Explore every episode of the podcast Concepts with Shawn Whatley

Rusty Reno offers insight into "our crisis of solidarity" that I haven't found anywhere else. In his book Return of the Strong Gods, he tackles the post-WWII liberal consensus that Karl Popper called The Open Society. It is an essential resource to help you understand our times.

Reno is also articulate on post-liberalism. It's not the simplistic idea you see dismissed in most of the legacy media. We also touch on secularism, and I tried to get him to use the contrast between Catholic and Protestant political theology to explain the issues in Quebec over Bill 21. He's too smart and didn't take the bait.

I hope you enjoy this one. Let me know what you think!

Thanks again

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary:

Host Shawn Whatley interviews Rusty Reno, editor of First Things and author of Return of the Strong Gods (2019; updated 2021), on how liberalism struggles to generate solidarity amid a “meta-crisis” of disintegration. Reno explains his critique of the postwar “open society” consensus shaped by Popper and Hayek and unpacks “neoliberalism” as a left-right, technocratic, globalization-era economic and cultural project that promoted openness, porous borders, and creative destruction, helping set the stage for populist backlash where immigration fuses economic and cultural concerns. They discuss universalism vs particularism, the “order of loves,” and why civic loyalty and a “pre-political we” matter for freedom. The conversation also addresses post-liberalism’s varieties, liberalism’s limits, and Quebec’s laïcité/Bill 21 tensions in a multicultural society.

00:00 Liberalism Lacks Solidarity

00:52 Meet Rusty Reno

01:16 Episode Roadmap

03:45 Rock Climbing Icebreaker

05:13 Introducing Strong Gods

07:04 Praise Words And God Terms

10:07 Neoliberalism And Weakening

15:42 Populism And Open Society

21:47 Universalism Versus Particularism

27:01 Political We And Self Interest

32:39 Crisis Of Disintegration

33:41 Canada And Multicultural Identity

34:34 Freedom and Solidarity

36:07 Critiques of Liberal Mind

37:28 Defining Post Liberalism

38:43 Post Liberal Theology Roots

42:55 Liberalism Not Enough

43:50 War Immigration Nationalism

46:45 Totalitarianism Debate

48:43 Quebec Bill 21 Laicite

55:10 Multiculturalism Managed Diversity

59:41 Republican We and Civic Virtue

01:02:04 Platonism and Real Nations

01:06:38 Metaphysical Density and Youth

01:10:34 Closing Thoughts and Farewell

Profound political differences exist between national and cultural traditions. This episode is an introduction to the 4-part audio documentary created by Cardus: The Nation and the Veil: Quebec’s Struggle with Secularism and Religion.

A few hightlights:

1. French republicanism carries markedly different presuppositions than English liberal traditions.

2. We cannot ignore the political differences the follow from a Catholic vs Protestant starting point.

3. Language matters, e.g., freedom of conscience implies freedom to think as one sees fit, in French, and it means freedom on understanding of moral issues, in an Anglo-American tradition.

4. Why is Bill 21, Quebec's so-called secularism bill, so interesting today, when it wouldn't have been conceived in the 1960s?

Tons of essential political concepts in this episode!

Tell me what you think. I hope you get a chance to listen and check out the whole Nation and the Veil series.

Thanks for listening!

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary:

Host Shawn Whatley interviews Lisa Richmond (VP of Research at Cardus) about Cardus’s four-part audio documentary, "The Nation and the Veil: Quebec’s Struggle with Secularism and Religion," created over three years with Jean-Christophe Jasmyn and Étienne-Alexandre Beauregard to help English and French Canadians better understand Quebec and Bill 21. Richmond explains laïcité as a state-religion framework grounded in four principles: separation of church and state, equality of citizens, freedom of religion, and state religious neutrality. They compare Anglo-American liberalism and French republicanism, discuss how Protestant and Catholic histories shape fears of state vs religious power, trace Quebec’s church-state history through the Quebec Act and the Quiet Revolution, and explore why secularism and pluralism have become defining political questions alongside sovereignty, including differences in how “conscience” is understood in French and English.

00:00 Why Quebec Secularism Matters

03:04 Welcome and Episode Overview

05:17 Inside the Audio Documentary

09:42 Defining Laïcité

13:07 French Republican vs Anglo Liberal

21:19 Locke Rousseau and Minorities

26:38 Catholic vs Protestant Secular Fears

37:48 How Quebec Became Catholic State

42:47 Church Runs Society

43:46 Governance Vacuum After Conquest

45:48 Church Role Reconsidered

47:26 Common Law Versus Civil

49:41 Great Darkness Explained

51:23 Quiet Revolution Reframed

55:11 Laïcité Political Flip 58:23 Bear Pelt Metaphor

01:03:14 Secularism Versus Sovereignty

01:09:40 Conscience And Common Good

01:17:44 Canada Two Solitudes

01:24:16 Closing Plug And Thanks

The data and demographic argument in support of slowing immigration is overwhelming. Even when people enjoy new neighbours, it takes years to build understanding and trust.

Canada, especially, has pretended that demography and assimilation don't matter. All that matters is world-leading levels of immigration.

Dr. Eric Kaufmann is another refreshing academic who speaks plainly, and he has suffered for it.

We discuss Toward and Ethical Populism, an article he recently published in First Things. 

And we dig into two of his books:

The Third Awokening: A 12-point plan for rolling back progressive extremism

White Shift: Populism, Immigration, and the Future of White Majorities

I shortened my comments at the start; trying something different.

Let me know what you think!

Thanks for checking it out

Shawn

Chapters and AI Summary:

Shawn interviews political scientist Eric Kaufmann about his article “Toward Ethical Populism,” arguing the post-Trump right should combine disruption of ideologically captured institutions with Scrutonian respect for norms and due process. Kaufmann discusses his book The Third Awokening, defining “woke” as sacralizing marginalized identity groups and pursuing equal outcomes, which he says harms merit, authenticity, free speech, and national cohesion through measures like affirmative action, DEI, and historical revisionism. He contends Canada is especially susceptible due to moralistic universalism and weak historical attachments, with multiculturalism and political correctness as precursors to woke extremism. Kaufmann defends government action against private censorship in universities and corporations, urges organized lobbying and education reform, and in White Shift argues demographic change drives populism, assimilation is slow, and high immigration—especially in Canada—should be slowed.

00:00 Cancellation And Merit

02:58 Meet Eric Kaufmann

03:55 Ethical Populism Explained

07:43 Foxes Versus Lions

10:39 Deculturation And Woke

16:02 Academic Backlash Story

21:18 Canada And Moralism

28:09 Why Government Must Act

35:40 Private Censorship Lock In

39:05 Common Ground Conservatism

39:32 Free Speech Fabric

40:35 Leviathan Debate

45:13 Ethical Populism Rules

46:50 Twelve Point Blueprint

50:09 Education Culture War

53:34 Canada Identity Crisis

57:36 Multiculturalism Origins

01:04:53 Populism Demography Data

01:08:05 Liberal Ethnicity Future

01:13:30 Fertility Reality Check

01:18:39 Closing Thanks

Conservatism is experiencing a renaissance in the West. It is gaining a new self image beyond its historic passion for economics.

Dimpee Brar has entered the scene in high gear. Over the last few months she has written provocative pieces at a rate of roughly one every two weeks. She's been on panels, podcasts, and interviews. I hope she can maintain her output!

A few of her articles include:

Why Islam seeks shelter under the banner of the Left. The Federalist

A NATO that doesn't support U.S. action shouldn't exist. The Federalist

Churches are burning, and the the lie fuelling it still holds. The Daily Wire

Western Civilization is under siege in Canada, activist warns. National Post

Blood & soil vs post-nationalism misses Canada's real identity. Western Standard

The tide is turning, and old ideas are resurfacing in the mainstream. 

Let me know what you think of this episode!

Thanks again,

Shawn

Chapters and AI Summary:

Host Shawn Whatley interviews Diimpee Brar, Director of Engagement at Allies for a Strong Canada and a prolific columnist, about defending Western civilization and Canada’s founding principles. Brar describes moving from studying neuroscience to the humanities, encountering what she calls nihilism in academia, and being “redeemed” by Allan Bloom’s The Closing of the American Mind, which led her to political philosophy and Leo Strauss. She defines nihilism as meaninglessness and argues that modern democratic decline expresses itself as relativism, erasing distinctions between good and bad and enabling fanatics to rule, particularly in Canada. The conversation covers liberalism versus conservatism, the friend–enemy distinction, and Brar’s view of the 1839 Durham Report as a founding document emphasizing one nation and assimilation through education. They also discuss Islam and the “Red-Green” alliance, and end with Brar identifying Nietzsche as a dangerous thinker and noting debates about Strauss, Judaism, and atheism.

00:00 Mission to Defend the West

01:19 Meet Dimpee Brar

03:40 Why She Entered Politics

05:59 From Neuroscience to Humanities

07:24 Bloom and Strauss Awakening

09:09 What Nihilism Means

10:55 Relativism and Fanatics

12:30 Where She Fits Ideologically

17:39 Friends and Enemies Debate

21:36 Durham Report and Assimilation

28:39 Liberalism Then and Now

31:35 Tolerance and Islam Question

34:49 Is Liberalism Too Thin

37:28 Is Liberalism Still Real

38:53 Natural Rights vs Identity Rights

40:56 Debate as a Sign of Life

43:09 Red Green Alliance Explained

45:40 Islam and Liberal Blind Spots

49:35 Auxiliary Militia and Iran Warning

52:34 Women Freedom and Defense

56:19 Nietzsche and Relativist Language

01:01:20 Strauss Judaism and Revelation

01:04:58 Straussians Political Theology Wrap

01:11:25 Final Thanks and Farewell

Most civilizations prioritize space or time. They either choose empire and expansion (space) or permanence (time). 

Durable civilizations choose both.

Harold Innis was a giant in Canadian academia in the early 20th century, but most people have never heard of him. He offers deep and helpful insights on civilization, progress, and culture. Professor John Bonnett wrote his thesis on Innis and introduces us to his work.

We discuss a draft article Bonnett has written on Innis. Once it's published, I'll try to update this with a link.

Thanks for checking this out!

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary:

The host interviews Brock University professor and Innis scholar John Bonnett about an upcoming article arguing that conservatives are renewing a focus on culture as essential to Canadian national cohesion, especially as digital technology and AI disrupt society much like the printing press did. Bonnett explains Harold Innis’s importance to Canadian thought (influencing McLuhan and praised by George Grant), his “staples” analysis of Canada’s development, and his communication theory that technologies shape cognition and impose costs. Drawing on Innis, they discuss historical anxieties about new media, the dangers of information overload destabilizing politics, and “monopolies of knowledge” created by space- or time-biased media that can trap cultures and reduce innovation. Bonnett outlines adaptations—expressive and cognitive diversity, combinatorial thinking, democratizing cultural institutions like the Canada Council, and using digital/augmented-reality landscape art to renew culture.

00:00 Why Culture Matters

01:19 Meet Professor Bonnett

05:00 Which Conservatives

08:08 Why Innis Matters

13:17 Where To Start Reading

16:05 This Happened Before

22:07 Too Much Information

26:02 Monopoly Of Knowledge

33:41 Three Ways To Adapt

40:42 Democratizing Culture Policy

48:14 Digital Landscapes Project

57:17 Conservatism And Social Glue

01:00:11 Closing Thoughts And Thanks

Christine Van Geyn captured the central debate around freedom of expression vs state control and put it into a children's book. 

As Interim Executive Director of the Canadian Constitution Foundation, Van Geyn has the deep knowledge and experience required to explain the essential elements of free expression in a short book titled, Maple's Garden: A Canadian Freedom of Speech Story.

We also discuss her other books, Pandemic Panic, and Free Speech in Canada.

Thanks for checking this out!

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary

Shawn Whatley interviews Christine Van Geyn, interim executive director of the Canadian Constitution Foundation, about her children’s picture book Maple’s Garden, inspired by the Mississauga case involving Wolf Ruck and Ontario rulings that a naturalized garden can be protected expression reflecting subjective views of beauty. They discuss how governments and bylaws can overreach by enforcing aesthetic standards, the difference between harmful invasive or dangerous plants and taste-based complaints, and why free expression protects disagreement. Van Geyn also explains her co-authored book Pandemic Panic as a documented record of civil liberties impacts, cases, and “memory-holed” incidents from COVID-19, including the Freedom Convoy and the Emergencies Act challenge. The conversation ends with a primer on Charter Section 2(b), Section 1’s Oakes test, and concerns about human rights tribunals being used to penalize speech, citing cases in BC and Ontario’s Emo flag dispute.

00:00 Parents vs State Power

00:36 Why Free Speech Matters

01:30 Meet Christine Van Geyn

04:20 Why She Wrote Maples Garden

06:23 The Garden Case Explained

09:43 Kids And The Hidden Animals

11:37 Beauty Versus Weeds Debate

18:53 Invasive Plants And Real Harm

21:25 Where The State Draws The Line

29:33 Teaching Beauty Without Force

30:46 Kids and Creativity

31:29 Who Decides Beauty

33:03 What Is Beauty

34:25 Why This Kids Book

37:56 Illustrator and AI Art

41:14 Pandemic Panic Overview

42:59 Recording Pandemic Abuses

46:44 Charter and Human Rights

48:43 Oakes Test Explained

52:00 Human Rights Overreach Cases

01:01:08 Forced Endorsement by Tribunal

01:05:34 Defending Disagreement

01:08:43 Closing and Call to Action

How do we unify the very different voices on the non-Left? Do our differences mean we are doomed to a soft tyranny of centralized messaging?

Josh Lewis has been wrestling with this, and many other issues, for the last 9 years on his podcast, Saving Elephants. He's hosted many of the biggest influencers in American conservatism, including a number of voices from Canada and Europe.

The conservative movement is a jigsaw puzzle. Conservatives need to distinguish themselves from all the factions on the Left, while also retaining the distinct shapes of each puzzle piece. For conservatives, this is a conversation without end. If we grow tired of it, the coalition will fracture.

Of course, we can't talk about American politics without talking about Trump -- plenty of that in this episode too.

Thanks so much for checking this out! Let me know what you think.

