kyj04yISmHr1V-UlJz4egEmail: [email protected] Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe

If you want to join us on this journey, find us on Substack (theclassicalmind.com) or wherever you get podcasts.Season 1 Reading ListTwitter: @mindclassical Get full access to The Classical Mind at www.theclassicalmind.com/subscribe