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Douglas Murray, revered cultural critic and author, delivers the highlight of Ralston College's symposium of “Renewal and Renaissance,” a lecture exploring the theme of cultural reconstruction. Delivered from one of the beautiful, stately galleries of Savannah's Telfair Academy, the audience is treated to an intimate address that is both deeply moving and inspiring of hope. Murray's talk begins with the sober reflection that civilizations are mortal and share the fragility of life. He recounts how the loss of confidence experienced after the catastrophes of the World Wars led to the development of modernism, postmodernism and finally deconstructionism. The lecture then takes a more optimistic turn as Murray confidently asserts that after decades of deconstruction, especially in the field of higher education, we are now entering an era of reconstruction. He explains how this process of cultural renewal can come about through both the opportunities afforded by technology and the process of going back into the great literary treasures of the past, finding our place amongst these works and adding to them. Murray shares his love of books, describing himself as “not only a bibliophile but something of a bibliomaniac,” and expresses how literature, and especially poetry, can ground us in the world and make us feel that we are never alone for we will always have “friends on the shelves.” Traversing through Byron, Gnedich, Stoppard, Auden and Heaney, Murray recounts three powerful stories that reveal the lengths certain individuals will go to recover, preserve and transmit our cultural treasures. The talk was followed by a captivating Q&A session which ranged from the current status of poetry to the topics of writing, war and human nature. As part of the stirring introduction to the lecture from Stephen Blackwood, President of Ralston College, soprano Kristi Bryson performed Handel's Lascia ch'io pianga, accompanied on the piano by Ralston alumna and fellow, Olivia Jensen. A splendid performance showcasing perfectly the ability of culture to transcend the difficulties of life through the power of beauty. A reminder for us all of exactly what it is that we are seeking to preserve and renew. Mr Murray's books, including his most recent, are available here: https://douglasmurray.net. To watch the first conversation of the day—the roundtable from the Ralston College Renewal and Renaissance Symposium, featuring multiple speakers discussing the future of education, culture, and human flourishing—click here.
“Why We Tell Stories” is a discussion between Greg Hurwitz & Jonathan Pageau which took place on January 31, 2025. In this exchange, two prominent professionals in creative fields discuss the place of passion, productivity, and integrity in the context of their careers, and offer insights which range from guiding, general principles to concrete, practical advice. Over the course of their discussion with each other and with the students, they field questions about the artistic process; about the public attention they've received for their work; about the lessons they've learned; and about their impression of Ralston College and its place in a broader context of cultural and educational renewal. This event was part of Ralston College's Career and Life conversations, a series of informal Friday-afternoon discussions for students enrolled in the MA in the Humanities. To apply to this program, please visit our website: www.ralston.ac/apply. Authors and Works Mentioned in this Episode: Aristotle Dante Alighieri DC Comics' Batman series The Book of Genesis Jordan B. Peterson Stephen King William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury (1929) Rashomon (1950; dir. Akira Kurosawa) Marcel Duchamp, “Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2” (1912) Sigmund Freud Carl Rogers Jackson Pollock Pablo Picasso Lucile Ball Groucho Marx Sammy Davis Jr. James Patterson John Grisham Dr James Orr Dr Douglas Hedley Douglas Murray Ben Shapiro William Shakespeare Dan Brown, The DaVinci Code Hamilton: An American Musical Harry Potter series William Goldman
“The Enduring Consolation of Philosophy” is the keynote lecture delivered by Dr Stephen Blackwood at the 2024 Symposium of Medieval and Renaissance studies. In this talk, commemorating the 1500th anniversary of Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy, Dr Blackwood shows why this work is more relevant than ever. After takinging stock of the “meaning crisis” and our dire need for depth, Dr Blackwood meditates on the first great insight of the Consolation: that the remedies of the self must emerge from the self. The complex and intricate structures and patterns of Boethius' work are powerful, beautiful, and therapeutic precisely because its harmonies reflect the reality of both the world and the world within. Both the order of the cosmos and the order of the self unfold, for the reader of the Consolation, by way of the book's carefully calibrated pedagogical dimension. Its therapies for the soul consist of tenderness and tough love alike, because the sight, insight, and assent that it seeks to instill cannot be induced by any other means. Instead, the liberating power of consciousness to which this work so insistently points depends on the innate freedom that we all possess—the very freedom to which the example of Boethius endures, to this day, as a singular witness. Learn more at www.ralston.ac. Authors, Artists, and Works Mentioned in this Episode: Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius The Consolation of Philosophy, H. F. Stewart & E. K. Rand, trans. (Loeb, 1918) Alfred the Great, King of the Anglo-Saxons Geoffrey Chaucer Dante Alighieri Saint Thomas Aquinas Sir Thomas More Queen Elizabeth I C. S. Lewis Pope Benedict XVI Victor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning Peter Abelard Plato, Timaeus Gospel of John Saint Augustine of Hippo Robert Crouse Aristotle
Dr. Peterson's third biblical series, “The Gospels” is part of his lifelong effort to rescue society from the meaning crisis that seeks to devour our culture. In this series, Peterson gathers nine of the world's most brilliant minds to unravel the mysteries of the Gospel stories and to resurrect the anchoring principles of the text that formed the West. Today, we are releasing episode 1 of this revolutionary but tradition-grounded series. The episode stands on its own but also serves as an introduction to the rest of the ten, two-hour long seminars available exclusively on DailyWire+. The Daily Wire and Dr. Peterson both hope that you will consider a subscription to DailyWire+, where you can view the Gospel seminar and their other collaborations in their entirety. This includes "Exodus" and "Foundations of the West," as well as his life-altering series that address marriage, how to become successful, developing a vision, the importance of masculinity, and overcoming depression and anxiety. Thank you for your time, attention, and continued support of both Dr. Peterson's work and his partnership with The Daily Wire.Explore the full catalog here: dailywire.com/watch/jordan-peterson A special thanks to Bishop Robert Barron, Dr. Stephen Blackwood, Dr. Douglas Hedley, Gregg Hurwitz, Konstantin Kisin, Dr. James Orr, Jonathan Pageau, Dr. Dennis Prager, and Dr. John Vervaeke for joining Dr. Peterson and the audience on this journey.