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary: 

In the 100th episode of Concepts, host Shawn Whatley welcomes back Josh Lewis, founder of the Saving Elephants podcast, to discuss the coalitional nature of American (and Canadian) conservatism and how to handle disagreements within the movement. Lewis outlines enduring conservative factions—libertarians, traditionalists, and anti-communists—while exploring the rise and uncertainty of NatCon and post-liberal currents, Trump’s role as both aberration and lasting influence, and what Trump reveals about leadership, courage, and cultural “rot.” They also talk about why Lewis chose podcasting, where millennials and younger generations get information, how “bridge” institutions translate ideas, and competence as a key voter demand. The conversation culminates in proposed bright lines between liberalism and conservatism and reflections on how to appropriately mark America’s 250th anniversary.

00:00 Can Ideas Fix Politics

00:22 Episode 100 Welcome

02:06 Conservatism Is A Coalition

02:53 Nash Three Legged Stool

04:47 NatCon Moment And Trump

09:20 Avoiding Sectarian Purges

10:25 Handling The Crazy Uncle

13:49 Why Josh Chose Podcasting

18:34 Millennials News Habits

23:51 Scaling Ideas Beyond Nerds

29:42 Why I Stay Calm

31:02 What Voters Want

32:57 Competence Before Culture

34:35 Populism Versus Leadership

35:34 Trumpism After Trump

39:09 Courage And Character

42:16 Integrity And White Collar Crime

43:24 Ideas Versus Reality

45:22 Liberalism And Conservatism

50:36 Freedom Has A Purpose

54:48 America At 250

58:01 How To Celebrate A Nation

59:40 Closing Thanks

Professor Joshua Mitchell is courageous. He argues for his positions even when they go against the grain of politically acceptable thought.

Mitchell says conservatives have done a good job at addressing the debt and tradition economies. We are strong on fiscal policy, and we stand up for the debts we owe to our fathers. But we are almost completely blind to the more profound, urgent, and critical debt of guilt. Conservatives are blind to spiritual debt.

The Left understands guilt and spiritual debt. It's their main focus. Criticize them for having bad data or for emotionalizing things, but the Left addresses an inescapable issue that the Right seems to miss entirely.

I'd love to hear what you think of this episode. It's deep in places but also pointed and provocative.

Thanks again for listening!

Shawn

Links:

American Awakening

https://americanreformer.org/2026/03/whither-the-reformation-in-america/

Chapters and AI summary:

Shawn Whatley interviews Georgetown political theorist Joshua Mitchell about his book American Awakening: Identity Politics and Other Afflictions of Our Time and his article on the Reformation in America. Mitchell argues the West’s turmoil is fundamentally a religious crisis, with identity politics functioning as a quasi-Christian, “incomplete religion” seeking purity and redemption without a Christian solution. He contrasts a “regime of competence” with a post-1989 suspension of history, critiques the feminization of public life as mercy detached from justice, and outlines three “economies” humans inhabit: payment, tradition, and spiritual debt. He contends conservatives focus on the first two while lacking language for the third, leaving the left to politicize guilt, stain, and redemption. Mitchell offers three futures—endless incomplete religions, Nietzschean rejection of Christian categories, or a return to Christianity—and emphasizes America’s covenantal Protestant imagination as key to overcoming identity politics.

00:00 Religious Crisis Frame

00:34 Show Intro Guest Setup

02:05 Is Woke Dead

03:02 Competence After 1989

04:53 Mercy Justice Feminization

07:09 Manliness Debate

09:20 Incomplete Religions Thesis

14:24 Nietzsche Tocqueville Futures

19:20 Three Economies Explained

24:00 Identity Politics As Religion

27:09 Tocqueville Self Interest

33:04 America Protestant Catholic Moment

34:53 Covenantal America Returns

35:56 Protestant Revival Warning

37:41 Host Rapid Fire Topics

41:16 Burke Simplicity Trap

43:37 Purity Stain Politics

47:43 Spiritual Economy Turn

50:20 Religion That Fits

55:00 France Religion Showdown

58:51 Aristotle Versus Plato

01:02:47 Covenant Beyond Nietzsche

01:03:45 Next Book Farewell

Professor Elizabeth Corey says conservatism is about far more than fighting. In fact, its major emphasis lies outside politics altogether.

Corey offers a thick view of intellectual conservatism. She invites us into something challenging and deep. 

I tried to push her on whether she was asking too much. Was her approach practicable? Should we never ever fight? What role does conflict play in a conservative philosophy?

Professor Corey does not shy from these issues. She sees them as real questions for her students, but also in her own life.

Let me know what you think of this episode! Thanks so much for checking it out.

Shawn

Links:

https://lawliberty.org/podcast/conservatisms-lamentable-drift/

https://lawliberty.org/a-quiet-refusal-to-compromise/

Beautiful Losers

https://essays.quotidiana.org/hazlitt/pleasure_of_hating/

Michael Oakeshott on Religion, Aesthetics, and Politics

Chapters and AI summary:

Host Shawn Whatley welcomes Baylor University honors program director and political science professor Elizabeth Corey to discuss her concerns that modern conservatism has become increasingly adversarial, reducing politics to winners and losers and neglecting culture, education, and the “realm of experience” beyond the friends-enemies dichotomy. Drawing on thinkers such as Oakeshott, Scruton, Pieper, Kirk, and Aristotle, Corey argues for understanding tradition as learned “practices” and for balancing the active and contemplative lives, resisting the urge to instrumentalize knowledge. They address internal conservative pluralism and the Philadelphia Society’s big-tent approach, the role of humility and charity in debate, and Corey’s reading of Laura Field’s Furious Minds on MAGA-linked institutions like Hillsdale and Claremont. Corey also discusses Hazlitt’s “pleasure of hating,” her First Things piece on admiring, and her forthcoming book The Heart of Learning.

00:00 Modern Conservatism as Battle

00:31 Meet Professor Elizabeth Corey

04:18 A Drift Toward Conflict

10:07 Hot Button Politics vs Real Life

12:03 Is Culture Enough

14:51 Tradition as Practices

20:54 Active Life vs Contemplation

26:29 Oakeshott on History and Modes

29:37 Defining Conservatism Today

33:25 Big Tent Debates and Economics

36:14 Life Beyond Economics

37:01 Avoiding Sectarian Right

39:04 Humility and Big Tent

41:02 Pluralist Conservative Case

44:32 Do Ideologies Still Matter

48:24 Furious Minds and MAGA

50:46 Hillsdale and Claremont

54:21 Pleasure of Hating

58:52 Heart of Learning

01:02:24 Can Admiration Survive

Tim Haggstrom doesn't just promote theory. He bears the personal scars of legal practice. He leads an organization focussed on legal theory, while fighting (personally) for free speech.

This caught me off guard. I thought Tim was simply an exemplary leader of a noteworthy organization. I had no idea that he was also personally up to his neck in litigation about the legitimacy of race-based scholarship.

You won't meet a nicer, more thoughtful guy. Tim goes out of his way to ring-fence his own case from the organization he represents. You need to know about the Runnymede Society. The Society appears even more worth, and necessary, when you hear about Tim's case, at the end of the episode.

Let me know what you think!

Thanks again

Shawn

Chapters and AI Summary:

Host Shawn Whatley interviews Tim Haggstrom, National Director of the Runnymede Society, about whether freedom of speech exists in Canadian law schools and how students learn “no-go zones” on contentious issues. Hagstrom explains Runnymede’s founding in 2016 amid concerns about insufficient debate over constitutional change, citing the Supreme Court’s 2015 Saskatchewan Federation of Labour decision on a Charter right to strike, and outlines the Society’s mission to promote constitutionalism, the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms through debates it does not adjudicate. They discuss taboo topics, civil discourse, and competing views of the rule of law, interpretation, legal neutrality, and substantive equality (including the 2020 Fraser case). Hagstrom then recounts his personal judicial review against the University of Saskatchewan after being found guilty of non-academic misconduct following letters defending dialogue and critiquing race-based policies, linking the dispute to university commitments to decolonization and anti-racism training.

00:00 Free Speech in Law School

00:22 Meet Tim Haggstrom

04:23 Why Runnymede Started

07:10 Tim’s Path to Runnymede

09:47 Campus No Go Zones

13:42 Staying Relevant and Civil

16:28 Sacred Cows Debate Example

19:05 Tim’s Lawsuit Teaser

21:53 Why Institutions Matter

25:24 Network Formation and Skills

31:03 Rule of Law Explained

37:26 Law Without Translation

38:53 Bridge Norms Example

41:33 Courts Versus Legislatures

44:13 Thick Rule of Law

45:57 Rodriguez To Carter

48:46 Living Tree Origins

50:19 Can Law Be Neutral

51:09 Substantive Equality Debate

56:05 Runnymede Student Plug

56:59 Saskatchewan Case Begins

01:05:41 Critical Social Justice Claims

01:10:11 Campus Speech Outlook

01:13:09 Protect Legal Tradition

Update on the quest to define conservatism! After almost 100 episodes, I see a way to articulate conservatism coming into view. I hope to capture it all into a short book/long essay later this year.

In the meantime, I offer a recap of liberalism and contrast it with conservatism. I also touch on inheritance, myth, and experience as themes within conservatism.

I also tackle a summary of neoconservatism. Neocons remain the main opinion shapers on the non-left in Canada. Their eminence has waned in America, but it remains strong in Canada.

We end with a review of upcoming guests.

Looking forward to hearing what you think!

Thanks again

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary:

Host Shawn Whatley shares a scheduling update amid a busy summer and looks ahead to the podcast’s 100th episode, then continues his effort to define conservatism by contrasting it with liberalism. He critiques George Grant’s thin definition of liberalism and Grant’s claim about the impossibility of political conservatism, and instead uses Fukuyama/John Gray’s four-part account of liberalism (individualism, egalitarianism, universalism, meliorism) to frame key conservative objections: the involuntary obligations of life (especially family), equality before law alongside excellence, particularism over universal political templates, and prudential skepticism about reform. He adds conservative emphases on inheritance, regional myth/self-understanding, and shared experience. He then outlines three waves of neoconservatism—its origins, post–Cold War central-planning and interventionist tendencies, and a 2016-era “never-Trump” internationalist turn—before previewing upcoming guests Josh Mitchell, Tim Hagstrom, and Elizabeth Corey.

00:00 Big Questions Intro

00:14 Podcast Schedule Update

01:26 Defining Liberalism

04:56 Fukuyama Four Pillars

06:54 Conservative Pushback

10:45 Tradition Myth Place

13:51 Thin vs Thick Politics

14:58 Neoconservatism Origins

17:04 Second Wave Neocons

20:53 Third Wave Never Trump

22:41 Guests and Wrap Up

Jodi Bruhn offers a sobering take on Canada. Professor Bruhn is an expert on governance and constitutional thought. She says we might not appreciate the significance and potential fallout from the Supreme Court wading in the Notwithstanding Clause.

We discuss civics education and whether there's an increased appetite for first principles.

Thanks for checking this out!

I look forward to your comments.

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary:

Host Shawn Whatley interviews Dr. Jodi Bruhn about renewed interest in first principles, civics, and regime analysis in her University of Lethbridge courses, contrasting first-year and fourth-year students’ ability to identify clashing political principles behind current events. They discuss political science versus political philosophy, including critiques of Straussian textualism, and consider thinkers such as Aristotle, Voegelin, Bergson, and Carl Schmitt. Bruhn warns that the Supreme Court of Canada hearing cases involving the notwithstanding clause signals a misunderstanding of legislative supremacy and could provoke a political showdown with provinces like Quebec and Alberta, potentially risking Canada’s dissolution. They examine constitutional change constraints, separatism’s uncertain outcomes, leadership and ethical decay under unwritten constitutional conventions, demagoguery, and Bruhn’s account of Tamara Lich’s University of Calgary talk about the trucker convoy.

00:00 Supreme Court Warning

00:52 Meet the Guest

02:52 Teaching First Principles

05:26 Civics and Regimes

07:37 Political Science vs Philosophy

15:31 Teasing Out Principles

18:03 Notwithstanding Clause Clash

21:14 Charter and Judicial Review

23:34 Can Canada Rewind

25:26 Alberta Separation Scenarios

28:41 Schmitt and Conflict Horizon

29:57 Friendship Course Spectrum

31:29 Canadian Founding Enmities

33:27 Hooker and English Middle Way

35:42 Ideology and First Principles

37:31 Alberta Separation and Reconfederation

39:47 Constitutional Mismatch and Corruption

44:51 Demagoguery and Vital Breakthrough

47:33 Reading Bergson and Courage

49:10 Tamara Lich at University

51:11 Teaching Critical Thinking Finale

Tom Flanagan explains why we need Hayek's ideas about spontaneous order, institutions, and the limits of state control. Hayek will frustrate central planners and also anarchists. Libertarians can't depend on Hayek; he's too supportive of traditional institutions.

Professor Flanagan has taught a generation of political science students at the University of Calgary. He's informed so much of what the Right assumes in Canada. He's generous, thoughtful, and resists capture into a neat, political box.

Books mentioned:

Grave Error: How The Media Misled Us (and the Truth about Residential Schools)

Dead Wrong: How Canada Got the Residential School Story So Wrong

Articles mentioned:

Settler-Neoliberalism: Tom Flanagan and Friedrich Hayek on the Prairies | Canadian Historical Review

Let me know what you think!

Thanks again,

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary

Host Shawn Whatley interviews political scientist Tom Flanagan about Friedrich Hayek, focusing on spontaneous order versus top-down organization and the state’s proper role in enforcing rules without directing outcomes. Flanagan explains spontaneous order through examples like language, markets, common law, and even skiing etiquette, and argues modern governments often create chaos by trying to control systems such as Canadian healthcare through price and quantity setting, producing persistent shortages and waitlists. The conversation explores Hayek’s assumptions about property, justice as a feature of fair process and intention rather than outcomes, and practical questions about unintended consequences in politics. Flanagan also discusses Canada’s formation through sovereignty claims, treaties, and force, defending treaty-making as broadly just for its time. He contrasts Hayek’s limits on “spiritual problems” with Voegelin’s strengths and notes he is not an Alberta separatist.

00:00 Hayek In A Nutshell

01:00 Show Intro And Guest

04:56 Flanagan Meets Hayek

06:08 Spontaneous Order Explained

07:02 Language As Emergence

09:50 Markets And Simple Rules

11:55 State Control And Healthcare

16:55 Ski Hill Rules And Enforcement

22:20 Property Justice And Tradition

27:49 Colonialism And Civilizing Mission

30:28 International Anarchy And Empire

35:40 Treaties and Education

36:51 Hayek Order vs Organization

38:16 Canada Built by Force

39:22 Morris and Prairie Treaties

42:03 Mirage of Social Justice

47:55 Intentions vs Outcomes

49:29 Weber and Policy Consequences

56:17 Hayek Meets Voegelin

01:03:13 Spiritual Pathology Politics

01:04:46 State Supports Spontaneous Order

01:08:28 Alberta Separatism and Wrap

Evan Menzies shows why Albertans should be furious. As an Albertan himself, he understands. And as a political consultant, he sees even more reasons to be upset than most Albertans have heard of. He is frustrated and doesn't hide it.

