Best Jerry And Erica Podcasts (2025)

1
Review: Essays in Experimental Logic by John Dewey 1:04:10

5d ago1:04:10

1:04:10

In this episode I look at John Dewey's 1900 essay Some Stages in Logical Thought, as published in this 1916 collection, Essays in Experimental Logic. I focus on Dewey's assertion that both some fixity and some flexibility is required on the part of ideas for them to serve in the human task of overcoming obstacles.…

1
Review: History of Politics (Kant) edited by Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey 59:39

20d ago59:39

59:39

In this episode I return to Strauss and Cropsey's magisterial History of Political Philosophy to examine the essay on Kant. I focus on the split between science and morality, and the contradiction formed by Kant's fundamental mistake.By Dylan John

1
Review: Heidegger by Michael Inwood 1:57:57

2M ago1:57:57

1:57:57

In this episode I engage in an extra-long two-hour examination of the basic philosophy of Martin Heidegger, as described in Michael Inwood's study, Heidegger. Inwood focuses primarily on Heidegger's magnum opus, Being and Time. In this episode I pay particular attention to Heidegger's discussion of the state of being he calls 'ready-to-hand,' as we…

1
Review: Be Like the Fox by Erica Benner 58:43

2M ago58:43

58:43

In this episode I revisit Niccolo Machiavelli through the lens of Erica Benner's biography of the Renaissance Italian thinker, Be Like the Fox. I examine Machiavelli's dedication to the ideals of the Florentine Republic and his opposition to leaders who come to rule by the blessings of Fortune.By Dylan John

1
Review: History of Political Philosophy (Machiavelli) edited by Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey 1:05:13

3M ago1:05:13

1:05:13

In this episode I return to Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey's History of Political Philosophy, to look at Strauss' own examination of Machiavelli. I focus on Machiavelli's strategic deployment of virtue and vice, and his comparison of Christianity and Paganism.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Oldest Dead White European Males by Bernard Knox 44:35

3M ago44:35

44:35

In this episode I look again at the Sophists with a focus on their dedication to rhetoric, as described by classicist Bernard Knox in his collection of essays, The Oldest Dead White European Males.By Dylan John

1
Review: Why Evolution is True by Jerry Coyne 1:14:31

3M ago1:14:31

1:14:31

In this episode I examine sexual selection and basic mating strategies, plus a look at the possibility of escaping the our evolutionarily acquired behaviors as described in Jerry Coyne's Why Evolution is True.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Philosophy of Aristotle by D. J. Allan 1:17:37

4M ago1:17:37

1:17:37

In this episode I review the basic elements of Aristotle's philosophy, discussing his conception of nature, the four causes, and the four elements. I also continue the discussion from the previous two episodes regarding eudaimonia, phronesis, ethics, and politics.By Dylan John

1
Review: History of Political Philosophy (Aristotle) edited by Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey 1:04:34

4M ago1:04:34

1:04:34

In this episode I review Aristotle's political and ethical premises with a focus on eudaimonia, arete, and the mixed regime, as described by Carnes Lord in Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey's essay collection, History of Political Philosophy.By Dylan John

1
Review: Aristotle's Way by Edith Hall 1:01:30

4M ago1:01:30

1:01:30

In this episode I examine various forms of happiness, the difference between happiness and eudaimonia, and the basics of Aristotelian virtue ethics as described by Edith Hall in Aristotle's Way.By Dylan John

1
Review: Industrial Policy for the United States by Marc Fasteau and Ian Fletcher 1:15:58

4M ago1:15:58

1:15:58

In this episode I cover Marc Fasteau and Ian Fletcher's new, massive, authoritative tome on industrial policy, Industrial Policy for the United States. I look particularly at the qualities of advantageous industries, England's initiation of industrial policy under Henry VII, and Sematech's creation and development.…

1
Review: The Death of the West by Pat Buchanan 1:17:45

4M ago1:17:45

1:17:45

In this episode I look at how birthrates and population prompt replacement migration, and how it all ties to feminism as described in another Pat Buchanan masterpiece, The Death of the West.By Dylan John

