We conclude season three by reflecting on the influence of music in shaping the soul and the city from the very end of Aristotle’s Politics. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music fro

Education and the Best Regime, part 1

May 21st, 2022 30m 47s

We discuss Aristotle’s account of the relationship between education and the regime and the state of public and private education today. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from the

The Family and the Best Regime

May 14th, 2022 32m 4s

We continue our discussion of the conditions necessary for Aristotle’s best regime, reflecting on his account of the public consequences of family life.Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing

The Best Regime: Virtue, Means, and Ends

May 7th, 2022 32m 51s

We continue our discussion of the conditions necessary for Aristotle’s best regime, reflecting on the inculcation of virtue and the means and ends of the American regime.Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.O

Public Life in the Best Regime

Apr 30th, 2022 34m 46s

We continue our discussion of the conditions necessary for Aristotle’s best regime with special focus on a robust public life.Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from the beginning

The United States and the Conditions for the Best Regime

Apr 23rd, 2022 31m 24s

We discuss the population and geographic circumstances that lead to the best regime and the remarkable blessings enjoyed by the United States. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music fr

Happiness and the Best Life

Apr 16th, 2022 40m 30s

We discuss Aristotle’s account of happiness for the individual and the nation and the fundamental debate over the nature of the best life in the light of Christ’s death and resurrection. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind t

The Best and Worst Oligarchies

Apr 9th, 2022 30m 19s

We discuss Aristotle’s account of the best and worst oligarchies and the progressive development of the American national government. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from the b

Why Study Aristotle?

Apr 2nd, 2022 30m 48s

We discuss the four kinds of democracy and the importance of understanding the nature of one’s own regime to be an excellent citizen or statesman. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing mu

The Institutions, Laws, and People of a Republic

Mar 19th, 2022 31m 47s

We reflect on how different institutional structures, laws, and economic ways of life affect the character of a regime. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from the beginning and

The Hope of Political Reform

Mar 12th, 2022 33m 8s

We reflect on Aristotle’s critique of Plato’s account of regime change and the possibility of political reform in a fallen world. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from the begi

Ukraine, Russia, Kings, and Tyrants

Mar 5th, 2022 35m 38s

We apply Aristotle’s discussion of kings and tyrants to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the leaders of the two sides. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from the beginning an

Education and Regime Preservation

Feb 26th, 2022 32m 58s

We discuss Aristotle’s account of regime preservation, with a focus on education and the key qualities of statesmen. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from the beginning and end

Democratic, Oligarchic, and Aristocratic Revolutions

Feb 12th, 2022 34m 17s

We discuss Aristotle’s account of revolution in democracies, oligarchies, and aristocracies. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse t

The Contempt of the Elite and the Road to Revolution

Feb 5th, 2022 35m 43s

We discuss Aristotle’s account of the causes of revolution and the contempt of contemporary elites for those they govern. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from the beginning and

Reticent Revolutionaries and the 2024 Election

Jan 22nd, 2022 34m 9s

We discuss the introduction to Aristotle’s account of revolution in Book V of The Politics and consider its implications for the 2024 presidential race. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and cl

The Responsibilities of Political Office

Jan 15th, 2022 34m 14s

We reflect on President Biden’s voting rights speech and vaccine mandate in light Aristotle’s teaching on the functions of legislative, executive, and judicial offices. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.

The Mixed Regime and Political Moderation

Dec 18th, 2021 33m 5s

We discuss Aristotle’s account of the best regime for most places, a mixed regime balancing the excellencies of oligarchy and democracy. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from t

Democratic Demagoguery and Closed Oligarchies

Dec 11th, 2021 32m 40s

We discuss Aristotle’s reflections on the best and worst sorts of democracy and oligarchy. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse th

Hyperpartisanship and the Christian Citizen

Dec 4th, 2021 34m 20s

We discuss how hyperpartisanship threatens the stability of a republic and the temptation for Christians to emphasize political attachments over their commitment to Christ. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headline

The Best Regime and the American Founding

Nov 20th, 2021 35m 16s

We discuss Aristotle’s four ways of thinking about the best regime and Harry Jaffa’s case for (the principles of) the American founding as the best practical regime. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Openi

Regimes, part 4: The Rule of the One or the Rule of Law

Nov 13th, 2021 38m 18s

We discuss the final chapters of book III of Aristotle’s Politics as he compares different forms of monarchy to the rule of law.Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from the beginnin

Regimes, part 3: A Just Claim to Rule

Oct 30th, 2021 35m 5s

We discuss Aristotle’s assessment of the role of the multitude in a well-ordered political community and the possibility of excellent leadership in a democratic society.Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Op

Regimes, part 2: The Rich and the Poor

Oct 23rd, 2021 32m 15s

We discuss the most common regimes historically, the rule of the rich (oligarchy) and the rule of the poor (democracy), and the ways that the American regime was designed to prevent conflict between the rich and the poor. Matt Parks and Da

Regimes, part 1: The One, The Few, and the Many

Oct 16th, 2021 34m 45s

We discuss Aristotle’s taxonomy of regimes and the way that the one, the few, and the many continue to compete for power in our day. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Opening and closing music from the