In spite of powerful reasons to be upset, he still thinks Alberta should stay.

The rest of Canada isn't paying enough attention to this. Alberta separation wouldn't be an issue if Canada was well governed. It will continue to be an issue until our governance is fixed.

Here's the article we discuss: An argument for Canada from an Alberta conservative.

Thanks for listening! 

Let me know what you think.

Chapters and AI summary:

Alberta Separatism Debate: Evan Menzies’ Argument for Staying in Canada Host Shawn Whatley interviews Evan Menzies, VP at Crestview Strategy and former Wildrose/UCP staffer, about his Substack article “An Argument for Canada from an Alberta Conservative” and the rise of Alberta separatism. Menzies explains why many Alberta conservatives feel exhausted and unheard—citing issues like equalization, Senate and House of Commons representation, pipeline barriers, and judicial “constitutional adventurism” (including MAID, mandatory minimums, and debates over the notwithstanding clause). He argues separatism is a risky, non-conservative “tear down to the studs” revolution that promises a utopia while forcing Alberta to rebuild institutions and constitutional order from scratch. Instead, he urges reform within Canada, appeals to patriotism and gratitude, warns against victimhood politics, and predicts Alberta’s growing demographic and economic weight will keep shifting Canada’s power westward.

00:00 Alberta Separation Stakes

01:07 Show Setup and Guest Intro

05:05 Why Albertans Feel Exhausted

08:02 Who Supports Leaving

11:50 Senate Imbalance Debate

15:40 House Seats and Time Zones

18:21 Equalization and Quebec Hydro

20:43 Courts and Constitutional Drift

25:04 Charter Pragmatism vs Principle

28:03 Why Stay In Canada

28:35 Three Reasons To Stay

31:05 Blank Slate Constitution Risks

33:04 Revolution Not Devolution

35:41 Communicating Conservatism Again

39:26 Patriotism Over Victimhood

45:05 Gratitude And National Story

49:39 Alberta Story Is Canadian

51:28 Make The 21st Century Canada

51:59 Closing Thanks And Moral Ground

Ashley Moyse is a bioethicist and theologian at Baylor University. In America, he hails from the political left. If he was in his native Saskatchewan, he'd be centre-left or perhaps even right-wing to some people. 

Our conversation tackled technology, ethics, and humanity in professional education. How we can keep clinicians human and prevent them from becoming robots?

Although we situate the conversation in the health sciences, the concepts apply to every corner of society: engineering, finance, public policy, and more. 

Dr. Moyse has had some success in helping students see beyond the materialist reductionism of modern science. His work offers hope for other fields.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Thanks for listening.

Shawn

Book mentioned:

The Art of Living for a Technological Age

Chapters and AI summary

Host Shawn Whatley interviews Dr. Ashley Moyse, associate professor of bioethics at Baylor University, about how technology, markets, and policy language reshape medicine and moral life. Moyse traces his path from neurophysiology and cancer-clinic work to theology and bioethics, including training in Australia and Oxford and creating the Columbia Character Cooperatives to form medical students through virtue-based practices. They critique the market metaphor of “provider,” arguing it distorts the clinician–patient relationship and turns people into producers and consumers of information. Moyse explains his book The Art of Living for a Technological Age and “techno-ontology,” expanding technology beyond devices to include moral and political techniques, and challenges Beauchamp and Childress’ four-principles framework as flattening ethics into efficient tools rather than lived moral struggle, formation, and attention over time.

00:00 Patients Not Data

00:45 Meet Dr Ashley Moyse

05:35 From Neurophysiology To Theology

08:39 Oxford Columbia Baylor Path

13:49 Techno Ontology Explained

14:54 Tools Beyond Gadgets

25:21 Four Principles Under Fire

32:55 Ethics As Struggle

33:46 Medicine as Craft

37:15 Virtue in Clinical Risk

39:19 Ethics Beyond Principles

43:05 Provider Language Critique

47:04 Metrics and Managerialism

49:53 Mentoring Against Positivism

58:32 Phenomenology in Practice

01:03:16 Technology as Principality

01:09:55 Closing Reflections

I asked Dr. Matthew Rowley for help with questions on political theology. It turns out he's another big supporter of independence for Alberta. 

The current Supreme Court hearings last week are pouring fuel on the Alberta separatist movement. The Mark Carney Liberals are intervenors on the SCC hearing about Quebec's Bill 21 and use of the notwithstanding clause (s.33). Carney is asking the Supreme Court to do an end-run around the constitution bypassing the amending formula.

Regardless of how the court rules, the fact that it had the gall to hear the case fuels Alberta's frustrations. 

We do discuss Dr. Rowley's insights on political theology, but most of our time focussed on the revolutionary nature of the SCC this week.

Please let me know what you think!

Thanks for listening,

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary

Host Shawn Whatley interviews Dr. Matthew Rowley about the Supreme Court of Canada hearing Quebec’s Bill 21 and whether limits can be placed on the Charter’s notwithstanding clause (s.33), which Rowley argues would further politicize the Court and trigger a constitutional crisis. They discuss federal intervention, the Charter’s impact on legislative supremacy, court power, secularism, and how differing regional cultures and views of government fuel Alberta’s separatist momentum. Rowley contrasts Alberta’s self-reliant ethos with Eastern Canada’s greater trust in government, critiques legal instrumentalism and the loss of duties tied to rights, and emphasizes internal justice and external defense as core governmental roles. The conversation also addresses political theology, the foundations of Western civilization, declining legitimacy and honor in politics, and the need for deeper, honest public debate.

00:00 Charter More American

01:26 Supreme Court Showdown

02:03 Bill 21 and Section

33 06:14 Court Power Grab Fears

10:35 Alberta Separatism Case

11:54 Prairie vs East Cultures

14:05 Charter Control and Courts

17:32 Rural Life and Tools

20:09 Where Rights Come From

22:28 Rights Need Responsibilities

26:21 Too Many Laws Problem

30:38 Government Role and Good

34:27 Law as Moral Boundary

37:14 Political Theology Setup

39:37 Behavior Versus Intentions

40:15 Where Evil Really Lies

41:19 Free Church And Mainline

42:25 Faith Shown By Works

43:59 Christian Roots Of The West

45:51 Conservatism As A Living Tree

49:12 Canada Loses First Principles

51:36 State Replacing God

54:10 Legitimacy And Stoplights

55:07 Crisis Of Secular Confidence

57:43 Young People Return To God

01:00:37 Responsible Government And Honor

01:05:07 Rebuilding Ancient Paths

01:08:33 Civitas And Honest Dialogue

01:10:45 Ralph Klein And Telling Truth

01:12:30 Closing Reflections And Farewell

Can AI replace teachers? Would students benefit?

Should classical schools -- great books curricula -- use AI? 

I tried very hard to get Dr. Grant Havers into trouble in this episode. But he was too smart to say anything that would offend school administrators.

Instead of picking a side in the pro- vs anti-AI debate, Dr. Havers worked to bring out issues and objectives. If we trust AI to think for us, what does that say about our own ability to think?

This debate will continue to invade every knowledge-based profession over the next few years. Maybe we will all be retraining as plumbers and electricians?

Looking forward to hearing what you think!

Thanks again,

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary

Host Shawn Whatley interviews Professor Grant Havers, chair of Philosophy at Trinity Western University and author of The Medium Is Still the Message, about AI’s role in education, especially in Great Books and classical Christian settings. Havers argues educators must study and discuss AI because media create “invisible environments” that reshape minds beyond intended uses, while warning against introducing AI into classrooms or outsourcing intellectual tasks like summarizing Plato. He questions why teachers would trust AI to write emails or handle routine work, suggesting it reflects a questionable belief that AI “thinks” better than humans, and distinguishes information processing from intelligence, intuition, and creativity. Framing AI as a new version of Plato’s cave, he calls for renewed emphasis on dialogue-based education, responsibility for beliefs, and awareness of technology’s addictive, idolatrous pull, while noting AI’s rapid real-time effects, including concerns about autonomous weapons in war.

00:00 AI in Education Today

00:42 Meet the Guest

03:22 Why Schools Want AI

05:09 Medium Shapes Minds

06:55 Outsourcing Thinking

11:02 AI as the New Cave

13:34 Mundane Tasks Debate

21:55 Addiction and Tradeoffs

23:42 Study Tech to Resist

27:02 Print Culture and Tropos

28:42 Medium Shapes the Mind

31:31 Intellectual Virtue and Soul

33:30 Left Brain Right Brain Limits

37:26 Reviving Dialogue Education

40:09 AI Empathy and Truth Seeking

43:30 Poison Books and Paradox

47:10 Idolatry Addiction and Narcissus

50:09 Hopeful Outlook and AI War

52:39 Book Wrap Up and Farewell

Dr. Paul Gottfried packages his writing in dynamite and grit. He uses an academic style which is now almost extinct on the political right.

No one tries to provoke in order to make a point anymore. The Left still uses it all the time, but not the Right.

You cannot listen to Gottfried with modern antennae tuned to gasp at every offence. If you do, you will miss the impact of his next three punches.

I lack the courage to match Gottfried's approach. I'd like to think it's because he's old enough to not care anymore, but he was doing the same things 30 years ago. Perhaps he's spent so much time reading historical writers that he adopted their approach?

Whatever the means and ways of Dr. Gottfried, you really need to know about his thought and content. 

Books discussed:

After Liberalism: Mass Democracy in the Managerial State

The Essential Paul Gottfried: Essays from 1984-2024

Multiculturalism and the Politics of Guilt

Let me know what you think!

Thanks again,

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary:

Host Shawn Whatley interviews Dr. Paul Gottfried, editor-in-chief of Chronicles Magazine, about his claim that “liberal democracy” no longer exists and functions as a self-justifying label for the welfare/managerial state and its hegemonic class. Gottfried argues liberalism was a 19th-century bourgeois worldview favoring constitutional limits, civil society, markets, property, nation-states, and restricted suffrage, and that it largely died in the early 20th century as mass democracy and collectivist ideologies replaced it. He critiques Straussian influence on U.S. conservatism, rejects natural rights as a fiction rooted in communities, and disputes claims that progressivism was imported from German philosophy. Discussing Carl Schmitt, he emphasizes intensifying friend–enemy conflict and collapsing common ground, calling the U.S. Constitution’s original design effectively a “dead letter” absent a supporting cultural tropos. He also promotes Chronicles’ 50th anniversary dinner at the Willard Hotel on April 9.

00:00 Does Liberal Democracy Exist

00:43 Meet Paul Gottfried

05:30 Lukacs Quote And Thesis

07:22 Mass Democracy And Welfare State

11:06 Defining 19th Century Liberalism

13:57 Liberalism Family And Stability

17:27 Roots From Greeks To Hegel

19:45 Strauss And The Neocons

22:55 Jaffa Marini And Natural Right

26:42 Grant And Universal State

29:08 Conservatism Incorporated Critique

33:12 Provocation And Dead Letter Constitution

33:45 Constitution Under Threat

34:34 Original Design vs Judges

35:24 Tropos and Postliberal Age

36:59 Protestant Roots of Republicanism

41:38 Welfare State and State Churches

47:34 Schmitt and Friend Enemy Politics

53:24 Managerial State and Control

55:53 Universalism vs Particularism

01:01:30 Closing Reflections and Plugs

Sam Duncan has worked in government for Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. He is current VP at Wellington Advocacy.

We discuss a powerful article Sam wrote titled: Toward a conservative counter-elite.

Sam's article almost has enough content to outline a whole book. He diagnosed Canada's problems, uncovers the causes, and offers a detailed list of almost a dozen solutions.

I was able to press Sam on managerialism and the tendency for Conservatives to act like Liberal professional managers when in power. This is something I haven't sorted for myself: How do we fix things without becoming managerialist ourselves?

Sam is eloquent and very good on his feet.

Let me know what you think!

Thanks so much for listening.

Shawn

Chapters and AI Summary

Host Shawn Whatley welcomes Sam Duncan, VP at Wellington Advocacy and former advisor to Doug Ford and Stephen Harper, to discuss Duncan’s article “Toward a Conservative Counter Elite.” They argue Canadian conservatism lacks an emotional narrative and compelling national story, while politics often operates as a “uniparty” with small philosophical differences under liberal frameworks. Duncan reflects on conservatives’ failure to translate electoral success into lasting policy and cultural change and calls for developing a conservative counter-elite by reforming institutions that recruit and train leaders, rather than being merely anti-elite. The conversation covers populism, the need for unifying myths after the collapse of British identity, the impact of Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s post-national multicultural vision, strengthening families and communities, the limits of managerialism, and building think tanks and long-term idea ecosystems to pressure politicians and sustain reforms.

00:00 What Conservatism Lacks

00:47 Show Intro and Guest

03:26 Why Write Counter Elite

05:42 Uniparty Explained

09:23 Populism Without Winning

12:38 Narrative Versus Demagoguery

15:56 Canada’s Missing Myth

20:25 Elites Formed Constrained Empowered

25:51 Selection and Institutional Coding

31:20 Beyond Policy Tweaks

32:12 Family First Principles

34:39 Daycare State Alternatives

36:13 Property Owning Democracy

38:01 Massey Commission Today

40:25 Building Conservative Institutions

43:34 Reforms That Stick

46:58 Politics Is Contest

49:38 Winning Versus Ideas

55:21 Managerialism And COVID

56:53 Public Service Renewal

01:02:55 Generational Conservative Shift

01:05:00 Tropos And Regime Roots

01:06:58 Closing Reflections

Professor Barry Cooper is an Albertan. This fact transcends location. It speaks to a prairie self-understanding, a prairie myth, that stands apart and distinct from the Laurentian myth. For example, Cooper says bilingual Canada is a "huge myth outside Laurentian Canada."

Professor Cooper argues that George Grant did not understand the prairie mindset. He was a Laurentian, and as such, Grant was clueless about Alberta. He reflects the Garrison mindset of the Laurentians: Alberta is a place you go to get stuff.

Cooper thinks Alberta independence is an inevitability. He cannot see any way to meld the two myths (mythoi) together. They are chalk and cheese.

