The New Thinkery – Details, episodes & analysis

The guys have emerged from an eight-month slumber to sit down with Eric Buzzetti and Devin Stauffer to talk about their teacher Christopher Bruell and the newly edited collection Christopher Bruell: Essays of Five Decades on Philosophy and Philosophers.

They recount what it was like to study with Bruell at Boston College, why his writing is equal parts illuminating and elusive, and how his work presses readers back toward tough questions of philosophy.

Along the way, they discuss Bruell's relationship to Strauss, his long engagement with Plato, Xenophon, Aristotle, and the moderns, as well as why he resisted easy slogans about nature, happiness, and the philosophical life.

If serious reading and soul-forming education are your thing, buckle up for this 99-minute marathon.

Since launching in July 2020, The New Thinkery hasn't taken an extended break—but after nearly five years of weekly episodes, the guys are finally taking a much needed summer pause. The show will return with fresh conversations on political philosophy, literature, film, and more on September 3, 2025, with high-caliber guests on the horizon. In the meantime, revisit your favorite episodes, catch up on ones you may have missed, and spread the word. See you in September, and thank you all for listening in for the past few years!

This week, Alex and Greg dive into Werner Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God, unraveling its haunting exploration of madness, ambition, and the human condition. They trace the film's philosophical undercurrents—from existential isolation to the limits of power—set against the backdrop of the unforgiving Amazon. Through sharp analysis and reflective banter, they uncover what Herzog's fever dream of conquest reveals about the nature of obsession.

The guys are back this week with a break from the philosophy books, opting instead for another of Shakespeare's great plays. They generally discuss the plot, characters, themes, and more in this episode. This is just the first episode on Hamlet to set the stage, so to speak. There will be deep dives into each act in the future.  

This week, the guys are joined by Jacob Howland, author of Glaucon's Fate: History, Myth, and Character in Plato's Republic, among other impressive works, and the McFarlin Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at the University of Tulsa. Howland goes through his analysis and conclusion of Glaucon's fate in Plato's Republic, as well as touhch on additional points concerning the full work. Plus: Greg's (in)famous lightning round!

This week, the guys dive into the underground world of E. M. Forster's The Machine Stops. People live in pods, communication is done almost solely by instant messaging/video conferencing, and the omnipotent Machine takes care of people's bodily and spiritual needs. The guys analyze the situation and realizations that arise as the machine breaks down and people are condemned to their fate.

This week, the guys turn to Dostoevsky's story within The Brothers Karamazov: The Grand Inquisitor. Centering on two chapters within the book, discussion and analysis ranges from the idea of a benevolent God, to unanswered implications about human nature and freedom, and much more. 

This week, the guys convene a day early to bring you an analysis of the Declaration of Independence. Discussion takes the guys through the history of the Declaration, a look at its progenitors, its meaning, and how it fits with America's other important documents like the Constitution.

This week, the guys are joined once again by two esteemed guests: Dr. Hannes Kerber, Postdoctoral Fellow for the Program on Constitutional Government at Harvard, & Dr. Svetozar Minkov, Professor of Philosophy at Roosevelt University. Part II focuses on Strauss' interpretation of Plato's Euthyphro, broken into sections revolving around several important questions Strauss tried to resolve for himself, guided by Kerber and Minkov's diligent analysis.  

This week, the guys are joined by not one, but two esteemed guests: Dr. Hannes Kerber, Postdoctoral Fellow for the Program on Constitutional Government at Harvard, & Dr. Svetozar Minkov, Professor of Philosophy at Roosevelt University. The group discuss Kerber & Minkov's new, groundbreaking edited work: Leo Strauss on Plato's 'Euthyphro': The 1948 Notebook, with Lectures and Critical Writings. Part I focuses on the history surrounding the creation of the book, preliminary thoughts on the content, and why you should care about it. Plus: a discount code for those who want to read Strauss's newly unveiled 1948 notebook on Plato's Euthyphro, as well as everything else he wrote about it with companion essays by the editors. Stay tuned for Part II next week!