1
Review: Men Among the Ruins by Julius Evola 1:18:38

5M ago1:18:38

1:18:38

In this episode I examine Evola's impression of the nation and it's constrast to the state, as well as his discussion of population and birth rates, as described in his primary political work, Men Among the Ruins.By Dylan John

1
Review: Immigration and the American Identity edited by Thomas Fleming 1:32:08

5M ago1:32:08

1:32:08

In this episode I look at the immigration crisis is terms of population control and the environment, as well as the long failure of politicians to respond to the overwhelming opposition of the American public to the ongoing flood of both legal and illegal immigration, as detailed in Immigration and the American Identity from Chronicles Magazine and…

1
Review: The Conservative Movement by Paul Gottfried 1:20:19

5M ago1:20:19

1:20:19

In this episode I look at the Goldwater campaign, the battle over human nature in academia, and the revival of antiestablishment fusionism among the paleocons and paleolibertarians, as described by Paul Gottfried in The Conservative Movement.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America by George Nash 1:07:03

6M ago1:07:03

1:07:03

In this episode I look at the birth of National Review, its controversies, and the resolution provided by Fusionism, all described in George Nash's expansive Conservative Intellectual Movement in America SInce 1945.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Betrayal of the American Right by Murray Rothbard 1:11:58

6M ago1:11:58

1:11:58

In this episode, I look at the Old Right, its birth in the lead-up to World War 2, and its death at the hands of Wall Street Republicans, Dwight Eisenhower, and National Review as described in the fantastic book, The Betrayal of the American Right by Murray Rothbard.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James (Part 2) 1:04:50

6M ago1:04:50

1:04:50

In this episode I continue my exploration of William James' The Varieties of Religious Experience, with a focus on the conversion process and the subconscious mind.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James (Part 1) 1:20:31

6M ago1:20:31

1:20:31

In this episode I dive into the healthy mind and the sick soul, the foundational concepts of William James' masterpiece, The Varieties of Religious Experience. This is the first of a two-part series.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Odyssey of the American Right by Michael W. Miles 1:23:37

7M ago1:23:37

1:23:37

In this episode I explore the early nationalism of the Republican Party from the New Deal to the Cold War, as described in Michael Miles' Odessey of the American Right, with particular attention paid to US foreign policy at that time.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Metaphysical Club by Louis Menand 1:45:05

7M ago1:45:05

1:45:05

In this episode I look at the contrast, ruptures, and uncertainties among three early Pragmatists: Charles Peirce, William James, and John Dewey, as detailed in Louis Menand's bestselling The Metaphysical Club. I also examine Randolph Bourne's use of Pragmatism to justify cosmopolitan immigration and the unaccountable bureaucracy of the American As…

1
Review: Prophets on the Right by Ronald Radosh 1:33:25

7M ago1:33:25

1:33:25

In this episode I look at the two writers Oswald Garrison Villard and John Flynn, and their associations with the America First Committee as depicted in Ronald Radosh's Prophets on the Right.By Dylan John

1
Review: Existentialism and Human Emotions by Jean-Paul Sartre 1:09:36

7M ago1:09:36

1:09:36

In this episode I look at Jean-Paul Sartre's Existentialism and Human Emotions with a focus on the failure of existentialism to acknowledge human nature.By Dylan John

1
Review: William James' Essays on Faith and Morals edited by Ralph Barton Perry 1:21:21

7M ago1:21:21

1:21:21

In this episode I dive deeper into William James' lecture series Talks to Students with the essays On a 'Certain Blindness in Human Beings' and 'What Makes a Life Significant' as presented in Ralph Barton Perry's collection of James' essays, Essays on Faith and Morals. I look particularly at the practicality of this blindness and the balance betwee…