We touch on education, technology, and political ideologies. Professor Cooper promotes a non-ideological stance. Perhaps in the future we can tackle whether this is even possible. It seems to assume a fact-value distinction, value relativism, which assumes what it seeks to avoid. But again, we will have to pursue this another day.

Professor Cooper points us to prairie history written by historians who actually understand the west. Stop reading only history written by Laurentians who do not understand their subject.

Barry Cooper's influence on Canadian political thought has been huge. Don't miss this episode!

Looking forward to hearing what you think.

Thanks again!

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary

Host Shawn Whatley interviews political scientist Barry Cooper, a fourth-generation Albertan and senior fellow at the Frontier Centre, about how technology shapes consciousness (“technology is its use”), the impact of screens and AI, and why we often misunderstand technology as something we control. Cooper contrasts a Laurentian “garrison mentality” with a Western pioneer mindset, arguing that central Canada misunderstands Western Canada—a gap he says even George Grant exemplified despite Cooper’s friendly acquaintance with him. They discuss myth as a lived self-understanding, Canada’s east–west versus north–south alignments, COVID-era authoritarian responses, and Cooper’s view that Canada is not truly bilingual outside parts of Ontario and Quebec. Cooper concludes Alberta independence is “not if, but when,” unless central Canada addresses core policy grievances like pipelines and transfer payments.

00:00 Tech Shapes Us

00:34 Alberta Independence Myths

01:13 Meet Barry Cooper

05:38 George Grant And The West

08:04 Prairie Experience Vs Laurentian Vision

13:42 How Cooper Was Educated

17:15 From Farmers To Thinkers

18:40 Teaching Ideology And Wokeness

22:56 Technology Is Its Use

27:42 Myth And The West As Resource

28:57 Myth and Selfhood

31:22 Prairie Pioneer Mindset

32:56 Pipelines and Leverage

37:14 Garrison COVID Politics

40:41 Reading the West

41:56 Bilingualism Myth

47:13 Alberta Future and Independence

49:07 Beyond Left Right Labels

51:46 Local Historians and Wrap Up

Ron Dart seems to embody generosity. It's hard to find a hard edge in him. Even when he states an opinion strongly, he always works to understand your side of the issue. 

Ron and I approach things from different angles, but we both try to embody the same method. Of course, his is far more honed and nuanced, educated and articulate. But I think our conversations reflect a genuine desire to understand -- attentive listening as Professor Dart calls it.

This episode gets into questions we all need to ask about Canada, what holds us together, and what is our understanding of first principles.

Please tell me what you think of it!

Thanks so much for listening.

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary

Host Shawn Whatley interviews Professor Ron Dart about why philosophy is needed today and how Canada sought a post–World War II cultural identity through the Massey Commission (1948–1951), commissioned by Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent. They discuss the report’s emphasis on national “intangibles,” unity in the realm of ideas, and George Grant’s controversial philosophy submission, requested by his uncle Vincent Massey, which argued philosophy is not a technique but a wisdom-seeking discipline that must avoid becoming purely negative skepticism and must relate scientific and technical knowledge to moral and spiritual questions. Dart recounts Grant’s clashes with U of T’s Fulbert Anderson, Grant’s resignation from York University over curricular control, and how this led to Grant’s role in founding McMaster’s interdisciplinary Religious Studies program. They also explore contemplative vs. active life, faith as a human issue, limits of rationalism, and Sophocles’ Antigone as a warning about rigid polarization.

00:00 Why Philosophy Now

00:30 Meet Ron Dart

01:22 Massey Report Origins

03:27 Canada Identity After War

06:26 Key Massey Quotes

08:08 Visionary or Postmortem

12:12 Grant vs York University

18:28 Conscience and Aftermath

22:49 Baptists and Classics at Mac

25:19 Grant on Faith and Technique

28:03 Vita Activa vs Contemplation 3

5:40 Not Knowing and Faith

40:43 Polanyi and Tacit Knowledge

42:06 Bayes and Uncertainty

43:08 Defeasible Warrant

43:36 Nietzsche Apollo Dionysus

46:12 Limits of Rationalism

48:52 Grant and Bacon Nuance

50:25 Philosophy Not Cumulative

53:12 Against Chronological Snobbery

55:40 Catholicity of Traditions

01:00:02 Antigone and Culture Wars

01:03:28 Frozen Reason Tragedy

01:07:32 Choosing Sides Carefully

01:13:00 Aeschylus and the Enemy

01:14:52 Tightrope of Tensions

01:17:40 Concluding Reflections

Mia Hughes has no qualms about saying the Emperor has no clothes. She says what the rest of us cannot say, because we must stay within the boundaries of what our licences require.

Transgender medicine strikes at the core of what medicine is; at what it means to care for patients.

Should doctors do whatever patients want, or should doctors do whatever saves life and limb?

There could not be a greater debate. 

Should technology determine what we can and should do or should technology submit to something else?

Powerful, powerful discussion. 

Please take a moment to absorb it. Reflect. Tell me what you think.

Thank you so much for listening!

Shawn

https://genspect.org/international/genspect-canada/

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/shawn-whatley-doctors-have-gone-silent-on-gender-dysphoria-thats-not-good-for-patients

Chapters and AI summary:

Host Shawn Whatley interviews Mia Hughes, director of Genspect Canada, about what she calls the ideology-driven culture of gender medicine and her reporting on leaked internal WPATH communications (“WPATH files”). Hughes describes WPATH’s evolution from the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association into an activist-influenced organization, arguing its guiding principle became “de-psychopathologization,” prioritizing patient autonomy and access to hormones and surgeries over evidence and clinical safeguards. They debate medical ethics, consumerist medicine, differential diagnosis, and how harm should be defined, including comparisons to anorexia and apotemnophilia. Hughes presents her framework of transgender identification as an “extreme overvalued belief,” criticizes self-report outcomes as proof of benefit, and discusses detransition experiences. The episode ends with her account of confronting evidence-based medicine pioneer Gordon Guyatt over McMaster’s statement calling pediatric gender interventions “medically necessary.”

00:00 What Guides Gender Medicine

00:34 Meet Mia Hughes

05:52 Courage and Whistleblowing

07:14 Inside the WPATH Files

12:57 How WPATH Changed

15:19 Activism Takes Over

19:41 Devils Advocate Ethics

23:10 Overvalued Idea Theory

29:23 Contagion and Guardrails

31:52 Measuring Success and Harm

36:29 Evidence Limits and Harm Redefined

39:32 Paraphilias and Body Fixation

40:22 Patient Blackmail Ethics

41:08 Consumer Medicine Debate

43:00 Gender Care Lifesaving Claim

46:44 Liberalism Versus Medical Limits

49:57 Detransition And Overvalued Belief

54:40 Demanding Differential Diagnosis

56:46 Repathologizing And Root Causes

01:03:52 Gordon Guyatt Controversy

01:11:50 What We Missed And Wrap

Professor von Heyking just left Lethbridge Alberta and moved to Arizona to help lead the Civics program at ASU. Our discussion pivoted around differences between USA and Canada, civics education, and how constitutions differ on each side of the border.

This episode ran more like a visit between friends. We jumped between topics too much, laughed too much, and were probably too open about our opinions. 

In my opinion, this is precisely when magic happens.

Check out the ASU homepage.

And here's a piece John wrote for The Hub: Canada’s universities are failing to provide proper civic education. Here’s how Alberta can correct course

Thanks again for listening!

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary

Host Shawn Whatley interviews Professor John von Heyking, now associate director and professor at Arizona State University’s School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership, about its legislature-initiated mission to address America’s civic literacy and viewpoint-diversity gaps through teaching classics (Plato, Aristotle), constitutionalism, and political history while maintaining academic freedom. They discuss differences between American and Canadian political systems, including Westminster party government, responsible government, confidence, and Bagehot’s “dignified” vs “efficient” constitution, contrasting with U.S. separation of powers and elections as key “venting points” for civic efficacy. The conversation ranges over written vs unwritten constitutional “preludes,” the Declaration’s “self-evident” truths, the moral warrant for dignity, and debates over liberalism’s meaning and origins. Von Heyking argues CBC portrayals are misleading and that America is not a fascist state, noting more Canadians move to the U.S. than vice versa.

00:00 Is America Great?

00:57 Meet John von Heyking

04:17 Inside ASU Civics School

07:50 Funding and Legislature Support

10:14 Academic Freedom and Curriculum

11:35 Student Demand and Recruiting

14:36 Wokeness and Civics Funding

19:32 Patriotism and Civic Efficacy

24:29 Bagehot and Parliament Debate

30:05 Cabinet Government Metaphors

33:18 Responsible Government Touching Power

35:57 Westminster Boot Versus Impeachment

38:14 Written and Unwritten Constitutions

43:18 Self Evident Truths and Equality

48:29 Warrant Dignity and Christian Roots

54:19 Walsh Liberalism and Its Origins

01:00:52 Media Myths and Closing Thoughts

Do ideas determine elections? Or should we forget about ideas and focus on issues?

Dan Pitt has experience with both theory and practice. He teaches and writes books about political theory. And he's been involved with several election campaigns, including serving as a candidate in a recent by-election.

Power rests with ideas. Unless we shape ideas, forming government can mean you are simply in office but out of power.

Check out Dan's book he co-edited with Ferenc Hörcher: Intellectual Conservatism from Burke to Scruton

And tell me what you think of this episode!

Thanks again,

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary

Host Shawn Whatley welcomes back Professor Dan Pitt, a research fellow at the University of Buckingham and member of the Centre for Heterodox Social Science, to discuss bridging political theory and practice. Pitt reflects on a busy 2025—publishing articles, promoting his book Intellectual Conservatism (from Burke to Scruton), running as a Conservative candidate in the Long Eaton North council by-election (finishing second, 23 votes behind after starting third), and welcoming a newborn daughter, Marigold. The conversation centers on Pitt’s argument that conservatives must fight on both the intellectual/cultural level and the practical electoral level, because losing the battle of ideas leads to losing elections (“in office but not in power”). They discuss his campaign slogan—sound economics, cultural revival, and flourishing local communities—and how these themes connected with voters through everyday concerns like household budgeting, passing culture to children, and strengthening local “little platoons.” Whatley and Pitt explore the tension between conservatism and the Conservative Party, including the idea that conservatism is broader than party politics (cultural, theological, and rooted in views of human nature) and that the British Conservative Party contains a liberal strand due to historical mergers, meaning it is never purely conservative. Pitt rejects the claim that conservatism is simply liberalism, arguing that liberalism itself is diverse and that conservatism and liberalism have influenced each other while remaining distinct in views of the person, knowledge, markets, law, and custom. They discuss Stanley Baldwin’s legacy—his unifying “one nation” vision, his Christian-inflected rhetoric, his electoral success, and his emphasis on national greatness and social cohesion—along with questions of assimilation, multiculturalism, and how to build unity through education, shared history, heroes, and a national story that invites newcomers without erasing their identities. Pitt also addresses conservative views of property as responsibility, identity, and character-building, Baldwin’s approach to industrial relations aligning labor and capital, and Baldwin’s anonymous voluntary financial contribution to help pay war debt. The episode closes with Pitt on gratitude, the challenge of criticizing government policy without repudiating one’s country or people, and a preview of his upcoming June book, The Conservative Party in the Constitution (Manchester University Press), covering topics from local government and devolution to Northern Ireland and the constitutional outlook up to Rishi Sunak.

00:00 Do Ideas Still Matter? Culture, Politics, and ‘In Office but Not in Power’

00:43 Meet Professor Dan Pitt: Book, Baby, and a Run for Office

04:35 Why ‘Intellectual Conservatism’ Tries to Bridge Theory and Practice

06:41 Two-Level Politics: Winning Elections vs Winning the Battle of Ideas

09:42 Doorstep Conservatism: Sound Economics, Cultural Revival, Local Flourishing

12:57 Conservatism vs the Conservative Party: Untangling Big-C and small-c

17:36 Is Conservatism Just Liberalism? Where They Overlap—and Where They Don’t

22:31 New Conservatism & Stanley Baldwin: One Nation, Unity, and National Greatness

29:08 Christian Politics Today: Unity in a More Secular Age

31:04 Baldwin’s Big Tent: Courting Methodists & the Non‑Conformist Vote

32:11 Electoral Machine: How Baldwin Built Landslides (and Beat Thatcher’s Swing)

33:12 Multiculturalism & the Challenge of a Shared National Story

35:18 Assimilation Through Education: Rebuilding Roots, Heroes, and Civic Belonging

39:57 Optimism, Tradition, and the ‘Tory Hope’ for the Future

44:02 Why Property Matters: Duty, Identity, and the Conservative Case for Ownership

47:37 Baldwin’s Industrial Relations: Aligning Capital & Labor + Anonymous Patriotism

51:28 Is Conservatism Just Class Interest? Debunking the ‘Party of the Rich’ Myth

56:13 What Keeps Him Up at Night: Gratitude, Ambition, and Criticizing Without Repudiating

01:00:29 Wrap-Up & What’s Next: The New Book on the Conservative Party and the Constitution

We return to a persistent challenge for conservatives. What do we do with intellectuals? Can politicians trust them? What role, if any, do intellectuals play in conservative politics?

Dr. Ferenc Hörcher argues that intellectuals have a different job than politicians, but each can benefit from the other. In the ideal case, intellectuals avoid telling politicians what do, and politicians foster an appetite for intellectual discourse. 

We return to a discussion about Intellectual Conservatism: From Burke to Scruton, a book he co-edited with Daniel Pitt. It's priced as an academic book, but anyone interested in political thought and history would benefit from it.

Ferenc displays the best of what it means to be an intellectual conservative: openness, generosity, humour, breadth of interest, nuance, and much more. 

Looking forward to hearing what you think!

