What We Can't Not Talk About

Marriage and family are often debated through emotional or religious lenses, but can we defend these institutions using reason alone? Dr. Owen Anderson, Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Arizona State University, joins Dr. Marianna Orlandi on "What We Can't Not Talk About" to delve into the rational basis of marriage, friendship, and lasting love. Starting from the concept of friendship as defined by Aristotle and Aquinas, Dr. Anderson highlights how true friendship involves mutual care for each other's good, setting the stage for understanding deeper relationships. He argues that the conjugal view of marriage, rooted in lasting commitment and openness to life, is not merely a religious ideal but grounded in our shared human nature. Dr. Anderson further addresses contemporary skepticism, emphasizing that widespread doubts about reality, truth, and goodness contribute significantly to confusion around marriage and family structures. He explains how the current age of anxiety is closely linked to philosophical skepticism and suggests that reconnecting with foundational truths about human nature and purpose is crucial for overcoming both skepticism and anxiety.

In this insightful episode of What We Can't Not Talk About, Dr. Matthew Breuninger joins us to unpack the complexities behind why many individuals struggle to find lasting love, despite their deep desire and determination. Hosted by the Austin Institute, this conversation delves beyond societal critiques to explore personal obstacles rooted in family dynamics and individual psychology. Resources: Follow Dr. Breuninger on Instagram and Youtube @askacatholictherapist Share Your Reflections – Have thoughts or questions inspired by this episode? Email your insights to the Austin Institute. Stay in the Loop – Visit austin-institute.org for upcoming events and more conversations that matter.

In this thought-provoking lecture, Dr. Scott Roninger explores the profound connections between literature, philosophy, and our understanding of human nature, focusing especially on Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov and Plato's philosophical dialogues. Through Mark Twain's reflections on mastering the Mississippi River, Roninger introduces the distinction between viewing life practically versus contemplatively, emphasizing the importance of awe and beauty. He then delves into Dostoevsky's characters, aligning them with Plato's three parts of the human soul—appetite, spirit (thumos), and intellect (nous)—highlighting the Christian dimension of these philosophical concepts. Roninger argues that true human flourishing and societal health stem from properly orienting our deepest desires toward truth, virtue, and ultimately God.

In this episode of What We Can't Not Talk About, Marianna Orlandi continues exploring education, joined by Professor Justin Dyer, Dean of the School of Civic Leadership at the University of Texas at Austin. Together, they discuss the profound ideas of C.S. Lewis in his influential book, The Abolition of Man, and explore how modern educational institutions can reconnect with the classical ideal of forming virtuous and flourishing citizens. Justin shares insights from his personal academic journey, emphasizing the transformative role education played in his own life and the crucial need for schools dedicated to civics and leadership. They also tackle why education inevitably involves moral formation, and how understanding natural law helps us address contemporary educational challenges.

This episode is a recording of the lecture delivered on February 21st by Dr. R.J. Snell at Robert Rowling Hall at UT Austin. The natural law is generally presented as highly certain and universal in its first principles, as essentially known by all rational personals, even though the specifications of those principles to concrete actions is far less certain. This view is especially prevalent in classical accounts of natural law rooted in metaphysics or philosophical anthropology. None of these should surprise a Thomas or Aristotelian, however, committed to hylomorphism, but it does require us to think of the natural law as hermeneutical rather than analytical and as conversational rather than methodical.

In this powerful episode of What We Can't Not Talk About, host Marianna Orlandi welcomes Dr. Anna Bonta Moreland, theologian and professor at Villanova University, to explore the radical, uncomfortable, and ultimately redemptive virtue of forgiveness. Drawing on the character of Dolly from Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, Dr. Moreland shows how literature and theology—especially the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas—can illuminate what it really means to love sacrificially and forgive heroically. In a world torn between cancel culture and moral relativism, Dr. Moreland argues that forgiveness is not weakness but a virtue rooted in charity. Through Dolly's example and Aquinas' thought, listeners are invited to reflect on whether perfection in love is required, and what it means to love and forgive like Christ—even when it hurts.

As parent-centric and state-centric visions of education do battle in American politics and academia, it is easy to lose sight of the fundamentals that underlie this conflict. In this episode, our host is joined by Dr. Moschella, fellow of the Austin Institute and champion of parental rights. Aiming at the center of this divisive topic, they discuss how parents' responsibility for childrens' development necessitates that parents, and not the state, retain ultimate authority over their education and formation. As Dr. Moschella makes clear in her research, the case for parental rights has both moral and empirical grounding. Melissa Moschella is Professor of the Practice in Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame's McGrath Institute for Church Life. Her work spans the fields of ethics, political philosophy, and law, and her areas of special expertise include natural law theory, biomedical ethics, and the family. For those interested in learning more, the paper discussed is "Natural Law, Parental Rights, and the Defense of "Liberal" Limits on Government: An Analysis of the Mortara Case and its Contemporary Parallels," published in the Notre Dame Law Review: https://scholarship.law.nd.edu/ndlr/vol98/iss4/5/ She is also the author of several books, including: To Whom Do Children Belong? Parental Rights, Civic Education and Children's Autonomy https://www.amazon.com/Whom-Children-Belong-Education-Childrens/dp/1316605000#:~:text=Rigorously%20argued%20yet%20broadly%20accessible,in%20line%20with%20their%20values Ethics, Politics, and Natural Law: Principles for Human Flourishing https://undpress.nd.edu/9780268209261/ethics-politics-and-natural-law/