A conversation between Dr Iain McGilchrist, neuropsychiatrist, philosopher, and literary critic, and Dr Stephen Blackwood, President of Ralston College, on the occasion of Dr McGilchrist's March 2024 visit to Savannah to deliver Ralston College's annual Sophia Lectures. Dr McGilchrist discusses his experience spending time with Ralston College students, his reasons for accepting the College's invitation to deliver the Sophia lectures, and the necessity of leisure for deep thought. Applications for Ralston College's MA in the Humanities program are now open. Apply now.
The second part of a conversation between the renowned literary scholar and psychiatrist Dr Iain McGilchrist and Ralston College president Dr Stephen Blackwood about Dr McGilchrist's remarkable educational trajectory. In this episode, Dr Iain McGilchrist explains how he left his successful career as a literary scholar to pursue training as a psychiatrist and how his combined study of literature, philosophy, and neuroscience informed his later academic work, including his books The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World (Yale University Press, 2009) and The Matter with Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions, and the Unmaking of the World (Perspectiva, 2021). List of people referenced in this episode: Ted Hughes William Wordsworth Samuel Johnson John Boswell Laurence Sterne William Shakespeare Oliver Sacks John Cutting Louis Sass Jan Zwicky Robert Bringhurst Erwin Schrödinger Martin Heidegger Max Planck Niels Bohr Michael Levin
Universities today are increasingly plagued by ideological nihilism, bloated costs, and the growing infantilization of students with “safe spaces” and “trigger warnings,” says Ralston College President Stephen Blackwood.And far too many students are being funneled into universities as the default step after high school, he says. “We're trying to make universities the kind of catch-all for job training, and universities have historically not played that role,” Blackwood says.Ralston College is an attempt to restore a rich and transformative humanities education, one that ponders the deepest questions of life and that seeks out what is true and what is beautiful.“We thought it was necessary, at this time in Western civilization, to revive the conditions for human flourishing, to reinvent and revive the university and the fundamental role that communities of learning have played throughout the entire trajectory irreducibly in Western civilization,” Blackwood says.Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A conversation between Dr Iain McGilchrist, the renowned polymath, and Dr Stephen Blackwood, President of Ralston College, about Dr McGilchrist's formative experiences at Winchester College, the prestigious British public school, and his subsequent training as a literary critic at Oxford University and his appointment as a Fellow at All Souls. Drs McGilchrist and Blackwood emphasize the vital role of freedom, friendship, and the expectation of excellence in providing students with an authentic education. This conversation was recorded during Dr McGilchrist's visit to Ralston College in March 2024 to deliver The Sophia lectures for the 2023-24 academic year. List of People Mentioned in the Episode: Cicero George Herbert John Donne John Clare Guido d'Arezzo Alexander Pope Freeman Dyson Gerard Manley Hopkins Friedrich Schelling G.W.F. Hegel John Bayley Christopher Tolkien John Milton Edmund Spenser William Wordsworth Samuel Taylor Coleridge Georg Chritoph Lichtenberg Derek Parfit Thomas Hardy Oliver Sacks Roger Scruton
A conversation between Dr Jay Parini, a prolific author and the D.E. Axinn Professor of English and Creative Writing at Middlebury College, and Dr Stephen Blackwood, the founding president of Ralston College, recorded on the occasion of the release of a Ralston College short course, “Robert Frost: The American Voice,” taught by Dr Parini. Dr Parini discusses the film adaptation of his most recent book Borges and Me (2020), shares stories of his friendships with literary figures including Jorge Luis Borges, W. H. Auden, and Iris Murdoch, explains why poetry matters, and shares the fruits of a life “lived in literature.” Applications are now open for next year's MA program. Full scholarships are available. https://www.ralston.ac/apply Authors, Artists, and Works Mentioned in this Episode: Jay Parini, Borges and Me Alan Cumming Jorge Luis BorgesBeowulf Robert Burns Isaiah Berlin Homer Aeschylus Dante Michel de Montaigne William Wordsworth W. B. Yeats Brian Friel, Dancing at Lughnasa Robert Burns, “A Red, Red Rose” William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet Iris Murdoch, The Bell W.H. Auden Boethius Jay Parini, Robert Frost: A Life Robert Frost, “Fire and Ice” Jay Parini, Robert Frost: 16 Poems to Learn by Heart Robert Frost, “The Road Less Traveled” Robert Frost, “After Apple-Picking” Robert Frost, “Birches” Robert Frost, “Directive” Robert Frost, “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening” Gerard Manley Hopkins Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning T. S. Eliot, Four Quartets