1
Review: Ideas Have Consequences by Richard Weaver 1:05:35

8M ago1:05:35

1:05:35

In this episode I arrive at Richard Weaver's classic statement of post-war Conservatism, Ideas Have Consequences, in particular the the traditionalist, hierarchical, formal aspects of enduring culture.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Heart of William James edited by Robert Richardson 1:04:42

8M ago1:04:42

1:04:42

In this episode, I discuss William James' consequential essay Philosophical Conceptions and Practical Results and his lecture to students, The Gospel of Relaxation, as collected in The Heart of William James, edited by Robert Richardson.By Dylan John

1
Review: Darwinism and Human Affairs (Part 2) by Richard D. Alexander 1:28:47

8M ago1:28:47

1:28:47

In this episode I continue my examination of Darwinism and Human Affairs, this time exploring the connections between cultural evolution and genetic evolution. I focus on ways that cultural evolution both aligns with and betrays our genetic drive to reproduction.By Dylan John

1
Review: Darwinism and Human Affairs (Part 1) by Richard D. Alexander 1:04:27

9M ago1:04:27

1:04:27

In this episode I return to evolutionary theory, discussing the controversy surrounding group selection and its relationship with kin selection and inclusive fitness as described by Richard Alexander in his book Darwinism and Human Affairs.By Dylan John

1
Review: Talks to Teachers by William James 1:05:01

9M ago1:05:01

1:05:01

In this episode I look at William James' further discussions of psychology in Talks to Teachers, in which he draws on prior psychological writings to address the needs of teachers. I pay particular attention to the practical and pragmatic aspect of his discussion of competing drives and ideas, and his limited domain of the activity of the will.…

1
Review: Pragmatism: The Classic Writings (Part 2) edited by H. S. Thayer 1:25:27

9M ago1:25:27

1:25:27

In this episode I return to John Dewey for a look at his essay The Practical Character of Reality, included in the compilation Pragmatism: The Classic Writings edited by H. S. Thayer. I focus on Dewey's examination of the nature of knowledge and awareness.By Dylan John

1
Review: Pragmatism: The Classic Writings (Part 1) edited by H. S. Thayer 1:21:57

9M ago1:21:57

1:21:57

In this episode I look at John Dewey's overview of the early history of pragmatism as described in Pragmatism: The Classic Writings edited by H. S. Thayer. I examine the major themes of pragmatism, including the importance of consequences, human conduct, the vaguery of ends, and the approximateness of knowledge.…

1
Review: History of Political Philosophy (Plato) edited by Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey 1:24:00

9M ago1:24:00

1:24:00

In this episode I revisit History of Political Philosophy to look at Leo Strauss' examination of the political theory of Plato. I look at the attempts to define Justice, the viability of absolute communism, and make my first foray into Plato's theory of ideas.By Dylan John

1
Review: Plato by Constance Meinwald 58:55

10M ago58:55

58:55

In this episode I look at the classic text of Western philosophy, Plato's Republic, as detailed by Constance Meinwald in her wide-ranging book Plato. I focus on the early portions of The Republic dealing with the quest for a definition of Justice, including the arguments of Glaucon and Thrasymachus.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Trial of Socrates by I. F. Stone 1:24:54

10M ago1:24:54

1:24:54

In this episode I analyze I. F. Stone's critique of Socrates and his followers, as described in his book The Trial of Socrates. I focus on Socrates' hostility to democracy, the inadequecy of universalist philosophy, and the classical understanding of the gods.By Dylan John

1
Review: History of Political Philosophy (Thucydides) edited by Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey 46:31

10M ago46:31

46:31

In this episode I revisit Thucydides as discussed by David Bolotin in the classic History of Political Philosophy edited by Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey. I focus on Alcibiades, Nicias, and the Sicilian Expedition.By Dylan John

1
Review: Thucydides on Justice, Power, and Human Nature edited by Paul Woodruff 59:06

10M ago59:06

59:06

In this episode I look at the conflict between Democracy and Oligarchy in the Peloponnesian War as described by Thucydides and translated and abridged by Paul Woodruff.By Dylan John