This episode is a recording of the lecture delivered on February 20th by Dr. R.J. Snell at the University Catholic Center of UT Austin. While the term acedia may be unfamiliar, the vice, usually translated as sloth, is all too common. Sloth is not mere laziness, however, but a disgust with reality, a loathing of our call to be friends with God, and a spiteful, bored hatred of place and life itself. As described by Josef Pieper, the slothful person does not “want to be as God wants him to be, and that ultimately means he does not wish to be what he really, fundamentally is.” Sloth is a hellish despair. Our own culture is deeply infected, choosing a destructive freedom rather than the good work for which God created us. But we can resist despair and can reconfigure our imaginations and practices in deep love of the life and work given by God. By feasting, keeping sabbath, and working well, we learn to see the world as enchanting, beautiful, and good—just as God sees it. R.J. Snell is Director of Academic Programs. Prior to his appointment at the Witherspoon Institute, he was for many years Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Philosophy Program at Eastern University and the Templeton Honors College, where he founded and directed the Agora Institute for Civic Virtue and the Common Good.

In this episode, Dr. Alberto Martínez, a distinguished professor of history at The University of Texas at Austin, joins Dr. Orlandi to discuss myths in the history of science and the distortion of truth in modern media. In particular, they focus on the myth of Einstein's genius and the media's distortion of President Trump's words. Throughout, they touch on topics such as: the existence of objective truth, our culture's obsession with words rather than reality, the history of mistakes as a pedagogical tool, and the proper place of primary sources. Alberto Martinez has been a professor of history at UT Austin since 2005. He is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico. He investigates the history of science, especially Einstein and relativity theory, history of math, historical myths, and Giordano Bruno and Galileo. He also researches myths in political news media and episodes in the history of money and corruption. Presently, he's finishing writing a historical novel about Albert Einstein. Martinez is the author of seven books, including: Science Secrets: The Truth about Darwin's Finches, Einstein's Wife, and Other Myths (2011), https://www.amazon.com/Science-Secrets-Darwins-Finches-Einsteins/dp/0822962306/ Burned Alive: Giordano Bruno, Galileo and the Inquisition (2018), https://www.amazon.com/Burned-Alive-Bruno-Galileo-Inquisition/dp/1780238967 The Media Versus the Apprentice (2019), https://www.amazon.com/Media-versus-Apprentice-Devil-Trump/dp/1731489242/ He has been a research fellow at M.I.T., Caltech, Harvard, Boston University, and The Smithsonian. He also writes articles for newspapers and online magazines such as The Hill, Scientific American, Austin American-Statesman, SALON, the USA Today newspapers, and The Daily Texan. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society.

In this episode, Dr. Orlandi and Dr. Alexander Cambre get together to discuss the differences between that “indoctrinations” that too many schools have been accused of forcing upon students, and liberal education. What's the essence of the latter, if any? And what did Solzhenitsyn, Tocqueville, and Aristotle have to say on this matter to help us, as usual, understand our current times? Join us for some interesting insights! Links: Dr. Alexander's essay: Liberal Education's Antidote to Indoctrination, https://www.heritage.org/education/report/liberal-educations-antidote-indoctrination Previous episode with Dr. Alexander, on Memory and Mortality: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5TRXHcEUo3ea1cEajBtHAK?si=ccccb9e3c3f64297 More on education on our podcast, with Dr. Mellissa Moschella: https://open.spotify.com/episode/55CW5TtbCdvRfToz7veFZq?si=92402cd9f1c24cbc

In this episode, Dr. Orlandi and Dr. Alexander Cambre get together to discuss the differences between that “indoctrinations” that too many schools have been accused of forcing upon students, and liberal education. What's the essence of the latter, if any? And what did Solzhenitsyn, Tocqueville, and Aristotle have to say on this matter to help us, as usual, understand our current times? Join us for some interesting insights! Links: Dr. Alexander's essay: Liberal Education's Antidote to Indoctrination, https://www.heritage.org/education/report/liberal-educations-antidote-indoctrination Previous episode with Dr. Alexander, on Memory and Mortality: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5TRXHcEUo3ea1cEajBtHAK?si=ccccb9e3c3f64297 More on education on our podcast, with Dr. Mellissa Moschella: https://open.spotify.com/episode/55CW5TtbCdvRfToz7veFZq?si=92402cd9f1c24cbc

In this episode, Dr. Orlandi sat down with Dr. Scott Roniger, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, to discuss beauty, love, and faith. This time, the excuse was philosophical and literary ... all at once. Dr. Roniger, a philosophy of literature scholar, was recently the author of a paper bringing together the platonic symposium and Waugh's most famous novel. Tune in to hear about charm and beauty, about educating eros, and about metaphoric and embodied ascents to truth redemption. Hopefully, Dr. Roniger will visit us in person soon too. Links: Platonic eros and catholic faith in waugh's brideshead revisited https://scholars.lmu.edu/en/publications/platonic-eros-and-catholic-faith-in-waughs-brideshead-revisited #Bridesheadrevisited #Plato #Symposium #Evelynwaugh