Stephen Blackwood is the founding President of Ralston College, a new university in Savannah, Georgia, dedicated to freedom of thought and enquiry. He grew up on a small farm in Canada, was educated in Classics (BA, MA) and Religion (PhD), and has held visiting positions at Harvard University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Cambridge. His book on the Roman poet-philosopher-statesman, Boethius, was published by Oxford University Press. Find out more about Ralston College: https://www.ralston.ac/ Check out Stephen's website: https://www.stephenjblackwood.com/ Follow Stephen on X: https://x.com/stephenblackwd Sponsors: Discover the foundations of Western civilization with 321—a free online course on God, the world, and your place in it. Explore at https://321course.com/trigger Protect your home with 20% off any new SimpliSafe system when you sign up for Fast Protect Monitoring. Go to https://SIMPLISAFE.COM/TRIGGER Join our Premium Membership for early access, extended and ad-free content: https://triggernometry.supercast.com OR Support TRIGGERnometry Here: Bitcoin: bc1qm6vvhduc6s3rvy8u76sllmrfpynfv94qw8p8d5 Music by: Music by: Xentric | info@xentricapc.com | https://www.xentricapc.com/ YouTube: @xentricapc Buy Merch Here: https://www.triggerpod.co.uk/shop/ Advertise on TRIGGERnometry: marketing@triggerpod.co.uk Join the Mailing List: https://www.triggerpod.co.uk/#mailinglist Find TRIGGERnometry on Social Media: https://twitter.com/triggerpod https://www.facebook.com/triggerpod/ https://www.instagram.com/triggerpod/ About TRIGGERnometry: Stand-up comedians Konstantin Kisin (@konstantinkisin) and Francis Foster (@francisjfoster) make sense of politics, economics, free speech, AI, drug policy and WW3 with the help of presidential advisors, renowned economists, award-winning journalists, controversial writers, leading scientists and notorious comedians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ralston College Humanities MA Dr Paul Epstein is a distinguished classicist and Professor Emeritus of Classics at Oklahoma State University, renowned for his extensive knowledge of Greek and Latin literature. In this lecture and discussion—delivered in Savannah during the x term of the inaugural year of Ralston College's MA in the Humanities program—classicist Dr Paul Epstein considers how Sophocles's tragedy Women of Trachis and Aristophanes's comedy Frogs arise from—and reflect upon—the polis-centered polytheism of ancient Greece as it appeared during the Athenian flourishing of the fifth century BC. Professor Epstein explores how these Greek dramas articulate the relationship between human beings, the gods, and the community. Tragedy, in Professor Epstein's account, is about the overall structure of the community, while comedy starts with the individual's exploration of that community. Yet both forms ultimately reveal an understanding of the individual that is inseparable from the polis in which he or she lives. Professor Epstein argues that our contemporary notion of the self as an entity fundamentally separate from context would be entirely alien to the ancient Greeks. Grasping this ancient understanding of the individual is vitally necessary if we are to correctly interpret the literary and philosophical texts of Hellenic antiquity. *In this lecture and discussion, classicist Dr. Paul Epstein considers how Sophocles's tragedy Women of Trachis and Aristophanes's comedy Frogs arise from—and reflect upon—the polis-centered polytheism of ancient Greece during the Athenian flourishing of the fifth century BC. Professor Epstein explores how these Greek dramas articulate the relationship between human beings, the gods, and the community. Tragedy, in Professor Epstein's account, is about the overall structure of the community, while comedy starts with the individual's exploration of that community. Yet both forms ultimately reveal an understanding of the individual that is inseparable from the polis in which he or she lives. Professor Epstein argues that our contemporary notion of the self as an entity fundamentally separate from context would be entirely alien to the ancient Greeks. Grasping this ancient understanding of the individual is vitally necessary if we are to correctly interpret the literary and philosophical texts of Hellenic antiquity. — 0:00 Introduction of Professor Epstein by President Blackwood 6:25 The Polytheistic World of the Polis 01:09:35 Dialogue with Students on Polytheism and the Polis 01:22:40 Sophocles's Women of Trachis 01:44:10 Dialogue with Students About Women of Trachis 01:56:10 Introduction to Aristophanes' Frogs 02:24:40 Dialogue with Students About Frogs 02:49:45 Closing Remarks for Professor Epstein's Lecture — Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in This Episode: Athenian flourishing of the fifth century BC Sophocles, Women of Trachis Aristophanes, Frogs William Shakespeare Plato, Symposium Aristophanes, Lysistrata Homer, Odyssey Aristotle, Poetics Peloponnesian War Plato, Apology nomizó (νομίζω)—translated in the talk as “acknowledge” nous (νοῦς) binein (Βινέω) Johann Joachim Winkelman Nicene Creed Titanic v. Olympian gods Hesiod Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility Sigmund Freud Existentialism techne (τέχνη) logos (λόγος) eros (Ἔρως) hubris (ὕβρις) Philip Larkin, “Annus Mirabilis” Athansian Creed psuche (ψυχή)—translated in the talk as “soul” thelo (θέλω)—translated in the talk as “wishes” Aristophanes, Clouds mimesis (μίμησις) — Additional Resources Dr Stephen Blackwood Ralston College (including newsletter) Support a New Beginning — Thank you for listening!