Thanks again,

Shawn

Chapters and AI summary

Host Shawn Whatley welcomes back Dr. Ferenc Hörcher, head of the Research Institute for Politics and Government at Ludovika University of Public Service in Hungary and senior research fellow at the Institute of Philosophy of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, to discuss Intellectual Conservatism: From Burke to Scruton, a book he co-edited with Daniel Pitt. Hörcher explains why political conservatives often fear intellectuals, citing 20th-century examples of intellectuals introducing destructive ideas into politics, but argues for a division of labor: politicians govern while intellectual conservatives think about politics and provide long-term perspective. The conversation emphasizes the book’s practical focus and its intellectual-historical narrative of Anglo-American conservatism, and Hörcher argues conservatives need not fear classical liberalism, since Anglo-American conservatism reacts to liberalism while retaining respect for its core achievements such as individual liberty and constitutional traditions. Drawing on his experience growing up in communist Hungary and gaining freedom in 1990, Hörcher says he values the West’s non-communist traditions—including liberalism, Christian democracy, and democratic socialism—and rejects culture-war framing in favor of prudential problem-solving on issues like education, migration, climate, and demography. They discuss Oakeshott’s critique of rationalist planning and the post-liberal debate (including British political theology strands and American figures like Patrick Deneen and Adrian Vermeule), with Hörcher expressing doubts about post-liberalism as a political solution while affirming liberal institutional achievements such as rule of law, free speech, and academic freedom. Hörcher distinguishes liberal and conservative individualism by stressing community, responsibility, and the fragility of freedom; he connects property ownership and markets to moral formation, describing Thatcher’s project as moral rather than merely economic and arguing market exchange is inherently personal and bound up with dignity, trust, and responsibility. In closing, Hörcher says politics must be approached with awareness of human mortality and highlights Roger Scruton’s later emphasis on “oikophilia,” love of home, urging civic participation, care for local communities, and sustaining Western culture through civility.

00:00 Are Conservatives Afraid of Intellectuals? (Cold Open)

00:38 Meet Dr. Ferenc Hörcher + What This Episode Covers

04:29 Host’s Big Question: Is Conservatism ‘For’ or ‘Against’ Things?

06:35 Why ‘Intellectual Conservatism’ Matters: Division of Labor with Politicians

11:20 Why Leaders Should Read: Long-Term Perspective vs. Media Politics

15:50 Conservatism & Liberalism as Shared Anglo-American Political Culture

17:55 Coalitions, the ‘Non-Left,’ and the Postliberal Challenge

20:30 Hörcher’s Central European Lens: Freedom After Communism

26:47 Pivot to Oakeshott: Rationalism, Planning, and Political Opponents

31:18 When Liberalism Shifts: Utopianism, Equality, and the Return of ‘Planners’

34:34 Philip Blond on Universalism: Liberalism as the West’s New ‘Universal’

35:55 Post-Liberalism as Political Theology: Faith, Secularism, and Liberalism’s Roots

39:23 Is John Gray a Post-Liberal? Zigzags, British vs. American Currents, and a New Wave of Books

42:27 What Post-Liberals Actually Critique: Defending Liberal Institutions While Reviving Virtue

48:30 Conservative vs. Liberal Individualism: Community, Fragility of Freedom, and Responsibility

55:48 Property, Markets, and Moral Formation: Thatcher, the Middle Class, and Stewardship Across Generations

01:04:50 Dignity, Trust, and Exchange: From Healthcare to Why Humans Aren’t Machines (or AI)

01:10:23 Final Reflection: Mortality, Scruton’s ‘Oikophilia,’ and Civility Through Local Participation

Franco Terrazzano knows taxes. As Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, he's the one in front of media calling on government for accountability on tax spending.

But behind the pizzaz lies a deep thinker. Franco loves the nerdy arguments buried in books few people read. They inform his tirades on social media. So don't be fooled, he's not just a talking head.

I kept trying to pull our discussion into the ideas behind the nonsense. However, Franco's outrageous examples of waste make ideas seem irrelevant. How can we even get to a theoretical discussion given so many examples of taxation lunacy? 

Be sure to check out The Canadian Taxpayers Federation and Franco's new book: Axing the Tax-The rise and fall of Canada's carbon tax. 

Chapters and AI summary:

Unveiling the Hidden Costs: A Deep Dive into Canadian Taxes with Franco Terrazzano In this episode of Concepts with Shawn Whatley, Franco Terrazzano, the director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and author of 'Axing the Tax,' delves into the intricate world of Canadian taxation. Terrazzano discusses why taxes are a significant issue for the average Canadian family, far beyond just the financial burden. The conversation touches on wasteful government spending, the philosophy behind taxation, and the accountability (or lack thereof) in how tax dollars are spent. Together, they explore examples of extravagant expenditures by the government, the role of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, potential tax reforms, and the deeper ideological considerations behind tax policies. The episode also offers insights into the broader implications of government intervention in various sectors, emphasizing the need for prudence and accountability.

00:00 Introduction: The Importance of Taxes

00:17 Meet Franco Terrazzano: Tax Expert and Advocate

02:25 Highlighting Government Waste

05:19 The Role and Achievements of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation

08:13 Debating the Nature of Taxation

13:04 Government Spending and Accountability

15:13 Historical Context and Current Challenges

23:39 Legal Battles and Victories

26:09 Philosophical Underpinnings and Influences

29:14 Introduction to Professor Flanagan and Canadian Taxpayers Federation

30:41 Balancing Seriousness with Humor in Advocacy

32:50 Healthcare and Government Spending Issues

37:01 Central Planning and Economic Policies

40:10 Taxation and Government Accountability

52:36 Personal Reflections and Final Thoughts

Barry Bussey has spent decades thinking about freedom and working around the legal edges of it. Most people don't think about freedom until it's compromised. Barry thinks about it all the time.

Canada has led the world as a test case on the limits of freedom with our MAiD (euthanasia) legislation, approach to COVID, and the Emergency Measure's Act. These are complex legal issues.

I always learn something when I talk with Barry. Let me know what you think of this episode!

Thanks again for listening.

Shawn

210 degrees Celsius: 16 ways the truckers ignited Canada for the long haul

First Freedoms Foundation

Chapters and AI summary:

Essential Conversations on Freedom and its Limits with Barry Bussey In this enlightening episode, host Shawn Whatley welcomes Barry Bussey, a prominent lawyer and founder of the First Freedoms Foundation, to discuss the intricacies of freedom and its limits. The dialogue spans a broad array of topics, including the role of courts and legislatures in determining freedoms, the history and influence of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the impact of governmental and bureaucratic decisions on personal liberties. Barry shares insights from his recent book on the Freedom Convoy of 2022, reflecting on the societal implications of enforced mandates and the essential freedoms of speech, religion, and personal security. They also delve into the philosophical foundations of freedom, trace its historical evolution, and discuss potential future threats, including the rise of artificial intelligence and digital control. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in the delicate balance between freedom and governance.

00:00 Introduction: Exploring the Limits of Freedom

00:48 Historical Context and Legal Foundations

01:14 Meet Barry Bussey: Advocate for Freedom

03:12 Founding the First Freedoms Foundation

07:56 Challenges and Achievements of the Foundation

13:30 The Role of Judges and Legislatures in Defining Freedom

24:05 The Charter and Its Implications

30:17 The Common Law Tradition and Human Rights

36:29 The Power of Courts and Euthanasia Debate

38:30 Judicial Oversight and Executive Power

41:09 The Emergencies Act and Government Authority

44:49 The Role of Bureaucracy and Executive Decisions

46:14 Introducing the Book: 210 Degrees Celsius

48:27 The Trucker Convoy and Government Mandates

54:15 Reflections on the COVID-19 Pandemic

58:19 Concerns About Artificial Intelligence and Future Freedoms

01:04:19 The Importance of Physical Books in the Digital Age

Barbara Kay has written professionally about issues on the non left since the 1960s. We might want to say she had a 'front-row seat', but that would be wrong. Her writing went beyond simple observation. She helped shape conservative opinion in Canada for half a century.

Barb wrote a piece on Norman Podhoretz, when he passed in December. She mentions reading everything he had ever written: books and articles; editorials in his role as senior editor of Commentary Magazine, everything.

Podhoretz was one of the brilliant Jews from New York who left the 1960's liberalism and discovered conservatism. Irving Kristol, the 'godfather of neoconservatism', said neoconservatives were "liberals who have been mugged by reality."

Of course, most neocons weren't Jews; they included a broad swath of Catholic and Protestant thinkers. But the Jews stood out, in part, because they brought their bellicose, New York attitude into right-wing politics. They applied revolutionary zeal from their former communist and Trotskyite experience to conservatism. They transformed the old conservatism of the American Republican party into something new in North America: neoconservatism.

After the Iraq war, neoconservatism became a term of derision. It became re-interpreted as nothing but a blend of zionism -- Christian and Jewish -- with hawkish foreign policy. 

This redefinition was a profound mistake. It dismisses a whole political mindset, while at the same time shielding it from serious discussion. Like so many other words silenced by political correctness, neoconservatism can no longer be critiqued for its strengths and weaknesses.

We need to celebrate the brilliance of Podhoretz and Irving Kristol, while also critiquing where neoconservatism failed. Neoconservative thought remains a central part, perhaps even the embodiment, of modern political conservative opinion.

If we want to understand how best to apply conservatism to current issues, we need to dig deep into the neocon mindset.

Please let me know what you think!

Barbara Kay: 60 years ago, Norman Podhoretz's writing led me to conservatism

AI Summary 

In this episode, Shawn Whatley engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Barbara Kay, a renowned columnist and author. They delve into the origins, evolution, and nuances of neoconservatism, exploring the influential works of Norman Podhoretz and Irving Kristol. Barbara shares her insights on conservatism, its philosophical underpinnings, and its enduring relevance in today's political landscape. They also touch on various contentious issues such as the limitations of human nature, the impact of anti-Americanism, and the evolution of liberalism. Tune in for a deep dive into the intellectual journey that shapes conservative thought.

00:00 Introduction to Neoconservatism

00:09 Defining Conservatism and Classical Liberalism

01:32 Meet Barbara Kay

01:40 Norman Podhoretz: A Legacy in Neoconservatism

02:10 The Jewish Connection to Neoconservatism

02:54 Barbara Kay's Tribute to Norman Podhoretz

05:27 Podhoretz's Intellectual Journey

07:32 The Role of Intellectuals in Conservatism

10:14 Neoconservatism and Universalism

17:32 The Balance Between Universalism and Particularism

32:02 The Importance of Moral Clarity

36:54 Modern Neoconservatism and Its Challenges

39:10 The Banality of Evil and Rationalization

40:29 Calvinism and the Rejection of Scholasticism

41:38 Jewish Perspectives on Evil

43:01 Conservatism and Human Nature

48:38 Neoconservatism and Its Critiques

01:06:04 The Role of Education in Society

01:10:18 Concluding Thoughts on Conservatism and Hope

Prime Minister Mark Carney's Davos speech made liberals swoon and conservatives nod in admiration.

Are the accolades warranted? Or are we being fooled by eloquence?

I couldn't resist recording something about The Speech. In this episode I offer three big points:

1. Carney appears to use a sycophantic foreign policy strategy. Is it rational? Will it work?

2. Carney appropriates brilliance to serve his own ends. Is that fair or justified?

3. The speech itself is confused. Do the speech writers understand how liberalism and marxism are both siblings of the Enlightenment?

Canada is in a better place with a more intelligent, less narcissistic leader. However, we should worry when our PM strikes alliances with a sworn enemy of our closest neighbour.

Let me know what you think!

Cheers

My Patreon

AI summary and chapters:

In this episode of Concepts, Shawn Whatley critically examines Mark Carney's recent speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Whatley highlights Carney's inconsistent foreign policy positions, eloquence devoid of genuine understanding, and a fundamental confusion born out of Enlightenment principles. Through three main points—Carney's sycophantic behavior, the content, and the inherent contradictions in his speech—Whatley unpacks why Carney's approach is problematic. Join the conversation and explore the complexities behind Carney's ideas and their implications.

00:00 Introduction and Overview

00:34 Foreign Policy Critique

03:00 Analyzing the Speech

05:44 Fundamental Confusion and Enlightenment

11:28 Conclusion and Call to Action

Cole Hogan is a political strategist who played key roles in the elections of Premier Doug Ford and Premier Jason Kenney. He's a student of Canadian politics past and present and frequent pundit on major media outlets in Canada.

Cole explains how Pierre Elliott Trudeau focussed on reshaping Canada. Economic issues seemed to bore him. PE Trudeau reshaped the Canadian constitution in his own image in the 1980s.

Conservatives have been off balance ever since. Having lost ceded the platform to Trudeau's priors, conservatives have tried to argue within the framework Trudeau built. 

A new, younger batch of conservatives want to change the framework. They are tired of losing by rules set by the opposing team. They want to play offence. 

Cole explains how the New Right wants conservatives to win on culture, national identity, and social concerns, not just pocket-book issues. He calls younger voters to get involved. "Participation is a solution in itself," he says.

Whether you agree with Hogan or not, you have to admit conservatism is changing shape in Canada. Fascinating to see what emerges!

Check out Cole's articles and website below. And remember, Patreon members get to see the content a bit early. I respond to comments there first. (Everything is free, but you need to subscribe).

Thanks for checking this out!

Shawn

If conservatives shun Canada’s institutions, how can we possibly reform them?

Red Tory? Blue Liberal? These terms mean nothing anymore

The right can no longer hide from Pierre Trudeau's legacy

ColeHogan.ca

Summary + Chapters (AI)

Dive into the world of Canadian politics with Shawn Whatley and guest Cole Hogan, a political strategist and communications expert. This episode explores the lasting impact of Pierre Elliot Trudeau on Canada's identity, the challenges faced by the conservative movement, and the necessity of engaging with national institutions. Learn about the significance of participation in politics and the evolving landscape of Canadian conservatism. Discover why young Canadians are crucial to shaping the future and how the conservative movement can navigate contemporary social and cultural issues, shedding light on the importance of being involved and informed.

00:00 Introduction to Pierre Elliot Trudeau's Impact on Canadian Politics

00:21 Guest Introduction: Cole Hogan

00:33 The Conservative Movement and Trudeau's Legacy

01:51 The Right's Shift in Focus: From Economics to Social Issues

03:22 The Charter of Rights and Freedoms: A Defining Document

04:40 Conservative Strategies and Historical Context

10:43 The Role of Canadian Institutions and Young Conservatives

19:21 Challenges and Opportunities for Young Conservatives

23:24 Encouraging Civic Participation

27:28 Getting Involved in Civic Committees

29:41 Conservative Perspectives on Policy

30:41 Challenges of Federal Programs

32:10 Humility in Policy Making

35:50 The Role of Opposition in Governance

40:05 Red Tory vs. Blue Tory 44:19 Engaging the Public in Politics

50:28 The Impact of the Pandemic on Trust in Government

JJ McCullough offers a window into Canada. JJ keeps his 1 million followers front of mind. He speaks so they will understand. He focusses on what matters to them.

In that sense, JJ is a better politician than many politicians: he never forgets his constituency.

Don't be fooled by JJ's high-energy, youthful style. He puts a ton of research into his videos. 