When you hear the term "Natural Law," do you ever pretend to know what people are talking about? Would you be able to explain what Natural Law is to a friend? Above all, did you know that it is "for everyone"? In this episode, we have the honor to discuss some of these eternal truths with Professor J. Budziszewski: who's not only an expert on the topic, but one of the best teachers of this precious tradition. #Naturallaw #positivism #budziszewski #catholicteachings Links: https://www.undergroundthomist.org https://www.amazon.com/Commentary-Thomas-Aquinass-Treatise-Law/dp/1107029392 https://undergroundthomist.org/sites/default/files/Budziszewski%2C%20Why%20Natural%20Law%20Is%20for%20Everyone.pdf

What is the proper education for young people who aspire to achieve political greatness? Can the autobiographies of the past teach us anything about our current trials, and how to overcome them? During this lecture, Dr. Shilo Brooks offers a few insights not only into these questions. He above all explores with us the reasons why, for the first time, his elective course for Princeton undergraduates, "The Art of Statesmanship and the Political Life," went from thirty kids enrolled to over 250. A Texas native, Dr. Brooks enchanted his audience at UT Austin just as he does in Princeton--and he will enchant you too. This lecture was co-sponsored with the Salem Center for Policy at UT Austin. #AustinInstitute #SalemCenter

In this episode of "What We Can't Talk About," Dr. Orlandi is joined by Dr. RJ Snell, Director of Academic Programs at the Witherspoon Institute, a sister organization of the Austin Institute. They delve into Snell's new book, "Lost in the Chaos: Immanence, Despair, Hope," which tackles the challenges of contemporary life in Western democracies, addressing decadence, disorder, and despair. The conversation navigates the complexities of finding transcendence and hope in a society that doesn't prioritize these values. Drawing on ancient and modern philosophical insights, Snell offers a roadmap to moral reformation and spiritual renewal, embodying philosophy in its purest form—a relentless pursuit of wisdom.

In this episode, Professor Nancy Pearcey joins Dr. Orlandi for an engaging discussion on her best-selling book, "The Toxic War on Masculinity." Tune in to explore how the true essence of masculinity has been distorted and perverted throughout history, starting from the Industrial Revolution to the current portrayals in today's news and media. They delve into Professor Pearcey's motivations for writing this significant work and the consequences of misrepresenting masculinity in the 21st century. Nancy Pearcey is the author of The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes, as well as Love Thy Body, The Soul of Science, Saving Leonardo, Finding Truth, and Total Truth. She is professor and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University. She has been quoted in The New Yorker and Newsweek, highlighted as one of the five top women apologists by Christianity Today, and hailed in The Economist as "America's preeminent evangelical Protestant female intellectual." To read The Toxic War on Masculinity: https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-War-Masculinity-Christianity-Reconciles/dp/080107573 To find more of Nancy Pearcey: https://www.nancypearcey.com/

Dr. Andrea Pin, esteemed author and professor at the University of Padova joins Dr. Orlandi on our podcast. In this engaging session, Professor Pin answers Dr. Orlandi's questions about the intricate relationship between religious freedom, and other fundamental rights. Together they remind us that the history of human rights is much older than we traditionally believe. To hear more about Andrea Pin: https://canopyforum.org/2023/12/20/religious-freedom-and-comparative-law-the-protection-of-rights-and-the-exception-of-religious-freedom/ @andreapincomlaw on Twitter #law #religion #italian #podcast #legal #legalknowledge #freedom #books #professor #lawyer #author

Renowned author and public speaker Jason Evert engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Orlandi, delving deep into the discourse surrounding the concept of chastity in the modern age. This compelling exchange unfolds as they explore the dimensions of chastity, addressing not only its physical implications but also delving into the intricate realms of its mental aspects. You can find Jasons content, books and more at: https://linktr.ee/jasonevert #Chastity #Monogamy

Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, the renowned physician who is among the plaintiffs in the soon-to-be supreme court case, Missouri v. Biden, and author of “The New Abnormal”, speaks with our very own Dr. Marianna Orlandi. In this episode, Dr. Kheriaty and Dr. Orlandi go deep into the history of censorship during the pandemic, the limits and dangers of social media, and more. Visit Dr. Aaron Kheriaty's website to learn more and to pick up his book, “The New Abnormal” https://www.aaronkheriaty.com/ https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/slaying-censorship-leviathan https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/63290154/missouri-v-biden/

Piers Dudgeon, author of several books and articles published all over the world, joins our very own Dr. Marianna Orlandi to discuss the works and life of Giovannino Guareschi. Guareschi, a 20th century Italian author is most known for his colorful tales of Don Camilo. In this episode Dudgeon and Dr. Orlandi talks about what Guareachi has to teach us through the little world of Don Camilo and particularly what his stories can reveal about our ideologized world today. They talk about the history that inspired Guareschi, the techniques that the stories use to speak uniquely to the reader, the troubles of censorship and what Don Camilo can teach us all about what it means to have an ideology and an identity. Read more from Guareschi and Piers Dudgeon! https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000APRYUY?ingress=0&visitId=73c229d8-d144-4759-afc6-73cb478a49d1&store_ref=ap_rdr&ref_=ap_rdr https://europeanconservative.com/news/