Ralston College Humanities MA Dr. David Novak is a distinguished professor at the University of Toronto, renowned theologian, and esteemed rabbi. He has authored numerous books, delivered the prestigious Gifford Lectures, and bridges ancient philosophical traditions with modern ethical issues. Recorded live at Ralston College in Savannah, GA in November of 2022. Dr David Novak—Professor of Philosophy and Jewish Studies at the University of Toronto—offers a lecture on the Book of Job followed by an extended question and answer session with students enrolled in Ralston College's Master's in the Humanities Program. In his lecture, Dr Novak explores the complex position of Job in the canon of Jewish scriptures, surveys diverse scholarly accounts of the concluding passages of the book, and offers his own interpretation of Job's “face-to-face” interaction with God, one that emphasizes direct knowledge over abstract understanding and finds in the book's conclusion a vision of the resurrection of the body. — 00:00 Introduction 08:20 Dr. David Novak's Lecture on the Book of Job 53:25:00 Question and Answer Session with Ralston College Students and Dr. Novak 54:45 Question: Does Job's Vision Occur Before or After Death? 59:40 Question: Why are Job's Friends Punished for Their Conceptual Understanding? 01:03:00 Question: How Does This Align With the Belief That No One Can See God and Live? 01:09:05 Question: What is the Purpose of the Dialogues Between Job and His Friends? 01:13:05 Question: Did Job's Friends Hear God's Voice During the Appearance? 01:14:55 Question: What is the Significance of God Doubling Job's Possessions? 01:15:30 Question: Is There a Visual Aspect to God's Response to Job, or Is It Only Auditory? 01:15:30 Question: What Does it Mean for God to Make a Bet with the Adversary? 01:19:10 Question: Is Job's Refusal to Curse God a Prerequisite for His Later Vision? 01:25:15 Question: What Do You Make of the Relationship Between Satan and God? 01:29:05 Did God Use Job to Prove a Point to Satan, Knowing the Outcome? 01:31:20 Question: Can Man Question God and Express Grievances? 01:35:40 Question: Does Elihu Suggest People Perceive God Through Suffering and Visions? 1:41:30 Question: How Has Your Belief in Providence Impacted Your Life? 01:44:45 Closing Remarks — Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode: The Book of Job The Book of Ezekiel The Book of Leviticus The Book of Esther The Book of Ecclesiastes Robert Gordis, The Book of God and Man: A Study of Job mashal (משל)—Hebrew, “parable” Katagoros (Hebrew—קָטִיגור; Greek—κατήγορος)—”accuser” Fredrich Nietzsche Johann von Rist, “O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid” G.W.F. Hegel Richard Rorty Reinhold Niebuhr, The Nature and Destiny of Man Leo Strauss Plato, Republic Yehuda Haleri Aristotle Thomas Aquinas The Book of Isaiah via negativa John Rawls Eric Gregory Chaim ibn Attar Tzimtzum (צמצום) — Additional Resources David Novak Dr Stephen Blackwood Ralston College (including newsletter) Support a New Beginning — Thank you for listening!
Ralston College Humanities MA Dr. Stephen Wolfram is a renowned computer scientist, physicist, and entrepreneur who earned his PhD in particle physics at 20 and became the youngest MacArthur Fellow at 21. As the founder of Wolfram Research, he has developed groundbreaking technologies widely used by university researchers in engineering, physics, mathematics, and computing. How can computational thinking and philosophy together unlock the mysteries of human consciousness and the universe? In this Q&A session, conducted in February 2024 with students enrolled in Ralston College's MA in the Humanities program, the renowned physicist and computer scientist, Dr Stephen Wolfram, explains his own intellectual trajectory and explores the intersection of computational and philosophical inquiry, particularly in the age of AI. In the course of this wide-ranging conversation, Dr Wolfram discusses computational irreducibility, the nature of mind, the ethics of AI governance, and the growing value of a liberal arts education. — 00:00 Introduction: Dr. Stephen Wolfram's Genius and AI's Impact on Humanities 01:30 Welcoming Dr. Steven Wolfram 02:15 Steven Wolfram's Early Life and Achievements 05:10 The Power of Computational Thinking 07:20 The Ruliad, Philosophy, and Computational Language 15:15 Q: Exploring Computational Irreducibility and Emergence 21:25 The Ruliad and the Nature of Reality 32:30 Q: The Role of Computational Thinking in Education 41:05 AI Governance and Ethics 46:35 Q: Bridging STEM and Humanities for Better AI Ethics 48:40 Building Wolfram Alpha 50:35 Q: Plato and Balancing Innovation in AI 01:05:25 Q: Probability and Unpredictability: Insights from Nassim Taleb 01:09:35 Q: Human Consciousness and the Computational Soul 01:22:35 Conclusion: Reflections on Learning, Philosophy, and the Future of Education — Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode: The ruliad Gestalt entities Computational irreducibility Computational equivalence The second law of thermodynamics Plato, Republic AI Governance Utilitarianism Arrival (film) ChatGPT Nassem Talib, The Black Swan Colin Maclaurin — Additional Resources Dr Stephen Blackwood Ralston College (including newsletter) Support a New Beginning Ralston College Humanities MA Join the conversation and stay updated on our latest content by subscribing to the Ralston College YouTube channel. — Thank you for listening!