The non left needs to pay attention when JJ speaks. You don't have to agree with him! In fact, JJ makes of point of raising things that will provoke discussion and (some) disagreement. He's the guy at the parade shouting about the Emperor's clothes.

JJ has strong opinions on the monarchy. His comments about the governor general were especially good, I thought. He didn't convince me that we should abandon the monarchy in Canada, but he did make me think.

What I appreciate most about JJ is his willingness to have a conversation. 

JJ's YouTube Channel 

Canada's Constitution is Weird

AI summary:

Join Shawn Whatley and popular YouTuber JJ McCullough as they tackle the controversial topic of the monarchy's relevance in Canada. JJ shares his strong opinions on the monarchy, arguing that it has long been irrelevant to most Canadians, including conservatives. They explore the role of the Governor General, the monarchy's symbolic nature, and its political implications. In addition to the monarchy debate, the discussion spans various cultural and political issues, including American interventionism, immigration, and the complexities of gender and identity politics. With JJ's energetic communication style and deep research, this episode promises to be both thought-provoking and engaging. Don't miss out on this intellectual exchange—hit like and subscribe!

00:00 Introduction: The Relevance of the Monarchy in Canada

00:25 Meet JJ McCullough: YouTuber and Political Pundit

02:01 Debating the Monarchy's Role in Canada

04:55 The Symbolism and Perception of the Monarchy

09:44 The Governor General's Role and Public Perception

16:00 Comparing Canadian and American Views on Monarchy

21:13 The Future of the Monarchy in Canada

25:59 Pivot to Global Politics: Venezuela and Trump

32:29 Defining Conservatism vs. Right-Wing Politics

33:02 Trump's Foreign Policy and American Power

35:32 Liberal Media and Trump's Stance on Ukraine

36:57 Domestic Politics Influencing Foreign Policy

43:12 Cultural Debates: Neutrality vs. Activism

49:50 Advice for the Conservative Party

58:22 Trans Rights and Political Challenges

01:02:19 Concerns About Anti-Americanism in Canada

01:05:03 Final Thoughts and Appreciations

This episode was a breakthrough for me. Conservatism is the mediation between the universal and the particular.

I know this sounds nerdy, but I think this is an essential challenge that thinkers on the non-left must work through. We believe that some truths are true everywhere, all the time, but that does not that mean, as liberalism asserts, that truth is true everywhere all the time in all places.

Are there truths that are only true in a particular place and time? Does it make us relativist post-moderns to entertain such heresy?

Using Dr. Geddert's notion of 'mediation between the universal and particular', conservatism offers a path to sanity between the two extremes.

I hope you find this episode as helpful as I did. Yes, we have some truths that are universal, for example, humans have inherent dignity wherever we find them. AND we have some truths that are particular, for example, common law works well in the Anglosphere, but we shouldn't expect it to work well in other places.

I hope you find this episode as useful as I did! Please let me know what you think.

Thanks again for tuning in!

Shawn

Article: Liberty without liberalism 

AI summary:

In this episode of Concepts, host Shawn Whatley discusses the tension between universalism and particularism in politics with guest Jeremy Geddert, an associate professor of political science. Geddert explains how conservatism uniquely mediates between these two extremes, avoiding the pitfalls of both left and right liberalism as well as Schmidttian Postmodernism. They explore themes such as the historical roots of Canadian and American political philosophies, the concept of political technology, the role of virtue in politics, and the importance of acknowledging our inherited traditions. Geddert also highlights insights from his upcoming article 'Liberty Without Liberalism' and shares his views on the influence of enlightenment liberalism and modernity. This episode provides a deep dive into the philosophical underpinnings of conservatism, offering valuable perspectives on contemporary political debates. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and support on Patreon!

00:00 Introduction: The Universal vs. The Particular in Politics

01:04 Guest Introduction: Meet Jeremy Geddert

01:50 Exploring Universalism and Particularism

05:07 Historical Context: American and Canadian Liberalism

10:36 The Role of Religion in Early Colonies

15:59 Modernity and Political Technology

28:06 The Evolution of Liberty and Liberalism

34:07 The Role of Love and Tradition in National Identity

35:04 The Link Between Efficiency and Dignity

39:49 Critique of Modern Liberalism

44:07 The Waves of Modernity and Their Impact

48:54 Conservatism as a Mediator Between Universal and Particular

55:36 The Importance of Metaphysics and Theology

01:00:12 Revelation and Human Connection

01:05:02 Concerns and Hopes for the Future

What's wrong with Canada, and what can we expect to happen next?

David Leis has spent decades in Canadian politics, and he's worried. Canada is in decline. We need leadership to change course, not simply a change in government.

He packages his concern in terms of data, comparisons with other countries, and political argument. As President and CEO of the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, he has a ton of evidence to draw upon. But his concern springs from a deep love for Canada. It generates an urgency that breaks through, as it did in this episode around the half-way mark.

David gives me hope. He's one of many Canadians on the non-left who believe Canada could be so much better. Life doesn't need to be this hard.

I'd love to hear what you think of the episode! And in case you missed it, I post this content early on my Patreon account (free). 

AI summary:

In this episode of Concepts, Shawn Whatley is joined by David Leis, President and CEO of the Frontier Center for Public Policy, to discuss the current socio-economic and cultural issues facing Canada. They explore how radical leftist ideologies have infiltrated Canadian institutions and the resulting decline in societal and economic stability. David Leis delves into the importance of empowering citizens through education reform, fostering market competition, and ensuring government accountability. The conversation stresses the urgency for renewed leadership and a return to foundational principles to avert further decline. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of Canada and practical solutions for a national revival.

00:00 Introduction: The Crisis in Canada

00:51 Meet David Leis: Background and Expertise

01:18 The Urgency of Canada's Situation

03:19 Defining Decline and Leadership

07:36 The Role of Government and Citizens

14:17 Cultural Foundations and Civic Education

17:54 Challenges and Solutions for Canada's Future

30:34 The Stakes of Institutional Capture

31:33 Challenges in Education Reform

32:30 Innovative Education Models

35:07 Economic Decline and Urgency for Change

37:03 The Canadian Wheat Board and Agricultural Renaissance

38:16 Crown Corporations and Productivity Issues

41:12 Balancing Free Enterprise and Culture

44:01 Call for Leadership and National Renewal

Does it makes sense to maximize liberty in the economy and yet limit it at a personal level? Is it even possible?

Alex MacDonald says it doesn't make sense. We never make economics the ultimate priority for family decisions, why do we think it's ok to prioritize economy at a national level?

This discussion gets to the heart of debate within the conservative movement. Of course, we need a strong economy. But should economic concerns always trump all other issues? Is money our ultimate social good?

Alex offers solid answers; ones we don't usually hear from those on the non-left. 

Equally fascinating for me was the fact that Alex is sharing answers at all. For the last several decades, staffers and consultants have kept quiet about culture. Conservatives win on the economy, so we should focus conversation on the economy. Don't mention culture, if you want to be included in policy discussions.

Today, culture is back. Canadians are tired of being told their country is rotten, its founding is illegitimate, and perhaps it isn't even a nation at all. It's just a post-national state. Voters don't want to see people burning Canadian flags and blocking streets with smoke-filled protests.

It will be fascinating to see how Conservative leaders respond to this palpable change in public discourse.

Articles mentioned:

In doubt of fusionism

The King and love of country

AI summary:

Shawn Whatley welcomes public policy and government relations expert Alex MacDonald to discuss the juxtaposition of economic liberty and social tradition. They delve into the principles of fusionism, balancing market efficiency with moral and social values, and the relevance of the monarchy in contemporary Canada. Through their engaging dialogue, they explore how these foundational ideas shape our communal life and public policy, drawing on historical context, philosophical insights, and current political debates. Don't miss this thought-provoking episode filled with deep reflections on the core values guiding our society.

00:00 Introduction: Balancing Liberty in Economy and Personal Life

00:54 Meet the Guest: Alex MacDonald

01:26 Exploring Fusionism in Politics

02:39 Debating Economic Liberty vs. Social Continuity

04:18 Fusionism: A Deeper Dive

19:01 Healthcare and Libertarianism

21:57 Conservatism and Market Forces

31:36 Philosophical Reflections on Conservatism

37:12 Philosophical Concerns About Fusion

37:34 Market Efficiency vs. Moral Life

39:32 Moral Decay and Individualism

41:27 The Irony of Side Hustle Culture

48:05 Autonomy vs. Freedom

56:46 The Role of the Monarchy in Canada

01:10:56 Concerns for Future Generations

Christmas greetings plus one big idea.

Why read? Better yet, why buy books you will never be able to read?

Don't overestimate what you know. Building a personal library of more books that you can ever read will remind you of how much you do not know. It creates a presence in your home of intentional ignorance.

I got the idea from this article: Umberto Eco's Anti-Library 

Thank you so much to my audience and guests! It has been far more fun and informative than I expected.

Wishing you all the best for Christmas and the New Year!

Shawn

AI summary:

In this Christmas special, Shawn Whatley delves into the concept of 'Intentional Ignorance,' inspired by Umberto Eco’s extensive library, to emphasize humility in the pursuit of knowledge. He also reflects on the true meaning of Christmas, including the proper way to receive gifts with gratitude, and the importance of being honest about our inherited cultural attachments. Join the conversation as Shawn intertwines philosophical insights with personal anecdotes to celebrate the Christmas season meaningfully.

00:00 Christmas Greetings and Introduction

00:15 Exploring the Concept of Intentional Ignorance

01:34 The Quest for Certainty and Its Pitfalls

03:33 Connecting Knowledge and Humility

05:42 Embracing Christmas Traditions

06:38 The True Meaning of Christmas Gifts

08:44 Approaches to Receiving Gifts

09:33 Reflections on Gift Giving and Receiving

14:01 Podcast Reflections and Future Plans

15:19 Final Christmas Wishes

Many of our most popular ideas today are medieval. We are all, in some way, medieval thinkers.

Dr. Michael Bonner applies his experience as a historian and political consultant to the current crisis of liberalism. He explains what's going on by reaching back several thousand years.

Although this episode is heavy, his book is highly readable. He covers 2000 years of history in 200 pages. It helps if you know the people he references, but even if you don't, you can follow along. Great writer.

Books:

The Crisis of Liberalism: The Origin and Destiny of Freedom

In Defense of Civilization: How Our Past Can Renew Our Present

Looking forward to hearing what you think.

Thanks again!

AI Summary

In this episode of Concepts with Shawn Whatley, historian Dr. Michael Bonner discusses his latest book, 'The Crisis of Liberalism: The Origin and Destiny of Freedom.' Delving into 2000 years of history, Bonner explores the roots and future of liberalism, highlighting its medieval origins and the inherent challenges it faces today. They question whether contemporary liberalism can offer meaning and community, touching on topics like personal freedom, historical continuity, and the secularization of Christian values. Tune in to learn how these complex ideas affect our society and where we might go from here.

00:00 Introduction: The Crisis of Liberalism

00:57 Meet Dr. Michael Bonner

01:11 Overview of 'The Crisis of Liberalism'

01:45 Historical Context and Liberalism

02:39 Defining Liberalism and Its Challenges

04:54 Philosophical Foundations of Liberalism

11:23 Medieval Roots of Modern Liberalism

13:28 The Evolution of Liberal Thought

33:33 Hegelian View of History and Liberalism

34:36 Challenging the Liberal Establishment

35:04 Medieval Ideas in Modern Times

35:30 The Axioms of Liberalism

37:15 The Self-Evident Truths

39:08 The Evolution of Christian Thought

44:44 The Paradoxes of Liberalism

54:19 The Religion of Humanity

01:03:54 The Future of Liberalism

01:06:09 Concluding Thoughts

I'm trying something new: this is a lightly edited transcript from the start of the episode:

Thanks for listening!

Shawn: What do young people want these days? Do they want total unfettered freedom or do they want to be challenged? Check it out.

Kate: This is what I love talking about with young people, because they are ready to rise to this challenge, right? Young people want to be challenged. They want to do things that instil order, they want to go to the symphony and know that there are rules and you don't clap between movements and you should have printed program notes and that it's gonna be programmed in a certain way.

Shawn: Welcome to Concepts. My name is Shawn Whatley. Today we have Kate Marland with us. Kate has a fascinating education. She started out in the fine arts, getting a Bachelor of music, studying viola, at Ottawa and McGill. From there, she went on and did a Master's of Arts in fashion studies at Ryerson with a focus on the opera.

Then she went on and became a lawyer, and she's worked as a lawyer for some time. And then she worked in management. She was the recent manager of the Liberty and Leadership program at the Montreal Economic Institute, and most recently, she's become a contributing editor at the new, media Outlet Without Diminishment on Substack.

She has brought together her background in the fine arts or high culture, as she calls it, and is applying it to today's moment, and right now she finds that especially young people aren't so happy with this life that seems to say, “Leave home, go to school, get a great degree, go get a great job. Live in a box in a large city and make sure you earn lots of money and pay lots of taxes and keep the economy going.”

She said, young people are finding that that's not a great life and there's more to life than that. And the exciting thing about it, or the challenging thing about it is. She and others with her at Without Diminishment are saying not only are we finding that this life is empty and that we need more, but they're also finding that there's a role for government in all this.

So a simple change in tax policy can completely diminish a particular culture, whether it's high arts, symphony, et cetera. And Kate's message here is that Conservatives need to pay a whole lot more attention to preservation of high culture. And again, her background is, uh, music symphony. So our discussion ranged across the tension between an economic liberalism or libertarianism.

We talked about how experience shapes our aesthetic sense.

And we talked about Without Diminishment itself and what they're trying to achieve there and whether or not it's wise to have government impose itself in a way that impacts culture

We talked about the recent couple episodes we've had with, Anthony Koch and Sean Speer, and their ongoing discussion about culture being a central objective for government to fulfill and protect and foster.

Overall a fascinating discussion. Kate is really pouring herself into studying and developing thoughts in this space on culture beyond simply economics. And what role does government have to play? In fostering an environment in which culture can flourish. Anyways, fascinating discussion. I hope you enjoyed as much as I did.

Don't forget to hit like and subscribe. It really makes a big difference. I try not to bug you about it, but let's get on with the show.

AI Summary:

In this episode of Concepts, host Shawn Whatley delves deep into what young people really want today with guest Kate Marland. With a rich background in music, fashion, and law, Marland discusses the need for conservatives to embrace and preserve high culture, such as opera and symphony, to foster a spiritually fulfilling society. The episode covers topics such as the intersection of economics and aesthetics, the limitations of libertarianism, and how government policies impact culture. The conversation also ventures into the role of institutions like Without Diminishment and the Montreal Economic Institute in shaping a future that values beauty, tradition, and community. Ideal for anyone keen on exploring how cultural pursuits and economic policies can coexist in a meaningful way.