Professor Philip Bess, a distinguished professor of architecture at The University of Notre Dame, joins our very own Dr. Marianna Orlandi to discuss the natural law embedded in our cities. Professor Philip Bess and Dr. Marianna Orlandi explore the importance of the beauty, design, and function of cities and how the way we plan our cities and build our buildings impacts us. They talk about how cities throughout history have affected the flourishing of families and individuals and look forward to what can be done so that the spaces we live and share in can help us grow into better people. https://architecture.nd.edu/faculty/philip-bess/

Our guest today, Katy Faust is the founder and president of the non-profit and global organization, Them Before Us, an organization dedicated to fighting for children's rights and defending them against the progressive outreach of the modern world. Join us as our very own Dr. Marianna Orlandi and Katy Faust discuss the ways in which the rights of children to intact families are being subverted every day. In this episode, they discuss the importance of upholding family integrity, the dangers of divorce, the history of family disintegration, the problems with unnatural reproduction, and how Them Before Us works to speak up for children's rights. https://thembeforeus.com/whoweare/ Check out Katy Faust's latest book: Raising Conservative Kids in a Woke City Visit Our Website: https://www.austin-institute.org/

This special episode is the recording of the talk delivered by Dr. Kheriaty in Austin on Sept. 14th, 2023. Tune in to learn more about the causes of our society's distress and about what we can and should do to help people regain their sanity and their joy. https://www.aaronkheriaty.com https://www.amazon.com/New-Abnormal-Biomedical-Security-State/dp/B0B457G9V2

Meet Professor Brian Bird, Attorney, and Associate Professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia, as he and Dr. Marianna Orlandi sit down to discuss the impending dangers of euthanasia and assisted suicide policies in North America, particularly in Canada. In this episode, Brian Bird gives us a brief history of Canada's euthanasia policy evolution and catches us up on the dangerous path that seems to be unfolding in Canada. Together, Professor Brian Bird and Dr. Orlandi talk about what this will mean for the country and society as a whole for both patients and doctors.

Dr. Abigail Favale, writer and professor at the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, joins Dr. Marianna Orlandi to discuss the ways in which women's dignity is actually being subverted by modern gender politics. Dr. Favale explains the detrimental effects of the pill and contraception, the modern rejection of traditional female values, the struggles of femininity on social media, and the ironic adoption of the “masculine bias”. Together Dr. Favale and Dr. Orlandi take on modern feminist theories with a critical lens to find what needs to be done to create a culture that values and dignifies true femininity. Read more from Dr. Favale in her latest book “Genesis of Gender”. Home (abigailfavale.wixsite.com) The Genesis of Gender (ignatius.com) About (cultivatingcatholicfeminism.com) The Case Against the Sexual Revolution, by Louise Perry | Tertulia Amazon.com: Cheap Sex: The Transformation of Men, Marriage, and Monogamy: 9780190673611: Regnerus, Mark: Books

To kick off Fidelity Month, Clinician and Consultant, Dr. William Bellet speaks to us about why fidelity matters, now, more than ever. In this episode Dr. Orlandi and Dr. Bellet discusses how infidelity has lost its shame, how couples can protect themselves, and the impacts and influences of society on infidelity in our modern age. Dr. William Bellet is a clinical and consulting psychiatrist dedicated to building and fostering healthy families. Dr. Bellet specializes in personal and marital counseling as well as consulting for family owned and operated enterprises. Learn more about Fidelity Month at Fidelity Month - Fidelity Month, Social Movement (https://fidelitymonth.com/)

It is no surprise that Global Fertility has been declining over the course of 30-50 years. You may not be aware, however, of how steep the slope has truly become. Economist and Professor Jesús Fernández-Villaverde has devoted his studies to analyzing why this is, and how we may be able to overcome it. Tune in to this fascinating discussion, as Dr. Mariana Orlandi speaks with one of the greatest experts in global fertility numbers. According to Professor Villaverde, we have never seen such alarming trends in all the history of the world. Modern culture has made having children challenging and unattractive in multiple regards. Therefore, younger generations have shifted from family-oriented to self-oriented lifestyles. This has led to negative rippling effects especially in education, food supply, and real estate. Contrary to popular belief, having a family may actually be a solution to economics rather than being a hindrance. As Professor Villaverde says: “Creating a culture that puts family at the center of society again is absolutely fundamental.” Clara Piano's podcast episode: https://www.austin-institute.org/podcast-wwcnta/episode/1ab0ffec/s3-e12-the-fertility-gap-why-women-around-the-world-are-having-fewer-children-than-they-desire The Coddling of the American Mind: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=coddling+of+the+american+mind&hvadid=580696255894&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9028315&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=10752184360120152060&hvtargid=kwd-280547986705&hydadcr=22569_13493349&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_1g6wh8wqut_e

The fertility gap is the difference between intended and actual births. While many countries struggle with below-replacement birth rates, the average woman desires more children than she will actually have in her lifetime. Our scholar will lead us in her investigation into the causes of these frustrated desires, arguing that reductions in economic and religious liberty are to blame. Clara E. Piano is currently an assistant professor of economics at Austin Peay State University. She received her PhD in economics from George Mason University. Her primary areas of research are family economics, law and economics, and public choice. She has published academic papers on many topics including mental health and marriage, Renaissance art contracts, the organization of Christian seminaries, and the Soviet family policy. Her work has also been featured in popular outlets like Public Discourse and the Faith & Economics podcast. Beyond economics, Clara enjoys reading and discussing Catholic Social Thought.