David Butterfield is a renowned classicist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Cambridge. His work centres on the critical study and teaching of classical texts. How did the Renaissance revival of Greek language study transform Western Europe's intellectual landscape and shape our modern understanding of the Classics? In this talk, delivered on the island of Samos in Greece in August 2023 as part of Ralston College's Master's in the Humanities program, Dr. David Butterfield—Senior Lecturer in Classics at the University of Cambridge—charts how Western Europe came to appreciate the language and culture of ancient Greece as an integral part of its own civilizational inheritance. Dr. Butterfield explains that large-scale technological and cultural changes in late antiquity led to a gradual loss of Greek language proficiency—and a waning interest in the pagan world—among Western European intellectuals during the Early Middle Ages. While the Scholasticism of the High Middle Ages was invigorated by the rediscovery of the Greek philosophical tradition, this encounter was mediated almost entirely through Latin translations. It was only in the Renaissance—when a renewed appreciation of the Hellenic world on its own terms led to a revitalization of Greek language study—that our contemporary conception of Classics was fully established. — 00:00 Introduction: A Journey through Classical Literature with Dr. Butterfield 04:05 Preservation and Valuation of Greek Culture 06:55 The Evolution of Writing Systems 14:50 Greek Influence on Roman Culture 20:25 The Rise of Christianity and Advances in Book Technology 27:40 Preservation and Transmission of Classical Texts in the Middle Ages 32:50 Arabic Scholars: Preserving Greek Knowledge and Shaping Western Thought 36:00 The Renaissance and Rediscovery of Greek Texts 43:10 Conclusion: The Printing Press and the Spread of Classical Knowledge — Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode: Homer Magna Graecia Pythagoras Odyssey Cato the Elder Third Macedonian War Great Library of Alexandria Great Library of Pergamum Horace, Epistles Emperor Augustus Codex Sinaiticus Constantine Neoplatonism Plato Charlemagne Carolingian Renaissance Virgil Ovid Abbasid Caliphate Avveroës Avicenna Thomas Aquinas Petrarch Ottoman Conquest Epicurus Lucretius Aristotle Gutenberg — Additional Resources Dr Stephen Blackwood Ralston College (including newsletter) Support a New Beginning Ralston College Humanities MA Antigone - Explore Ancient Greece and Rome with Modern Insights Join the conversation and stay updated on our latest content by subscribing to the Ralston College YouTube channel.
Stephen Blackwood is the founding President of Ralston College, with advanced degrees in Classics and Religion and visiting positions at Harvard, Toronto, and Cambridge. David Butterfield is a renowned classicist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Cambridge. His work centres on the critical study and teaching of classical texts. John Vervaeke, PhD, is an award-winning professor of psychology, cognitive science, and Buddhist psychology at the University of Toronto. What are the fundamental principles required to cultivate an educational environment free from ideological bias? In this episode, Stephen Blackwood, David Butterfield, and John Vervaeke explore the current landscape of higher education and its pervasive ideological influences. They discuss the importance of fostering genuine freedom of inquiry, intellectual diversity, and non-coercive teaching practices. Through personal anecdotes and reflections on academic experiences, the conversation examines the conditions that make real dialogue and meaningful education possible. This episode challenges listeners to reconsider the essence of true education and its role in developing critical, independent thinkers. — 00:00 Introduction and Exploring Education Without Indoctrination 02:20 Defining Indoctrination in Education 05:25 Current State of Higher Education 09:05 Neo-Marxism and Power Dynamics in Education 16:30 Teaching and Parenting: Fostering Realization and Free Agency 26:05 John Vervaeke:Exploring Logos, Love, and the Meaning Crisis 35:35 The Dual Aspects of Free Speech: Good Faith and Inquiry 38:30 Audience Q&A: Handling Classroom Dynamics and Approaches 53:45 Conclusion: University Traditions and Political Orientations — Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode Friedrich Nietzsche Thomas Jefferson Martha Argerich Descartes Jordan Peterson Education without Indoctrination Freedom of Speech The New Criterion Meaning Crisis Dialectic into Dialogos The Vervaeke Foundation Re-Humanising Education By Stephen Blackwood and Bernadette Guthrie — ARC Research — Additional Resources Dr Stephen Blackwood Ralston College (including newsletter) Support a New Beginning Ralston College Humanities MA Join the conversation and stay updated on our latest content by subscribing to the Ralston College YouTube channel.
Gregg Hurwitz, the New York Times bestselling author of the Orphan X series and a storyteller whose work spans many mediums and genres, in conversation with Stephen Blackwood, the founding president of Ralston College, and with students enrolled in the inaugural year of the College's MA in the Humanities program. In this live event—recorded on [date] at Ralston College—Hurwitz discusses the concrete details of his own writing practice and explains how his training in literature and psychology have informed his craft. He reflects on how storytelling helps us to understand the self and on the real-world value of learning to speak with honesty and authenticity. Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode: Sigmund Freud Carl Jung Joseph Campbell Gregg Hurwitz, You're Next The Sixth Sense (film) Romanticism William Wordsworth, “Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood” William Blake, Songs of Innocence and of Experience Transcendentalism Kurt Vonnegut James Joyce, “The Dead”; Ulyssess F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tender is the Night William Faulkner, Light in August; As I Lay Dying; The Sound and the Fury Raymond Chandler Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment Edgar Allan Poe, “The Tell-Tale Heart” Albert Camus, The Stranger James M. Cain, The Postman Always Rings Twice Carl Rogers Lord Byron Batman (comic series) Punisher (comic series) Richard Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen Pablo Picasso Joan Didion The Book of Henry (film) Alan Moore