00:00 Introduction: What Do Young People Want?

00:33 Meet Kate Marland: A Diverse Background

01:17 Kate's Journey and Insights on Culture

01:52 The Role of Government in Culture

03:52 Discussion on Kate's Article

07:56 Balancing Libertarianism and Cultural Appreciation

19:10 Challenges and Value of High Culture

31:17 The Conservative Dilemma: No Perfect Result

32:18 The Malaise of Modern Society

33:16 The Disconnection of Young People

36:25 The Appeal of Tradition and High Culture

37:44 The Role of Government and Institutions in Culture

45:29 Without Diminishment: A New Approach

57:49 The Tension Between Capitalism and Human Value

01:01:19 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Here's the other half of the Koch-Speer debate. As usual, Sean Speer offers a nuanced response that seeks to learn at least as much as he hopes to inform.

This whole conversation is essential for Canadians right now, conservatives especially. Its outcome determines the entire cant of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Sean laid out his argument here also: Six reasons why a state-imposed conservative culture is a terrible idea. 

Book mentioned: What Is Conservatism?: A New Edition of the Classic by 12 Leading Conservatives

Thanks so much for checking this out!

AI summary:

In this episode of Concepts, host Shawn Whatley welcomes back Sean Speer, lecturer at the Munk School of Public Policy and a senior fellow at the Public Policy Forum. They delve into the ongoing debate within Canadian conservatism: Is culture a product of will or inheritance? They explore the implications of this divide, the role of state neutrality, and what it means to be a conservative in Canada today. Drawing on historical context, personal experiences, and current issues, this conversation provides rich insights into the evolving conservative movement. Join them for a stimulating discussion on the nature of culture, politics, and society.

00:00 Introduction: Culture and Will vs. Inheritance

00:45 Meet Sean Speer: A Conservative Thought Leader

01:12 Debate on State Neutrality

03:10 Fusionism and Canadian Conservatism

04:24 Sean Speer's Journey and Reflections

05:26 Historical Context and Modern Conservatism

12:12 Institutional Neutrality: Myth or Reality?

20:37 Personal Reflections on Conservatism

35:12 Exploring Individual and Collective Purpose

36:31 The Role of the State in Society

36:39 Edmund Burke and Constitutionalism

38:40 Institutional Changes and Public Neutrality

42:41 Cultural Inheritance vs. Will

50:29 Historical Perspectives on Market Forces

54:58 The New Right and Intellectual Conservatism

01:01:04 Challenges of Pluralism and Trust in Government

01:09:01 Concluding Thoughts and Future Outlook

Anthony says conservatives don't understand politics. He argues in Without Diminishment that "The state is the architect of culture, not a spectator."

Conservatives will keep losing until they realise that the must pick a side, when they form government. They cannot aim to simply manage the state. They need to shape it.

This is a hot debate in Canada right now. Anthony says there is no such thing as a neutral institution. All institutions pick sides. It's impossible to avoid.

Sean Speer takes the other side of the debate. We will post his episode on Thursday this week.

Anthony and Sean are two of Canada's leading political thinkers. You don't want to miss this!

AI summary:

In this episode of Concepts, Shawn Whatley hosts Anthony Koch, a consultant, entrepreneur, and managing principal of AK Strategies. They delve into the ongoing intellectual debate with Sean Speer on whether the government should remain neutral on cultural issues or actively support and protect a distinct Canadian culture. They explore how deeply embedded visions of culture influence our institutions, including government agencies, universities, NGOs, and not-for-profit organizations. The discussion covers case studies such as recent BC elections, where cultural issues like drug policy, sex education, and refugee acceptance played significant roles. Anthony argues against the myth of neutrality, emphasizing that state institutions have never been neutral and always impact culture. He discusses the importance of a cohesive cultural identity, the challenges of multiculturalism, and the need for conservatives to articulate and implement a clear vision for Canada's future. The episode provides a fascinating and comprehensive analysis of the intersection between culture and politics, offering insights into how conservatives can reclaim cultural ground.

00:00 Introduction: Government's Role in Culture

00:45 Meet the Guest: Anthony Koch

01:26 Debate Overview: Government Neutrality in Culture

02:10 Anthony's Perspective on Cultural Influence

04:31 Historical Context: State and Culture

06:17 The Role of Education in National Identity

11:34 Conservative Strategies and Critiques

13:04 The Impact of Political Leadership

14:33 The Trudeau Legacy and Canadian Identity

16:35 Conservative Vision for Canada's Future

21:31 Judicial Influence and Political Conservatism

32:55 Healthcare Reform and Structural Change

36:01 Introduction to Failing Policy Philosophy

36:13 Infrastructure Argument in Immigration

37:02 Welfare State and Demographic Assumptions

38:08 Economic Contributions of Immigrants

39:24 Cultural Integration Challenges

43:28 Historical Context of Immigration

46:26 Modern Immigration and Cultural Identity

52:25 Political and Cultural Shifts in Canada

01:04:05 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

Matt Spoke builds communities, develops housing, creates start-up companies, serves on boards of directors, plans grass-roots political conferences, and raises a family.

Matt embodies a conservative life. 

I first met Matt at the Project Ontario conference he organized (with help from others) in Toronto. He speaks well, listens closely, and can carry a conversation as though you've known him forever. I admired his polish and walked away assuming he must be a management-consultant type: impressive, but too careful to say anything sharp.

I was wrong.

Matt wrote a piece for Without Diminishment titled The First Institution. "Cultural renewal begins not in an election, not in a campaign, but in the ordinary work of raising kids and holding families together." Fantastic presentation of real-life conservatism.

We need more people like Matt; people who can bridge the gap between theory and practice. Ideas are essential, but we also need live them. 

Thanks again for checking this out. Let me know what you think!

AI Summary:

In this episode of 'Concepts' with Shawn Whatley, board member of the Canada Strong and Free Network, Matt Spoke discusses his impactful work with Project Ontario. They delve into the framing of political conversations, the importance of building businesses, and policies to create a strong, economically vibrant Canada. Matt shares how his experience as an entrepreneur and father translates to his views on conservatism and societal improvement. The conversation touches on the challenges of integrating immigrants, fostering community trust, and the critical role of education in shaping future citizens. Join us for an insightful discussion on the conservative vision for Canada's future.

00:00 Introduction: Setting the Stage for Political Conversations

00:25 Meet Matt Spoke: Developer, Organizer, and Community Insider

02:46 Project Ontario: Addressing Ontario's Drift

06:35 Challenges and Opportunities in Ontario's Policy Landscape

09:24 Conservatism in Office vs. Out of Office

14:02 The Role of Naivety and Innovation in Politics

18:16 Family and Conservatism: A Personal Perspective

28:19 Building Community in an Urbanized Society

32:18 The Role of Trust in Building Community

32:47 Cultural Cohesion in Diverse Urban Areas

33:30 Immigration and Shared Canadian Identity

33:58 The Decline of Community Watch and Social Trust

34:26 Extending an Olive Branch to Newcomers

36:38 Challenges of Integration and Multiculturalism

38:07 The Importance of Shared Culture and Vision

42:41 The Role of Leadership in Fostering Culture

43:54 Economic Policy and Cultural Impact

52:13 The Value of Family and Optimism for the Future

01:00:15 Education's Role in Shaping Society

01:02:18 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Ben Woodfinden is a former director of communications for Pierre Poilievre. He has practical experience inside politics mixed with theoretical study and work as a consultant.

When Ben speaks, people listen.

Debate about first principles has finally returned to the Canadian non-left. A new, mostly younger group of conservative writers and speakers have challenged the status quo.

Young people, especially, find that Canada does not work well. Home ownership is a fairytale. Safe cities are nostalgia. And Canadian patriotism is embarrassing and unkind.

The new right refuses to accept these presuppositions. They want politicians who have a vested interest in celebrating Canada itself.

What does this mean for conservative politics? How will this debate turn out?

Ben Woodfinden makes sense of it all for us.

Links:

AI Summary:

The New Right and Red Toryism: A Deep Dive with Ben Woodfinden In this episode of Concepts, Shawn Whatley hosts Ben Woodfinden, a consultant, doctoral student, and political theorist, to discuss the dynamics of the new right in Canada. Ben, a prominent contributor to conservative circles, highlights the generational divide in conservatism, and explores whether the real issue is young versus old rather than red versus blue. The discussion delves into political philosophy, particularly focusing on Red Toryism, a distinct Canadian tradition combining status interventionism for conservative ends. Ben also touches on the philosophical underpinnings of conservatism, the importance of grounding politics in first principles, and the future of Canadian identity. This thought-provoking episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in the evolving landscape of Canadian conservatism.

00:00 Introduction: The New Right in Canada

00:27 Meet Ben Woodfinden: A Conservative Thought Leader

01:08 The New Conservative Fight: Young vs. Old

01:21 Diving into Red Toryism

01:55 Understanding the Conservative Movement

02:20 Ben Woodfinden's Insights on Conservatism

04:30 Generational Divides in Conservatism

08:55 Philosophical Foundations of Conservatism

09:46 The Role of Government and Human Nature

18:12 Classical Liberalism vs. Conservatism

27:03 Liberalism's Historical Context and Limits

30:18 Red Toryism and Human Nature

30:54 Exploring Different Perspectives on the State

31:49 Understanding Toryism and Red Toryism

32:46 The Evolution and Misinterpretation of Red Toryism

33:49 The Canadian Conservative Tradition

35:54 The Role of the State in Canadian Society

41:16 George Grant's Influence and Philosophy

43:00 Modern Reflections on Grant's Ideas

56:08 The Importance of Belief Systems in Modern Society

59:54 Concluding Thoughts on Canadian Identity

Canada cannot continue unless we share a common sense of what we love.

In BC, young students learn from daily land acknowledgements that they can never really call Canada their own. It belongs to someone else.

Students in Vancouver sing two national anthems, Canada’s and another belonging to coastal indigenous people. This goes beyond education and cultural awareness. These students learn to venerate indigenous nations to which they can never belong.

New Canadians learn that Canada isn’t something to love and celebrate. It’s something shameful, something to repudiate.

How long can Canada survive this continuous indoctrination?

Dr. Caroline Elliott has spoken up with courage and grace. She presents as a thoughtful, concerned parent of young children, who also happens to be extremely well educated and researched in the fundamental principles of democracy.

When you listen to Dr. Elliott, you will hear the heartbeat behind the Without Diminishment team.

Thanks for checking this out!

AI summary:

Join Shawn Whatley and Dr. Caroline Elliott as they explore the complex and pressing issues facing Canada today, from land acknowledgements in schools to indigenous land claims and the challenging dynamics of Canadian liberal democracy. Dr. Elliott, a PhD and co-founder of Without Diminishment, provides her insights on the evolving landscape of Canadian identity, the impact of progressive ideologies in education, and the importance of upholding democratic principles. This episode offers a thought-provoking conversation about the potential future of Canada, the integration of new Canadians, and what it means to be cohesive as a nation. Tune in for an engaging discussion that navigates the difficult terrain of heritage, legitimacy, and the principles that could hold Canada together.

00:00 Introduction: The Future of Canada

00:10 Land Acknowledgements in Schools

01:22 Interview with Dr. Caroline Elliott

01:49 Provocative Pieces in the National Post

03:23 Discussion on Democratic Principles

05:29 The Role of Without Diminishment

08:26 Cultural Identity and Western Values

22:31 Constitutional Challenges and Indigenous Governance

29:49 Reconciling Democratic Principles with Ancestry-Based Membership

30:04 Debate on Charter Application to Indigenous Governments

31:10 Indigenous Perspectives on Development and Community Impact

34:02 Complexities of Indigenous Governance and Public Interest

37:29 Political Interests and Indigenous Issues

40:45 Changing World and New Normals

45:25 Education and Cultural Integration Challenges

54:15 Concluding Thoughts on Canadian Identity and Inspiration

Want to be active in the public square? Join the symphony. Get involved in what you love. Be public about your pursuit of the true, the good, and the beautiful.

Ray Pennings has spent his life building a winsome and articulate defence of religion in the pubic square. It is not weird to admit we have religious beliefs (including non belief); it's weird to pretend we do not have them.

Canada and USA differ with respect to our approach to religion in the public square. We discuss the latest research from Cardus: a very large survey of over 10,000 people (5,001 in each country) on religiosity. It goes far beyond anything Stats Canada offers.

Boomers continue to keep religion out of the public square and polite conversation. Gen Z increasingly does the opposite. Canada and USA are in the midst of a generational change in social thought and politics.

Links:

Cardus 

How Canada-US religious differences affect politics 

AI Summary:

Join host Shawn Whatley as he sits down with Ray Pennings, co-founder and executive VP of the Think Tank Cardus, to discuss the role of religion in the public square. They delve into the findings of a recent study comparing Canadian and American religiosity, explore the perceived hostility towards religious commitment in Canada, and discuss the broader implications for society. Tune in for an articulate and nuanced discussion on civic engagement, the intersection of faith and politics, and the importance of maintaining hope and authenticity in public life.

00:00 Introduction: Religion in the Public Square

00:36 Meet Ray Pennings: Co-Founder of Cardus

00:54 Study Insights: Comparing American and Canadian Religiosity

01:20 Separation of Church and State: A Deep Dive

02:20 Charitable Giving and Volunteer Work

02:42 Press Release Highlights: Provocative Findings

03:14 Survey Methodology and Key Findings

08:07 Historical Context: Religion and Politics in North America

15:46 Religious Demographics and Trends

25:36 Political Implications of Religious Demographics

31:46 Political Party Dynamics in Canada

32:18 Faith in Public Life: A Complex Landscape

33:20 Historical Influence of Religion in Canadian Politics

34:09 The NDP and Social Gospel Movement

35:14 Tommy Douglas and Fiscal Conservatism

36:15 Christianity and Political Spectrum in Canada

37:40 Separation of Church and State: Risks and Realities

40:43 Principled Pluralism and Religious Freedom

42:05 Institutional Roles and Public Life

45:24 Core Beliefs and Public Engagement

48:36 Survey Insights and Public Perception

01:02:39 Final Thoughts and Summary

Toryism has faded in Canada, but it still gets blamed for backsliding and bad behaviour in Conservative Party politics.

(Full disclosure: I have never seen myself as a Tory, neither High, Low, Red, Blue, or traditional.)