1
Review: Social Darwinism in American Thought by Richard Hofstadter 1:08:35

11M ago1:08:35

1:08:35

In this episode I look at the late 19th Century Darwinian Conservatism of Herbert Spencer, William Graham Sumner, and reactions by William James and others as described in Richard Hofstadter's Social Darwinism in American Thought.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Social Contract Theorists (Hobbes's War of All Against All) edited by Chris Morris 46:40

11M ago46:40

46:40

In this episode I look at Gregory Kavka's 'Hobbes's War of All Against All' in The Social Contract Theorists edited by Christopher W. Morris, with a special focus on the prisoner's dilemma and nation size.By Dylan John

1
Review: History of Political Philosophy (Rousseau) edited by Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey 59:01

11M ago59:01

59:01

In this episode I return to Strauss and Cropsey collection, History of Political Philosophy, to focus on Alan Bloom's examination of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the general will, and the potential conflict between nature and custom.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Reveries of the Solitary Walker by Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1:07:40

11M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

In this episode I wander through Rousseau's final book, published posthumously, The Reveries of the Solitary Walker. I look at the difference between youth and old age, trusting yourself and others, and the nature of reverie itself.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Rise and Fall of Scottish Common Sense Realism by Douglas McDermid 1:23:03

12M ago1:23:03

1:23:03

In this episode I take a first look at Scottish Common Sense Philosophy as described by Douglas McDermid in The Rise and Fall of Scottish Common Sense Realism, with the aim of providing an overview of the major themes of Thomas Reid and his contemporaries.By Dylan John

1
Review: A Republic, Not an Empire by Patrick Buchanan 39:58

1y ago39:58

39:58

In this episode I examine Buchanan's case for non-interventionism, or isolationism, as made in A Republic, Not an Empire. I take a look a the League of Nations and US policy after the Cold War.By Dylan John

1
Review: Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg 1:09:35

1y ago1:09:35

1:09:35

In this episode I look at Jonah Goldberg's examination of the fascist tendencies of President Woodrow Wilson in his classic book, Liberal Fascism.By Dylan John

1
Review: To Make Men Free by Heather Cox Richardson 56:01

1y ago56:01

56:01

In this episode I look at two Republican Presidents, Taft and Harding, as detailed in Heather Cox Richardson's history of the Republican Party, To Make Men Free.By Dylan John

1
The Pursuit of Certainty by Shirley Robin Letwin 39:42

1y ago39:42

39:42

In this episode I look at Letwin's collection of philosophical biographies, The Pursuit of Certainty, with a special focus on David Hume and his thoughts on virtue, prudence, and politics.By Dylan John

1
Review: The True Believer by Eric Hoffer 51:21

1y ago51:21

51:21

In this episode, I explore Eric Hoffer's description of the various types of people that constitute the leaders and followers of mass movements, as described in his classic 1951 book, The True Believer.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Sophists by W. K. C. Guthrie 1:15:10

1y ago1:15:10

1:15:10

In this episode I examine the competing forces of Physis (Nature) and Nomos (Custom) as detailed in the erudite examination The Sophists by W. K. C. Guthrie.By Dylan John

1
Review: From Religion to Philosophy by F. M. Cornford 1:01:13

1y ago1:01:13

1:01:13

In this episode I examine the connections between Nomos, Physis, and Moira in early Greek philosophy as detailed by Cornford in From Religion to Philosophy.By Dylan John

1
Review: The Iliad by Homer 43:58

1+ y ago43:58

43:58

In this episode I look at the violent glory of war in Homer's Iliad, as detailed in Bernard Knox's introduction to the Robert Fagles translation of this classic epic poem of war, and several choice readings of the battle for the Argive ships.By Dylan John

1
Review: Sailing the Wine Dark Sea by Thomas Cahill 50:35

1+ y ago50:35

50:35

In this episode I look at Thomas Cahill's examination of Ancient Greece in Sailing the Wine Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter. I pay special attention to the first three chapter where Cahill discusses Homer and his great works, The Iliad and the Odessey.By Dylan John

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