Dr. Michael Hurley, Professor of Literature and Theology at Trinity College in the University of Cambridge, delivers a lecture to students in Ralston College's inaugural Master's in the Humanities program on the intertwining of language and thought in the work of three major Victorian authors: Walter Pater, John Henry Newman, and Gerard Manley Hopkins. Prof. Hurley argues that, far from being merely ornamental, in these authors style is constitutive of thought and the difficult pursuit of beauty is inextricable from the pursuit of truth. — Ralston College Website: https://www.ralston.ac/ Ralston College Humanities MA: https://www.ralston.ac/humanities-ma YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RalstonCollegeSavannah X: https://twitter.com/RalstonCollege — 00:00 Introduction to the Lecture and Its Significance 01:40 The Special Context of the Lecture 02:00 Exploring the Relationship Between Language and Thought 04:20 Diving Into the Logos Through Literature 21:00 Examining the Dual Nature of Logos 34:00 Analyzing Texts: A Deep Dive into Aestheticism, Truth, and the Logos 43:40 Concluding Reflections and Open Discussion — Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode: Pythagoras Anti-Empiricism St. John the Evangelist Logos Heraclitus Romanticism David Jones Matthew Arnold, “Dover Beach” Sophocles Peloponnesian War John Henry Newman William Blake W.B. Yeats Margot Collis G.K. Chesterton William James, “The Present Dilemma in Philosophy” Pragmatism Walter Pater, Studies in the History of the Renaissance Walter Pater, “Style” Aestheticism Oscar Wilde Harold Bloom Melos Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa Prolepsis Hypotaxis Parataxis Cicero Virgil Gerard Manley Hopkins, “God's Grandeur”; “As Kingfishers Catch Fire”; “Carrion Comfort” William Shakespeare, Hamlet
In this lecture, delivered on March 30, 2023, as part of the Drummond Lecture Series at Hillsdale College, Dr. Stephen Blackwood—the founding president of Ralston College—argues that we must first understand something's nature before we can properly care for and cultivate it. This principle holds true for all living things—including plants and animals—but it is seen in its fullest complexity in human beings as they seek to realize their unique potential through the concrete challenges and conditions of their individual lives. Drawing richly upon both text and images, Dr. Blackwood explains that the actualization of our potential is not inevitable but instead relies upon us being rooted in a culture that can nurture, sustain, and challenge us as we seek to orient our subjective and finite experiences of the world toward eternal and infinite realities. Dr. Blackwood's lecture is a call to action for both individuals and institutions, reminding us of our sacred duty to both realize our own gifts and to accompany and support others as they seek to do the same. Resources Ralston College Website: https://www.ralston.ac/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RalstonCollegeSavannah X: https://twitter.com/RalstonCollege Ralston College Humanities MA: https://www.ralston.ac/humanities-ma Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode radix (Latin, “root) William Shakespeare, Hamlet The Biblical book of Ezekiel Ugo da Carpi cultus, (Latin, “cultivation, culture, education, devotion”) Aristotle, De Anima Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics St. Augustine Anthony Daniels / Theodore Dalrymple thaumazein (θαυμάζω) (Ancient Greek, “wonder”) Sigrid Undset, Kristen Lavransdatter Gerard Manley Hopkins, “The Leaden Echo and the Golden Echo” Homer, Odyssey Pythagoras Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy Cal Newport, Deep Work Cal Newport, Digital Minimalism Gerard Manley Hopkins, “As Kingfishers Catch Fire” Quotes “Life can only be lived for itself. And only you can live that life." - Stephen Blackwood [00:15:54] "We need a true radicalism. A return to root as both anchor and nourishing source." - Stephen Blackwood [00:16:07] "You must string the bow, the bow of your soul, and let it sing. That irreducible particularity, that finite smallness of you, the intricacy and difficulty of your own life, is also where the greatness is. I encourage you, with everything I've got, to go out and find it." - Stephen Blackwood [00:53:15] Chapters 00:00:00 - Introduction: Realizing Human Potential through Education: A Vision for Culture and the Human Person 00:06:30 - Hillsdale's Outsized Influence: How a Small College Cuts Through Noise to Seek Truth 00:09:00 - Rediscovering the True Meaning of Radical: Uncovering the Fundamentals of Human Nature 00:17:10 - Realizing Potential: The Dynamics of Growth in Natural Beings 00:28:30 - The Quest for Self-Knowledge: Exploring the Depths of Human Nature 00:35:00 - Transcending Self: The Search for Meaning Beyond the Empirical 00:40:00 - Integrating Self and Transcendence: Navigating Human Complexity and Connection 00:50:40 - Conclusion: The Infinite Particularity: Embracing the Unique Symphony of the Soul 00:54:10 - Q&A Session: Providence, Self-Determination, and Cultural Meaning at Hillsdale College
In the fourth Sophia Lecture, Professor Douglas Hedley explores the transformative power of play in art and human consciousness, examining its philosophical significance across various cultures and traditions. Hedley highlights play's role in fostering aesthetic appreciation and creativity, embarking on a historical and philosophical journey from ancient wisdom to modern interpretations. He scrutinizes the aesthetic crisis in contemporary art, noting its departure from traditional notions of beauty and creativity, and weaves together intriguing concepts from evolutionary psychology, post-structuralist theories, and sacred art dimensions. Central to his discussion are the contributions of Kant, Schiller, and Gadamer, which shed light on art's role in society and individual lives. The lecture culminates in a compelling argument to reignite beauty's appreciation, urging a re-embrace of art's transformative potential in contemporary discourse. By positioning art as a conduit for truth and moral reflection, Hedley calls for a rediscovery of the deep connections between art, beauty, and the human condition. Douglas Hedley is a Professor in the Philosophy of Religion at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow at Clare College. His work spans the fields of philosophy, theology, and psychology, focusing on the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern thought. Glossary of Terms Aesthetics: The branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste. Resources Ralston College Website: https://www.ralston.ac/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RalstonCollegeSavannah X: https://twitter.com/RalstonCollege Douglas Hedley https://www.ralston.ac/people/douglas-hedley Living Forms of the Imagination -Douglas Hedley https://www.amazon.com/Living-Forms-Imagination-Douglas-Hedley/dp/0567032957 Sacrifice Imagined: Violence, Atonement, and the Sacred - Douglas Hedley https://www.amazon.com/Sacrifice-Imagined-Violence-Atonement-Sacred/dp/1441194452 The Iconic Imagination - Douglas Hedley https://www.amazon.com/Iconic-Imagination-Douglas-Hedley/dp/1441194630 Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture - Johan Huizinga https://www.amazon.com/Homo-Ludens-Study-Play-Element-Culture/dp/1621389995 Truth and Method - Hans-Georg Gadamer https://www.amazon.com/Truth-Method-Hans-Georg-Gadamer/dp/0826405851 Likeness and Presence: A History of the Image before the Era of Art - Hans Belting https://www.amazon.com/Likeness-Presence-History-Image-before/dp/0226042154 Quotes "Friedrich Schiller observes that man only plays when he is in the fullest sense of the word a human being, and he is only fully a human being when he plays." - Douglas Hedley [00:15:49] There has emerged a widely documented crisis of aesthetics. In the wake of Duchamp, or Warhol, it becomes more difficult to speak of the artwork, or indeed, aesthetic experience, more broadly." - Douglas Hedley [00:03:52] Chapters 00:00:00] Introduction to the Aesthetics of Play [00:02:25] Philosophical Significance of Art, Beauty, and Aesthetics [00:17:00] Kant's Contribution to Aesthetics and the Concept of Genius [00:24:00] Schiller's Aesthetic Education of Man and the Concept of Play [00:33:40] Gadamer's Exploration of Art's Ontology and the Critical Role of Play [00:52:56] Audience Questions and Reflections
University of Cambridge philosopher, Professor Douglas Hedley, delves into the concept of play and its vital role in understanding the human condition. Drawing on Johann Huizinga, Hermann Hesse, and Josef Pieper's ideas, Hedley links play to the divine act of creation, asserting it as an essential element of our existence associated with freedom, creativity, and spirituality. He considers various viewpoints from Christian and Eastern traditions, addressing criticisms and underscoring play's civilizing role. Through Hermann Hesse's "The Glass Bead Game," Hedley probes into play's societal function, its ties to leisure and festivals, and its life-enriching effects. The lecture's Q&A session offers additional insights, marking it as a significant resource for those intrigued by play's profound meanings. Douglas Hedley is a distinguished philosopher at the University of Cambridge, celebrated for his extensive research in the philosophy of religion and Platonism. He is the author of multiple influential works on imagination and religious experience. Glossary of Terms Sophia: Greek word for wisdom, used in the context of the lecture series to signify the exploration of wisdom through philosophy. The Delphic Oracle: The ancient Greek oracle at Delphi, famous for its cryptic predictions and guidance, including the maxim 'know thyself.' Resources Website: https://www.ralston.ac/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RalstonCollegeSavannah X: https://twitter.com/RalstonCollege Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ralstoncollege/ Douglas Hedley https://www.divinity.cam.ac.uk/directory/douglas-hedley https://www.ralston.ac/people/douglas-hedley Living Forms of the Imagination -Douglas Hedley Sacrifice Imagined: Violence, Atonement, and the Sacred - Douglas Hedley The Iconic Imagination - Douglas Hedley The History of Religious Imagination in Christian Platonism, Exploring the Philosophy of Douglas Hedley - Christian Hengstermann Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture - Johan Huizinga In the Shadow of Tomorrow: A Diagnosis of the Modern Distemper - Johan Huizinga Leisure: The Basis of Culture - Josef Pieper The Glass Bead Game (Magister Ludi) - Hermann Hesse The Journey to the East - Hermann Hesse Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse Religion in Human Evolution: From the Paleolithic to the Axial Age - Robert N. Bellah Tertullian. (n.d.). De Spectaculis. De Ludo Globi: The Game of Spheres - Nicholas de Cusa Plato. (n.d.). Symposium. https://classics.mit.edu/Plato/symposium.html Plato. (n.d.). Phaedo. https://classics.mit.edu/Plato/phaedo.html Plato. (n.d.). Laws. https://classics.mit.edu/Plato/laws.1.i.html Quotes "Platonic games and jokes are much more serious than the serious things of the Stoics." - Marsilio Ficino [00:09:20] "Play may well be a key to understanding something about ourselves." - Douglas Hedley [00:09:00] Chapters [00:00:00] - Introduction [00:01:00] - Welcome and introduction of Sophia lectures series [00:06:40] - Topic introduction: The Spirit of Play [00:08:13] - Guest speaker introduction: Professor Douglas Hedley [00:09:40] - Distinguishing play and game [00:15:00] - Play as an intimation of the sacred [00:20:40] - The link between play and freedom [00:26:40] - Essentialism and play as an essential part of human condition [00:31:20] - Critique of play within the Christian tradition [00:36:50] - The glass bead game by Hermann Hesse [00:45:00] - Critique of Mandarin culture in the glass bead game [00:51:00] - Religious aspect of play [01:02:00] - Suspicion of leisure in Anglo-American culture [01:04:00] - Q&A session [01:37:19] - Conclusion of Q&A session and end of the lecture
In the inaugural episode of the Sophia Lecture Series, Ralston College President Stephen Blackwood and distinguished Cambridge Professor Douglas Hedley explore "The Spirit of Play", delving into the enigmatic nature of play, its historical and philosophical significance, and its intricate connection with human culture and imagination. This discussion highlights that concept's relevance in today's society, its role in fostering a comprehensive understanding of human experience, and its importance in addressing fundamental questions of human existence. By examining the playful foundations of philosophical inquiry and the significance of imagination, this conversation encourages listeners to embrace a richer, more nuanced view of the world, ultimately challenging our understanding of human culture and intellectual pursuits. Douglas Hedley is a distinguished philosopher at the University of Cambridge, celebrated for his extensive research in the philosophy of religion and Platonism. He is the author of multiple influential works on imagination and religious experience. Resources Ralston College Website: https://www.ralston.ac/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RalstonCollegeSavannah X: https://twitter.com/RalstonCollege Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ralstoncollege/ Douglas Hedley https://www.divinity.cam.ac.uk/directory/douglas-hedley https://www.ralston.ac/people/douglas-hedley Living Forms of the Imagination -Douglas Hedley Sacrifice Imagined: Violence, Atonement, and the Sacred - Douglas Hedley The Iconic Imagination - Douglas Hedley Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture - Johan Huizinga Truth and Method - Hans-Georg Gadamer Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Praise of Folly. