Nature and the Nation

Oct 22 2024 122 ep. 65 mins 119
Nature and the Nation Podcast artwork

Nature and the Nation explores politics, philosophy, psychology, sociology and economics from a naturalistic, paleoconservative perspective, using the format of a book review. I examine books published in a wide array of time periods, with a special emphasis on the early to middle 20th century, the ancient Greeks, and of course the present.

  Arts  Society & Culture  News
RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


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

Oct 22 2024 88 mins  
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.

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

Oct 19 2024 64 mins  
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.

Review: Talks to Teachers by William James

Oct 10 2024 65 mins  
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.

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

Oct 01 2024 85 mins  
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.

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

Sep 27 2024 81 mins  
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.

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

Sep 23 2024 84 mins  
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.

Review: Plato by Constance Meinwald

Sep 16 2024 58 mins  
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.

Review: The Trial of Socrates by I. F. Stone

Sep 14 2024 84 mins  
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.

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

Sep 01 2024 46 mins  
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.

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

Aug 24 2024 59 mins  
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.