Political labels, especially old ones, mean nothing without definition. Even with working definitions, labels often bleed into each other at the edges, especially upon application to policy and law.

Since Toryism continues to get blamed for influencing how Canadian Conservatives think, trying to uncover and define Toryism seems a worthy exercise.

Ron Dart challenged me. He has a deep understanding of classics, which I admire. I will have to visit with him again to understand his deference to the state, as I see it.

Professor Dart is a delightful man: erudite, kind, thoughtful, and magnanimous. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

AI Summary

In this episode of Concepts, host Shawn Whatley engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Professor Ron Dart, an expert on Toryism and the author of over 40 books, including 'The North American High Tory Tradition.' Together, they explore the nuances of Toryism and Red Toryism in Canada and the common misconceptions surrounding them. The conversation also delves into broader themes such as the role of the state, individualism, and the importance of historical memory and contemplation in contemporary society. Professor Dart provides insightful commentary on figures like George Grant, Stephen Leacock, Edmund Burke, and more, challenging prevalent assumptions and offering a deep analysis of political and philosophical traditions.

00:00 Introduction: Is Toryism Dead in Canada?

00:18 Exploring Toryism and Red Toryism

00:39 Meet Professor Ron Dart

00:51 The North American High Tory Tradition

01:36 Challenging Perceptions of State and Society

02:35 The Role of Innovation in History

05:00 Defining Toryism

08:32 The Fragmentation of Toryism

10:36 Red Toryism and Its Historical Context

16:45 Healthcare and the Role of the State

26:12 Toryism and Anglicanism

39:43 The Reformation and Individualism

48:23 Exploring Human Nature and Identity Politics

48:51 The Culture War and Liberalism's Tensions

51:51 Aristotle's Wisdom and the Role of Friendship

55:09 Hegel, Charles Taylor, and Liberalism

56:42 Critiquing Modern Liberalism and Conservatism

01:08:47 The Importance of Memory and Contemplation

Conservative voters around the world are leaning into culture and away from economic issues. Sam Routley's research found that Canadian conservatives cling to the 1980's fusionism of traditional social policies and libertarian economics.

Can the 1980's fusionism hold?

Will economic determinism help Conservatives to win elections today?

Links to articles

Decoding Canada's Conservative Coalition

Sam's Substack: The Country of Our Defeat

John Gray: Why I Am Not a Post-liberal

AI Summary

In this episode of Concepts with Shawn Whatley, Shawn dives into the evolving nature of Canadian conservatism. Joined by Sam Routley, a PhD student from the University of Western Ontario, the discussion begins with a basic inquiry: Are Canadian conservative ideas stuck in the past, or is there a renaissance in understanding what conservatism means today? They delve into Routley's research on the 'Decoding Canada's Conservative Coalition' piece, exploring the historical adherence to fusionism between free-market libertarianism and social traditionalism in Canada versus changes observed in other countries. Shawn further probes into whether economic policies alone can address contemporary societal issues or if a broader conversation about cultural and social values is necessary. Throughout the episode, they explore the nuances of economic determinism, the role of culture in conservative politics, and the future direction of conservatism in Canada. Don't miss their thoughtful and engaging exploration of these pressing topics in modern conservatism.

00:00 Introduction: Canadian Conservative Voters

00:47 Welcome to Concepts with Shawn Whatley

01:02 Interview with Sam Routley: Decoding Canada's Conservative Coalition

01:37 Fusionism in Canadian Conservatism

02:03 Canada's Conservative Coalition: Research Findings

02:58 Discussion on Economic Determinism and Cultural Issues

03:42 Sam Routley's Article and Substack

07:54 Fusionism Explained: US vs. Canada

25:37 Economic and Cultural Forces in Politics

33:33 The Role of Culture in Leadership and Innovation

35:32 The Cultural Focus of Conservatism

36:11 Economic vs Cultural Perspectives

37:11 The Role of the State in Culture

38:37 Contemporary Cultural Issues

42:06 Intellectual Conservatism and Canada's Future

47:31 The Importance of Foundational Values

54:18 The Debate on Liberalism and Conservatism

01:03:33 Concluding Thoughts on Cultural and Political Change

Young conservatives aren't falling in line.

Alex says, "We don't care. I'm not incentivized to look the other way. I don't need an invite to a table of six at Terroni in the back room to talk about continuing the status quo."

In a world when young voters can't afford a house in Canada, you'd think they'd obsess about economics. They don't. They care as much about culture as being able to afford a home.

Alexander Brown works at the front of this young conservative uprising.

Enjoy!

Links:

Without Diminishment

National Citizens' Coalition

Against Andrew Coyne-ism

JunoNews

AI Summary 

In this episode, host Shawn Whatley is joined by Alexander Brown, a prolific writer, journalist, managing editor, and co-founder of Without Diminishment. Alexander also serves as the director of the National Citizens Coalition and hosts a show on Juno News. The conversation delves deep into the frustrations of young voters in Canada, particularly focusing on cultural and economic challenges. They discuss the conservative party's hesitancy to engage in cultural debates and the significance of platforms like Without Diminishment that aim to bridge this gap. Highlighting the growing discontent among young Canadians over issues like home ownership and social cohesion, Alexander and Shawn explore the potential for a rejuvenated conservative movement that does not shy away from cultural conversations. The episode also touches upon the platform's innovative and sometimes controversial content, the importance of addressing young people's concerns, and the broader implications of ignoring cultural issues in Canada's political discourse.

00:00 Introduction: Frustrations of Young Canadian Voters

00:07 The Struggles of the Middle Class

00:26 The Importance of Common Sense and Normalcy

01:34 Introduction to the Guest: Alexander Brown

02:08 Cultural Discussions in Conservative Politics

03:23 The Role of Without Diminishment

04:01 Challenges and Criticisms

05:27 The Need for Cultural Conversations

13:44 The Role of Economics in Politics

26:15 Project Ontario and Conservative Thought

28:31 Net Migration and Healthcare Challenges

28:57 Conservative Campaign Reflections

30:09 Economic Policies and Critiques

32:03 Leadership and Conservative Values

39:17 Mike Harris's Legacy

42:44 National Citizens Coalition

53:10 Challenges for Young People

56:47 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Is secular humanism a distortion of an older conservative humanism? And why are conservatives so obsessed with international trade?

The French Enlightenment philosopher Montesquieu argued that international trade promotes peace. He called it doux commerce, gentle commerce. 

In what sense is this a conservative idea?

Fascinating and somewhat subversive discussion with Alexander Rosenthal-Pubul! 

AI Summary:

In this episode of Concepts, host Shawn Whatley interviews Dr. Alexander Rosenthal-Pubul about his co-authored book 'The Wisdom of Our Ancestors: Conservative Humanism and the Western Tradition.' They discuss the evolution and definition of conservatism, its distinction from classical liberalism, and its intersection with nationalism and universalism. Dr. Rosenthal-Pubul offers insights on ancient versus modern liberty, the cultural impact of the Enlightenment, and the importance of maintaining humanism in education and society. This thought-provoking discussion delves into pressing issues in the conservative intellectual movement and the challenges of upholding a coherent conservative philosophy in contemporary times.

00:00 Introduction to Conservatism and Classical Liberalism

00:07 Enlightenment Ideas and Commerce

01:16 Introduction of Dr. Alexander Rosenthal-Pubul

01:38 Discussion on 'The Wisdom of Our Ancestors'

02:07 Nationalism vs. Universalism

02:21 Commerce and Conservatism

07:40 Classical Liberalism and Conservatism

09:49 Defining Conservatism

12:32 Education and Tradition

16:26 Universalism vs. Particularism

21:46 Nationalism and Post-Liberalism

28:43 Liberty and Coercion

32:17 Harmonizing Virtue and Liberty

33:28 The Paradox of Freedom and Rationality

34:29 The Enlightenment's Optimism and Its Limits

35:16 The Role of Culture in Human Behaviour

36:06 Balancing Enlightenment and Conservatism

40:11 The Evolution of Humanism

42:00 Classical, Christian, and Modern Humanism

46:01 The Instrumental View of Knowledge

50:42 Conservatism's Cultural Crisis

53:48 Final Thoughts on Conservatism and the West

What guides politics? What matters most in political decision making?

Since the 1980s, conservatives have looked to economics for guidance: economic growth, tax cuts, and decreased government spending capture the heart of political thought in North American Conservative political parties.

This sparks two questions. 1) How well did this approach perform? and 2) Will this approach address current social concerns, such as infertility, mass immigration, ethnic unrest, drug supply, public safety, or 'medical assistance in dying'/euthanasia?

Economics is a powerful tool. But it remains silent on the most salient issues today. Dr. Tim Sargent PhD economics explains why.

AI Summary:

Join Shawn Whatley as he sits down with Tim Sargent, a PhD economist with 28 years of experience in the Canadian federal public service. Together, they explore what it means to be a Canadian and discuss whether economics alone can address today's pressing issues such as fertility rates, immigration, defense, security, and more. Tim shares his unique insights on the interplay between classical liberalism and conservatism and underscores the importance of loyalty, duty, and communal values. Don't miss this deep dive into the challenges and opportunities facing Canada today.

00:00 Introduction: Can Economics Save Canada?

01:12 Guest Introduction: Meet Tim Sargent

03:57 Defining Canadian Identity

05:43 The Role of Geography and History

10:11 Regional Differences in Canada

17:46 Economics as a Servant, Not a Master

21:38 The Limits of Economics

27:55 The Need for Broader Solutions

31:26 Shifting Immigration Debates in Canada

32:19 Economic and Social Strains of Immigration

32:39 Conservative and Left-Wing Perspectives on Immigration

34:29 Reevaluating Feminism and Women's Happiness

35:36 The Role of Economics in Policy Making

36:48 Conservatism vs. Classical Liberalism

37:24 The Appeal of Classical Liberalism

39:29 Conservatism's Empirical Approach

41:07 Challenges for Modern Conservatism

50:37 Economic Policies and Conservatism

01:01:47 The Fertility Crisis and Cultural Issues

This episode is (ostensibly) about medicine, not politics.

What does human-centred care mean in a world of AI? Are doctors becoming obsolete, when it comes to decision making? When should we hand over our clinical judgement to AI?

I asked Ross Upshur for his thoughts on logical positivism. Are most doctors positivists?  

"Despite it being... as a philosophical and epistemological doctrine... been rather thoroughly discarded... a long time ago. It's the self understanding of our profession," Ross said.

Of course, ideas about what counts as knowledge are inseparable from our political assumptions. So although we do not mention politics in this episode, these ideas are core to how we approach medical 'systems', 'planning', and politics in general.

Articles:

"Three problems with big data and AI in medicine" (Chin-Yee & Upshur, 2019)

"Looking for rules in a world of exceptions: reflections on evidence-based practice" (Upshur, 2005)

Book:

How Doctors Think: Clinical Judgment and the Practice of Medicine by Kathryn Montgomery (2012) 

AI summary:

In this episode of Concepts with Shawn Whatley, we are joined by Dr. Ross Upshur, head of the Division of Clinical Public Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. With over 30 years of experience in the intersection of theory and practice in medicine, Dr. Upshur provides a comprehensive discussion on the role of AI in medicine, the limitations of evidence-based practices, and the critical importance of human judgment and patient history. We explore the impacts of AI and big data on clinical care, the pitfalls of technological dependence, and the ethical ramifications of potential AI-driven healthcare. This thought-provoking conversation dives deep into the philosophical and practical aspects of modern medical practices, providing listeners with valuable insights into the future of healthcare and what it means to retain human-centered care in an increasingly automated world.

00:00 Introduction: Can AI Replace Doctors?

00:02 The Limits of Evidence in Clinical Practice

00:41 AI and Evidence-Based Medicine

01:03 Wearables and Real-Time Data: A Misguided Direction?

01:35 The Public's Frustration and Acceptance of AI

01:44 Human-Centered AI vs. Bot Care

02:19 Welcome and Guest Introduction

02:56 The Evolution of Evidence-Based Medicine

03:53 The Gap Between Theory and Practice

05:26 Patient Stories: The Heart of Clinical Medicine

10:21 AI's Role in Future Healthcare

11:00 The Challenges of Big Data and AI

14:18 Epistemological Concerns with AI

18:38 The Human Experience vs. Quantifiable Data

25:42 Clinical Tools and Judgment

32:38 The Role of Clinical Judgment in Patient Care

33:48 Challenges with Evidence-Based Medicine

34:10 Interprofessional Model of Care

35:29 The Inferential Gap in Medical Practice

38:08 Philosophical Perspectives on Medical Practice

40:02 The Future of Clinical Judgment in the Age of AI

43:27 The Importance of Practical Wisdom in Medicine

48:09 Concerns About AI and Automation in Medicine

53:31 Final Thoughts and Reflections

"Politics offers yesterday's answers to today's questions."

Grant Havers has been reading McLuhan for 30 years, and it shows in his new book "The Medium is Still the Message: Marshall McLuhan for Our Time."

It's rare to find a book so applicable to our time, especially one written by a philosophy prof! This book is excellent. I expect it will become THE book to reference when you write about McLuhan.

AI Summary:

In this episode of Concepts, host Shawn Whatley and guest Professor Grant Havers, chair of the Department of Philosophy at Trinity Western University, explore the enduring relevance of Marshall McLuhan's ideas. They discuss how McLuhan's theories help make sense of current technological phenomena such as artificial intelligence, social media, and autonomous weapon systems. Havers explains how McLuhan argued that the rise of the electric and digital ages marked the end of the print age, leading to significant cultural and political shifts. They also delve into the concept of how new media creates environments that shape human behavior and societal structures. Furthermore, the conversation touches on McLuhan's conservative perspectives, the implications for contemporary politics, and the challenges of living in a post-literate society. 00:00 Introduction to Marshall McLuhan's Relevance Today 00:19 The Death of Liberalism and the Rise of Digital Age 01:34 Welcome and Introduction of Professor Grant Havers 05:08 Marshall McLuhan's Biography and Early Life 12:44 Understanding 'The Medium is the Message' 18:39 The Impact of New Media on Society 24:15 Formal Causality and Autonomous Weapon Systems 28:48 Literate vs. Post-Literate Society 37:54 Critique of Post-Liberalism 40:58 Reflections on Historical Perception 42:16 The Evolution of Capitalism 47:54 The Paradox of Reality and Media 54:04 Literacy, Simultaneity, and Progress 01:00:19 Discarnate Identity and Gnosticism 01:17:04 McLuhan's Conservative Perspective