We often think that finding love is all about being the best version of ourselves. But what if love is not about us at all? What if love is about our ability to receive another? Love, marriage and family are like a concert. Will we allow ourselves to be moved by the rise and fall of the melody, the changing rhythm and rhyme of life with the ones we love? If we are lucky, we lose ourselves to this work of art that demands everything. Join us as Marie Bellet, a loving wife, mother and songwriter, delights us in concert and in conversation on love, life, and music. About the Artist: Marie was raised in the small university town of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. The third in a family of 8 children, she escaped the humdrum of the Midwest through the music she heard on her blue transistor radio, singing her favorites in talent shows to her high school class of 24. A lone voice calling for a return to family in the midst of a materialist world, Marie Bellet writes authentic Americana songs that take the listener away from the distractions and conventions of pop culture and focus upon the importance of sacrificial love. Much like the singer/songwriters she listened to growing up, she moves off the glamorous beaten path and tells deceptively simple stories that make larger statements about hardship, heartbreak, redemption, and renewal within the real world. “I write about the life I know, from something as simple as getting through a trip to the grocery store with a bunch of kids to something as difficult as watching a son deploy to Afghanistan. I want to tell others that sacrifice is not stupidity or victimization. It is noble. It is transformative. It is love.” For more about our guest artist, visit her website: http://www.mariebellet.com/

Is your ancestor a monkey? Or perhaps, are you a monkey? These are the questions the world has been asking for over a century now. As a result, our understanding for the source of human life has drastically shifted away from religious ideologies. Nowadays, belief in the existence of God is considered “foolishness”, in comparison to science. In this episode, Dr. Mariana Orlandi interviews associate director of the Hagler institute, Dr. Clifford Fry, to explore these topics further. They discuss his new book: Is Your Ancestor A Monkey?: An Exploration of Key Issues in the Evolution Versus Creation Debate, and how, ultimately, we are all on the same quest to understand our own existence. Dr. Fry touches on acclaimed scientific thinkers- such as Isaac Newton- and how their findings pointed towards the possibility of a creator rather than not. Is it possible to consider the existence of God with rationale, rather than belief/ feelings? Join us to find out (and stay tuned for an original song, written and performed by Dr. Fry himself)! Clifford L. Fry, who has a Ph.D. in Economics, has worked in academia, the Federal Reserve, private banking, and consulting, and has published research in peer-reviewed journals in economics and finance. He has devoted years of service to the International Rett Syndrome Foundation, as a board member, a regional representative for Texas, and chair of the Family Empowerment Board. A songwriter and musician, he is the founder of Dr. Fry's Texas Medicine Band. His songs are available on streaming services and YouTube. Clifford currently resides with his wife and daughter in College Station, Texas. Is Your Ancestor A Monkey?: An Exploration of Key Issues in the Evolution Versus Creation Debate https://www.amazon.com/Your-Ancestor-Monkey-Exploration-Evolution/dp/1667882740 Principia Mathematica https://www.amazon.com/Principia-Mathematica-Alfred-North-Whitehead/dp/0342921614/ref=asc_df_0342921614/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=366282405567&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12571345026879681406&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028315&hvtargid=pla-571091981693&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=78795691600&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=366282405567&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12571345026879681406&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028315&hvtargid=pla-571091981693 Priest of Nature: The Religious Worlds of Isaac Newton https://www.amazon.com/Priest-Nature-Religious-Worlds-Newton/dp/0199995354

In a world where marriage is promoted as inconsequential, more and more couples in today's society look for an easy way out. Is divorce the best solution? According to UT research associate, Dr. Amy Hamilton, “the effects of divorce are staggering”, and may not always yield the positive results that were initially intended. In this episode, Dr. Orlandi and Dr. Hamilton will cover the dynamic of modern relationships, why marriage rates are declining, and the long term effects of breakup within a family. They touch on how marriage can lower suicidal rates, enhance physical health, and lead to human flourishing! Ultimately, Dr. Hamilton's research concludes: traditional marriage has the power to benefit all people in society, even those who don't choose to participate in it. Tune in to learn more. Corrigendum: “1 in 6 women will reach 40 without having birthed a child.” Currently, data points to trends that show at least 1 in 4 young people will reach their 40s not having married. Marriage and the Public Good https://canavoxstore.com/products/marriage-public-good Future of Christian Marriage https://www.amazon.com/Future-Christian-Marriage-Mark-Regnerus-ebook/dp/B08DYCPLQK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1L0U241Z1JONY&keywords=future+of+christian+marriage&qid=1679094820&sprefix=future+of+christian+marriag%2Caps%2C260&sr=8-1 CanaVox https://canavoxstore.com/

The Dobbs v. Jackson case brought about a new era within the political spectrum. For many, the case gave way to great disapproval, and raised various ethical concerns surrounding abortion. In this lecture, Heather Hacker talks about the current state of abortion law and policies, and how it will influence our future. After the federal government delegated abortion legalities to the states, the United States Supreme Court faced challenging questions such as: "how do we evaluate the regulation of abortion?”, “where would we find this right within the constitution?”, and “how do we take care of women dealing with unplanned pregnancies, ectopic pregnancies, and miscarriages?” Hacker discusses why predominantly conservative states ultimately voted against the abortion ban, and how other states—such as Texas—have approached these issues. She also highlights the significance of pondering these questions, in order to improve our engagement in democracy. Tune to hear this amazing talk!

