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.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 64 minutes
- Episodes
- 262
- Years Active
- 2020 - 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 ret…
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 Gui…
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 ab…
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 reflec…
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 …
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 bloodthirs…
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.
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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 …
Bernard J. Dobski on Mark Twain's Recollections of Joan of Arc
Professor B.J. Dobski joins Greg and David this week to examine Mark Twain’s Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, a work that stands in stark contrast to Twain’s more familiar satirical writings. T…
Werner Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God
This week, Alex and Greg dive into Werner Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God, unraveling its haunting exploration of madness, ambition, and the human condition. They trace the film’s philosophical un…
Kierkegaard's Philosophical Fragments with Rob Wyllie & Matt Dinan
This week, Greg has locked David and Alex out of the recording room, and replaced them with Kierkegaard scholars Rob Wyllie & Matt Dinan. Together, they dive into Kierkegaard's Philosophical Fragment…
Eric Adler on Language Studies & "Decolonizing the Curriculum"
With the stock market tanking, Alex has fled the country to verify family artifacts are still in a vault in case we go back to bartering. Meanwhile, David and Greg have replaced him this week with Th…
Jean Renoir's Rules of the Game
Jean Renoir’s Rules of the Game isn’t just a classic film—it’s a sharp critique of society, morality, and the masks we wear. In this episode, all three of the guys sit down to break down how the film…
Patrick Callahan on Pindar
This week, a full complement of hosts is joined by Prof. Patrick Callahan, Assistant Professor of English and Humanities at St. Gregory the Great Seminary to discuss Pindar's The Odes. A Theban poet …
Brian Chau on the Straussian Generation, Part III
Alex sits down with Brian Chau of From the New World for an extended discussion on a range of topics, from building up UATX, to the Online Right, to Strauss on reactionary thought and esoteric writin…
Brian Chau on the Straussian Generation, Part II
Alex sits down with Brian Chau of From the New World for an extended discussion on a range of topics, from building up UATX, to the Online Right, to Strauss on reactionary thought and esoteric writin…
Brian Chau on the Straussian Generation, Part I
This week, Alex sits down with Brian Chau of From the New World for an extended discussion on a range of topics, from building up UATX, to the Online Right, to Strauss on reactionary thought and esot…
Spencer Klavan on Epicureanism
A full complement of the guys are joined by Spencer Klavan, repeat offender on the show, host of Young Heretics, newly minted lecturer in the Classica and Languages programs at New College, associate…
Zena Hitz on Plato's Charmides
In this episode, the guys are all here, and joined by Zena Hitz of St. John's College. Together, the group dive into Plato’s Charmides. What does true wisdom look like? Can self-knowledge lead to a w…
Richard Velkley on Heidegger and Strauss
In this rerelease of The New Thinkery, the guys are back to help bring in the new year, and are joined by Dr. Richard Velkley, the Celia Scott Weatherhead Professor of Philosophy at Tulane University…