Combat and Classics is a series of podcasts and online seminars that explores the nature of man in conflict and cooperation through socratic dialogue and the great books. For more info visit 
Jeff, Lise, and Brian roll up their sleeves and dig in to Aristotle’s Politics.
How are this and other “Great Books” relevant to how we live our lives? What is good political rule? What does it mean to be “just” within a political system? The team tackles those questions and much more in this episode.
Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org.
Science, Religion, and Secularism Part XII: Michael Allen Gillespie, Theological Origins of Modernity
How an important element of both modern philosophy and science emerged from an obscure dispute within the medieval Franciscan order involving Plato, Aristotle, the Roman Catholic Church, and William of Ockham, among others.
Science, Religion, and Secularism Part VIII: Arthur O. Lovejoy, the Great Chain of Being
In the previous article, we saw how geometry set the standard for knowledge in the world of ancient Greek philosophy, and how Christian theology emerged out of an effort to harmonize the very different traditions of Greek and Hebraic thought. Plato’s theory of the forms is perhaps his most famous contribution to philosophy, and requires no extensive discussion. But, as Continue Reading …
Nothing So Absurd?
In the first installment of a two-part series, Nicholas Joll tries to convince us that, for one thing, fire is not hot and, for another, that sincerity is impossible.
Bojack Horseman and Aristotelian Self-Love
The popular Netflix show is rife with philosophical questions. “Can Aristotle teach Bojack a thing or two about self-love?” is one of them.
Episode 148: Aristotle on Friendship and Happiness
On the final books 8–10 of Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics. What does friendship have to do with ethics? With guest Ana Sandoiu.
End song: “A Few Gone Down” from The MayTricks’ Happy Songs Will Bring You Down (1994).
Episode 148: Aristotle on Friendship and Happiness (Citizen Edition)
On the final books 8–10 of Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics. What does friendship have to do with ethics? Aristotle thinks that friends are necessary for the good life and that the only true friend is a virtuous one. But the number one virtue is reason, and the chief activity for the good life for Aristotle is contemplation, so how does this connect with being a good friend? With guest Ana Sandoiu.
End song: “A Few Gone Down” from The MayTricks’ Happy Songs Will Bring You Down (1994).
Episode 147: Aristotle on Wisdom and Incontinence
On the Nichomachean Ethics (ca. 350 BCE), books 6–7. Is intelligence just one thing? Aristotle picks out a number of distinct faculties, some of which are relevant to ethics, and he uses these to explain Plato’s puzzle of how someone can clearly see what the good for him is, and yet fail to pursue it due to weakness of the will.
This episode continues our discussion from way back in ep. 5.
End song: “I Die Desire” from The MayTricks (1992).
Episode 147: Aristotle on Wisdom and Incontinence (Citizen Edition)
On the Nichomachean Ethics (ca. 350 BCE), books 6–7. Is intelligence just one thing? Aristotle picks out a number of distinct faculties, some of which are relevant to ethics, and he uses these to explain Plato’s puzzle of how someone can clearly see what the good for him is, and yet fail to pursue it due to weakness of the will.
This episode continues our discussion from way back in ep. 5.
End song: “I Die Desire” from The MayTricks (1992).
Martha Nussbaum on Emotions, Ethics, and Literature
When it comes to ethics and human choice, there is “a serious candidate for truth” that we haven’t considered properly.
The Ship of Theseus and “The Outer Limits of Reason”
According to Noson S. Yanofsky, the universe does not contain contradictions, but our thinking about it does and must. If this is true, any representation of the universe must be inaccurate, not simply in details, but also in substance.
Critical Voter
This year’s bizarre election might confirm that we are entering a post-factual age, or that some other major cognitive or political transformation is happening to our species or polity. But before jumping to such a conclusion, perhaps it’s worth looking at today’s scorched political landscape based on similar first principles.
Not School April: Dennett and Germans and Aristotle
Come get involved in the coming month with a Not School group, or propose your own!
Is “Hungernachdeutschphilosophie” a made up word? Maybe, but it works.
Intro Readings in Philosophy Series Starting Now(ish)!!!!
Seminars are now scheduled for Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, and Montaigne, free with your PEL Citizenship You can sign up for all four, and help us develop an Intro readings drinking game.
Ep 130/131 Aftershow on Aristotle’s “De Anima” feat. Rebecca Goldner
Host Danny Lobell joins Wes to welcome St. John’s Annapolis tutor Rebecca Goldner to help folks understand Aristotle’s De Anima. Also featuring Michael Burgess, Nick Halme, Erik Weissengruber, Chase Fiorenza, and Scott Anderson. Recorded 1/31/16.
Episode 131: Aristotle’s “De Anima”: What Is the Mind?
Our second discussion of De Anima or On the Soul (350 BCE), this time on book 3. What is the intellect? We talk about its highest part/function: nous, which is a “form of forms,” literally nothing until it thinks, survives death and is not actually yours or mine, but just the universal mind!
This continues the discussion from ep. 130 and includes a preview of the Aftershow featuring Rebecca Goldner.
End song: “Wonderful You” (live 2001) by Mark Lint.
Episode 131: Aristotle’s “De Anima”: What Is the Mind? (Citizen Edition)
Our second discussion of De Anima or On the Soul (350 BCE), this time on book 3. What is the intellect? We talk about its highest part/function: nous, which is a “form of forms,” literally nothing until it thinks, survives death and is not actually yours or mine, but just the universal mind!
Continued from ep. 130. The discussion concludes with the Aftershow featuring Rebecca Goldner.
End song: “Wonderful You” (live 2001) by Mark Lint.
Episode 130: Aristotle’s “De Anima”: What Is Life?
On De Anima or On the Soul (350 BCE), books 1 and 2, after some listener mail. What can this ancient text tell us about biological life? What counts as a scientific explanation? A. describes life as “the first actuality of a natural body which has organs,” so bodies express their nature only when they’re growing and reproducing and all that stuff that bodies do. The body is potential, and life is its actuality. So what the heck kind of explanation is that, and how does it tie into Aristotle’s convoluted metaphysics?
End song: “Intermission Song” by Mark Lint from Spanish Armada: Songs of Love and Related Neuroses (1993).
Episode 130: Aristotle’s “De Anima”: What Is Life? (Citizen Edition)
On De Anima or On the Soul (350 BCE), books 1 and 2, after some listener mail. What can this ancient text tell us about biological life? What counts as a scientific explanation? A. describes life as “the first actuality of a natural body which has organs,” so bodies express their nature only when they’re growing and reproducing and all that stuff that bodies do. The body is potential, and life is its actuality. So what the heck kind of explanation is that, and how does it tie into Aristotle’s convoluted metaphysics?
End song: “Intermission Song” by Mark Lint from Spanish Armada: Songs of Love and Related Neuroses (1993).
Not School Happenings in September
Sign up for Not School this month to join reading groups on the subjects of Greek philosophy, Marxism, ritual, Heidegger, computation, economics, and a novel by Umberto Eco.