In the picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde tells the story of a life corrupted by sin. In one of his plays, he reminds us that nobody is perfect and even equates love with charity. Yet, the Irish poet and playwright is often considered a major contributor, a key-player in that cultural change that led to the sexual revolution. Quid iuris? Dr. Orlandi discusses these and other questions with Professor Paul Fortunato, author of "Modernist Aesthetics and Consumer Culture in the Writings of Oscar Wilde.” Join us, as we explore Oscar Wilde's approach to the positive power of consumerism and what he believed it meant to be an artist. In this episode, Dr. Orlandi and Dr. Paul Fortunato will discuss some of Wilde's famous work. Once widely deemed “immoral” by a predominantly Christian society, Wilde ironically puts forth hidden morals within his plays such as: charity, forgiveness, and behaviors that lead to self-destruction. Book: Modern Aesthetics Consumer Culture https://www.amazon.com/Modernist-Aesthetics-Consumer-Culture-Writings/dp/0415803020 Book: Picture Dorian Gray https://www.amazon.com/Picture-Dorian-Gray-Oscar-Wilde/dp/0141439572 Book: Ideal Husband https://www.amazon.com/Ideal-Husband-Oscar-Wilde/dp/154802404X Book: Strange New World https://www.amazon.com/Strange-New-World-Activists-Revolution/dp/1433579308

Do you ever keep your opinion for yourself, fearing that speaking your mind would isolate you? Do you ever do or say something not because you want to, but because that is what everybody does? Well, if you do, you are just very human. At the same time, you might be contributing to a new, modern-time tyranny. In this episode, our Executive Director, Dr. Marianna Orlandi hosts journalist and international relations expert Stella Morabito, where Morabito shares the insights of her book “Weaponization of Loneliness.” She speaks on the importance of free speech, community, and simple dialogue with others in order to dismantle the “machinery of loneliness” that gives way to totalitarian regimes. Order a copy of “Weaponization of Loneliness” https://www.amazon.com/Weaponization-Loneliness-Tyrants-Isolation-Silence/dp/1637582021 Film: Experimenter https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3726704/ “Obedience to Authority” https://www.amazon.com/Obedience-Authority-Experimental-Perennial-Thought/dp/006176521X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3T161AI01JOYM&keywords=Obedience+to+Authority%3A+An+Experimental+View&qid=1674838496&s=books&sprefix=obedience+to+authority+an+experimental+view%2Cstripbooks%2C97&sr=1-1

Following our episode on the dangers of a “contraceptive” mentality and on the beauty of our generative natures, join us for an honest conversation on family planning alternatives to contraception. In this episode, Dr. Marianna Orlandi and Grace Stark, an expert on fertility awareness methods, offer insights that are extremely valuable for men and women of all ages: be they singles or couples, worried about conceiving … or trying to. Links: The SURPRISING SCIENCE of WOMEN, HORMONES, and the LAW of UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES: https://www.sarahehill.com/your-brain-on-birth-control/ Natural Womanhood: Know Your Body https://naturalwomanhood.org Viewing the Menstrual Cycle as a Fifth Vital Sign: Your period is trying to tell you something about your overall health https://verilymag.com/2021/08/menstrual-charting-cycle-irregular-period-tracking-fifth-vital-sign-hormone-imbalance-birth-control-hormonal-contraceptive-alternative-nfp-fabm-2021

Join us for a conversation (meditation, discussion, and reflection!) on the irreplaceable, indispensable, and unrepeatable identity of each one of us. In this episode, our guest, Christopher West, and our host, Dr. Marianna Orlandi, delve into the teleology of our reproductive natures — and the theology of our bodies for a much needed message! Theology of the Body Institute: https://tobinstitute.org/ Book: Eclipse of the Body: https://shop.corproject.com/products/eclipse-of-the-body-how-we-lost-the-meaning-of-sex-gender-marriage-family-and-how-to-reclaim-it Book: Love Is Patient, but I'm Not: https://shop.corproject.com/products/love-is-patient-but-i-m-not-confessions-of-a-recovering-perfectionist Pontifex Master of Sacred Arts degree, with a Concentration in the Theology of the Body: https://www.pontifex.university/page/show/339867

Who was Augusto Del Noce and why are so many people reading his books and talking about his philosophy today? Join us to find out! In this episode, Dr. Marianna Orlandi discusses the thoughts of this brilliant Italian philosopher with Professor Carlo Lancellotti, a scholar who has been translating Del Noce's works in English —- while teaching mathematics and physics at the College of Staten Island & City University of New York! English YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/ihr-sn5dtyQ Italian YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/l2QCKC8OaiU Augusto del Noce on the "New Totalitarianism" by Carlo Lancellotti: https://www.communio-icr.com/files/44.2_Lancellotti.pdf The Religious Sense by Luigi Giussani: https://www.amazon.com/Religious-Sense-Luigi-Giussani/dp/0773516263/ref=asc_df_0773516263/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312154644197&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13004758799616701499&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028280&hvtargid=pla-320418201577&psc=1 Michael Hanby: https://www.johnpaulii.edu/academics/faculty/michael-hanby/ David L Schindler: https://www.johnpaulii.edu/academics/faculty/david-l-schindler/ Rémi Brague: https://www.remibrague.com/biography/

Taking the Soviet Union as a case study, economist Dr. Clara E. Piano analyzed the way in which an autocrat will deal with the family. Will it support divorce and abortion, or will it enact pro-family and pro-life laws? Tune in to find out: the answers will surprise you! Dr. Clara E. Piano's website: https://www.clara-elizabeth.com Dr. Clara E. Piano's work: https://www.clara-elizabeth.com/projects

Let's begin at the end... The first episode of this new season is an engaging and provocative conversation on one of the most serious events of our human life: its natural end. Join in to listen to Dr. Marianna Orlandi and Lydia Lydia Dugdale, MD, MAR (ethics), author of “The Lost Art of Dying”. Link to our guest's book: https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Art-Dying-Reviving-Forgotten/dp/0062932632. More on Ars Moriendi: https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/ars-moriendi

Dr. Marianna Orlandi and Associate Professor of Philosophy Dr. Melissa Moschella discuss parental rights, school choice, critical race theory, and the meaning of education in today's world. Melissa Moschella is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America, where her research and teaching focus on natural law, bioethics and the moral and political status of the family and Fellow of the Austin Institute. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College and received her Ph.D. in Political Philosophy from Princeton University. Her book, To Whom Do Children Belong? Parental Rights, Civic Education and Children's Autonomy was published in 2016 by Cambridge University Press. Dr. Moschella speaks and writes on a variety of contemporary issues, such as brain death, end-of-life ethics, parental rights, marriage, gender, reproductive technologies, and conscience rights. Her articles have been published in scholarly journals as well as popular media outlets, including Bioethics, The Journal of Medical Ethics, The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, The American Journal of Jurisprudence, The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, The New York Daily News, and The Public Discourse. Critical Race Theory, Public Schools, and Parental Rights https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2022/03/79866/ Chesterton and the Meaning of Education https://www.ncregister.com/blog/chesterton-and-meaning-of-education

How did the world arrive at its current, disorienting state of identity politics, and how we respond? Historian Carl R. Trueman shows how influences ranging from traditional institutions to technology and pornography moved modern culture toward an era of “expressive individualism.” Investigating philosophies from the Romantics, Nietzsche, Marx, Wilde, Freud, and the New Left, he outlines the history of Western thought to the distinctly sexual direction of present-day identity politics and explains the modern implications of these ideas on religion, free speech, and personal identity. For more, order Dr. Truman's book, "Strange New World" https://www.crossway.org/books/strange-new-world-tpb/

Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin and Senior Fellow of the Austin Institute Mark Regnerus discusses the science behind current issues around gender identity, such as affirmative care and the rise of gender dysphoria among youth. Especially in the United States, medical research has been affected by external political pressure and predetermined conclusions. Dr. Regnerus challenges what so much of culture is telling us to believe and encourages us to talk about these issues. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW1vetSl1rc

In this episode, we interview April Readlinger, Executive Director of CanaVox, on a recent article published in Public Discourse about the inclusion of gender ideology in K-12 public education in New Jersey. Mrs. Readlinger here discusses some of the troubles regarding the legislation that introduced this issue into the state's public school curriculum and specifically explores the challenges it presents for teachers and parents alike in the instruction of their children. We hope that you find this podcast timely and useful when thinking about the education of your own children and the state of American public education in general.

Warsaw, Poland, May 18th, 2022: On the day that would have marked Karol Wojtyła's 102nd birthday and in the context of the international conference on John Paul II's Natural Law Legacy & International Human Rights organized by Ave Maria School of Law, Dr. Marianna Orlandi delivered a talk focused on a play that the young Karol Wojtyła wrote long before becoming a Pope: "The Jeweler's Shop." Tune in for some interesting insights and reflections on our age of no-fault divorce, on the beauty and true meaning of marriage, and on the way forward. Ave Maria Law website on the event: https://www.avemarialaw.edu/john-paul-iis-natural-law-legacy-international-human-rights/ YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/yAdX97aiKm0 Purchase the play via Ignatius Press: https://ignatius.com/the-jewelers-shop-jshh/

In this podcast, Dr. James Poulos discusses technology, media, and alternatives to the current technocratic-political order by a union between branding, patriotism, and an alternative theological vision, all the while exploring the link between modern gnosticism and transhumanism. Dr. James Poulos is the Executive Editor of The American Mind, the Claremont Institute's online publication devoted to driving the conversation about the ideas and principles that drive American political life. Dr. Poulos graduated from Duke University with distinction in Political Science and received his Ph.D. in Government from Georgetown University. The author of The Art of Being Free (St. Martin's Press, 2017), a study of Tocqueville's Democracy in America, he is also the contributing editor of American Affairs and a fellow at the Center for the Study of Digital Life. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx_rQAkV_s0 Dr. Poulos's latest book: https://humanforever.us/

In today's world, we talk of time as a possession. It is a commodity that can be gained, spent, or lost. But before the invention of the clock, people understood time as God's time, something too big to own or use. Days, lunar cycles, and seasons marked the turning of a cosmos; they reflected a sometimes scary and mysterious universe whose time we inhabit rather than control. In a moment, the pandemic grounded to a halt the daily hum of our ordered sense of time. And even though much of daily life returned to normal, a sense of uncertainty hung over us like a cloud, or like a broken clock. Forces, in some cases too mysterious to name, are reducing certainties. These forces bring to a halt many of the myths that previously sustained our collective life. Organic farmer, Steven Hebbard, believes that good farming, like many traditional crafts, can reorient us to a larger sense of time: something we can humbly receive, embody, and even celebrate. Uncertain times demand a new orientation, or perhaps a very old one. "I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16 This episode was recorded in the fall of 2021. Moving into a home a few blocks from one of Austin's most notorious intersections, Steven discovered a thriving community centered around a garden. Where the scene might have communicated hopelessness, on trips to his neighborhood community garden, Steven found a passion tending both the local culture and agriculture. After an internship up the road at the Austin's landmark, Boggy Creek Farm, Steven decided to take his new found knowledge of neighborliness and farming to create a program that actively knit the two together. In 2009 he founded Genesis Gardens, a program within Mobile Loaves & Fishes Inc. dedicated to providing meaningful work, a stable paycheck, and food for the largest community for the homeless in the country. He has since built a career farming with communities in poverty. He is a passionate advocate of local, organic, and dignified work, and continues to study the way agriculture and urban life can work together to create a humane and thriving environment for all people.

In this episode, Dr. Mark Regnerus, Professor of Sociology at UT Austin and Senior Fellow and founder of the Austin Institute, joins us to discuss a recent study he carried out concerning the approval and disapproval of medical-surgical interventions to treat gender dysphoria by Americans. The study uncovered some interesting information on links between the number of children one has, religiosity, and political alignment and one's attitude toward these sorts of procedures related to gender transition. Dr. Regnerus also discusses here the legality of hormone treatment and the philosophical underpinnings of the problem of transgenderism. We hope you join us to find out more about this pressing and timely cultural issue.

In this episode, Alvino-Mario Fantini, Editor-in-Chief of "The European Conservative," joins us to discuss his quarterly journal which features news articles and reviews concerning the state of Europe and European conservatism, as well as essays on philosophy and the arts. Mr. Fantini here explores the status of the European conservative movement, his philosophy of conservatism as non-ideological, his background, and his influences in developing The European Conservative. We hope you join us in learning more about conservatism in Europe and invite you to look into "The European Conservative" as a source of news concerning what's occurring now on the continent. The European Conservative: https://europeanconservative.com/

Conservatism today, whether animated by concern for lost political greatness or by dismay over the evisceration of traditional morality, has grown skeptical of the case for personal liberty and for market freedom. Individual liberty is condemned on account of the excesses of radical autonomy, the free market on account of corrupt practices of wealthy corporations. Drawing on insights from leading figures in the liberal tradition, Professor James Stoner will argue that a balanced account of human happiness and the common good includes ample room for personal freedom and free enterprise, in the context of moral law and political right. Professor James R. Stoner, Jr., is the Hermann Moyse, Jr., Professor and Director of the Eric Voegelin Institute in the Department of Political Science at LSU. He is the author of Common-Law Liberty: Rethinking American Constitutionalism (Kansas, 2003) and Common Law and Liberal Theory: Coke, Hobbes, and the Origins of American Constitutionalism (Kansas, 1992), as well as a number of articles and essays. In 2009 he was named a Senior Fellow of the Witherspoon Institute of Princeton, New Jersey; he has co-edited three books published by Witherspoon, The Thriving Society: On the Social Conditions of Human Flourishing (with Harold James, 2015), The Social Costs of Pornography: A Collection of Papers (with Donna M. Hughes, 2010), and Rethinking Business Management: Examining the Foundations of Business Education (with Samuel Gregg, 2008). He was the 2010 recipient of the Honors College Sternberg Professorship at LSU. He is a senior fellow of the Austin Institute for the Study of Family and Culture. Dr. Stoner has taught at LSU since 1988, chaired the Department of Political Science from 2007 to 2013, and served as Acting Dean of the Honors College in fall 2010. He was a member of the National Council on the Humanities from 2002 to 2006. In 2002-03 he was a visiting fellow in the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, where he returned in the 2013-14 academic year as Garwood Visiting Professor in the fall and Visiting Fellow in the spring. He has teaching and research interests in political theory, English common law, and American constitutionalism. YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyz0LbSp1WU

In this episode, Dr. Susan Yoshihara, President of the American Council on Women, Peace, and Security, joins us to discuss war as it relates to women in the context of her own background as a former Naval officer, the conflict in Ukraine, as well as humanitarian efforts in war. Dr. Yoshihara here also discusses foreign intervention and the nature of just war theory. We invite you to listen to this podcast to consider these matters more deeply and to meditate on the role of women in warfare in the modern world.

As the war in Ukraine is raging on, we are seeing how a nation responds to the roles of its men and women in a time of great crisis. In this episode, UT Professor and AI Senior Fellow Mark Regnerus shares key insights about his latest Public Discourse article, “War Highlights Sex Differences and Family Ties." “A nation could recover from the loss of scores of men, as the twentieth century's postwar societies all did. But it has no future without women and children and the moral order of the family and society that these not only represent but constitute. Civilization hinges on women.” Join us for this timely episode! https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2022/03/80876/