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Quotes "The concept of play...straddles evolutionary history, psychology, ethics, aesthetics, even religion." - Douglas Hedley [00:01:24] "Play, perhaps surprisingly, has quite a significant role in the history of philosophy." - Douglas Hedley [00:02:53] "Metaphysics is our spiritual oxygen." - Douglas Hedley [00:17:35] Chapters [00:00:00] - Introduction to Professor Douglas Hedley and the Sophia Lecture Series [00:01:20] - Discussion on the choice of “The Spirit of Play” as the lectures' topic [00:02:00] - Explanation of play's multifaceted nature [00:04:40] - Importance of play in understanding human experience [00:05:00] - Recommendation of Johan Huizinga's Homo Ludens [00:07:00] - Connection between play and the history of philosophy [00:08:20] - Kant, Schiller, and Gadamer's perspectives on play [00:09:20] - Ralston College as a vision of Christian humanism [00:10:40] - Philosophy as a way of life and the importance of friendship [00:11:20] - Learning through imitation and the educational experience [00:12:40] - Joy from immersion in the philosophical tradition [00:13:20] - Challenges to traditional humanities in contemporary culture [00:14:20] - The richness of the Christian Platonic tradition [00:15:20] - Discussion on ultimate questions independent of social constructs [00:16:40] - The significance of beauty in the cosmos [00:18:00] - Conclusion and appreciation for Hedley's contributions
In this episode, Stephen Blackwood joins Mark Bauerlein to discuss Ralston College. Music by Jack Bauerlein.
In this episode, Stephen Blackwood joins Mark Bauerlein to discuss Ralston College. Music by Jack Bauerlein.
In this episode, we discuss the decline of American academia and explore innovative alternatives with Stephen Blackwood, the founding president of Ralston College, who is committed to reviving and reinventing the traditional university model. Get the facts first on Morning Wire.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.louiseperry.co.ukMy guest today is Stephen Blackwood, philosopher and president of Ralston College, a new liberal arts college in Savannah, Georgia. We spoke about the failings of modern architecture, the West's spiritual crisis following the Second World War, and the veneration of subversion for the sake of subversion. In the extended part of the episode, we spoke abou…
On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Stephen Blackwood, president of Ralston College in Savannah, Georgia. For his return to the podcast, Stephen provides a one-year update on Ralston College's first round of graduates. The two dive into the kinds of students that they have been accepted and encouragement for those looking to apply. They also discuss Ralston's overall goal of intervening in higher education to create a college that is worthy of the tradition it seeks to transmit. Today's episode of Anchored is brought to you with support from America's Christian Credit Union. Find out how ACCU can be the banking partner to your school or family by visiting americaschristiancu.com/CLT.
On the latest episode of Giving Ventures, host and DonorsTrust Vice President Peter Lipsett talks with Pano Kanelos, president of the University of Austin, and Stephen Blackwood, founding president of Ralston College in Savannah, Georgia. Both gentleman are working hard to offer a higher-education alternative that is more open to intellectual curiosity and openness. Listen in to hear what they have to say about their hopes for the future of higher education in America.
Ralston College presents a lecture by University of Cambridge Professor Douglas Hedley on the influential and mysterious pre-Socratic philosopher Pythagoras. Given in the very cave in Samos in which Pythagoras taught, this brief lecture touches on the philosopher's influence on the Western tradition and the importance of the cave as an imaginative motif. Professor Hedley explores this recurring symbol as a place of birth and rebirth, of contemplation and illumination, and of tremendous inspiration to later figures such as Plato and many early Christian thinkers. The lecture took place during the first term of Ralston College's inaugural MA in the Humanities in autumn of 2022. Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode Eusebius Werner Jaeger Ralph Cudworth Kabbalah Pythagoras The Lyceum Lloyd P. Gerson St Ambrose Johannes Reuchlin St Augustine Metempsychosis Orphism Empedocles Plato's Cave Socrates Mithraism Cave of the Apocalypse in Patmos Parmenides Aristotle Pindar Immanuel Kant Gottlob Frege Links of Possible Interest Douglas Hedley's Cambridge Profile https://www.divinity.cam.ac.uk/directory/douglas-hedley Living Forms of the Imagination https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0567032957/breviaryinfo-21 Dr Stephen Blackwood https://www.stephenjblackwood.com Dr James Bryson https://www.ralston.ac/people/james-bryson Ralston College (including newsletter) https://ralston.ac Ralston College Short Courses https://www.ralston.ac/humanities-short-courses
Dave Rubin of “The Rubin Report” talks to Stephen Blackwood, the president of Ralston College, about how higher education has failed so many young people; how Jordan Peterson got involved with Ralston College; how woke education is destroying the ability of young people to think critically about the world; why studying the arts and humanities is more important than ever; why so many young people wonder if college is a scam; what alternatives to college there are; why the value of the humanities lasts a whole lifetime; and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An old building in the heart of Corner Brook has gotten a facelift and a whole new purpose. We'll hear how the mill's old HR building is now a state of the art Centre for Research and Innovation.
Ralston College presents a lecture by Marie Kawthar Daouda on the infamous French poet, Charles Baudelaire. Baudelaire published one collection of poems in his lifetime, 'Les Fleurs du mal,' which was met by outrage and led to a scandalous lawsuit because of some poems' graphic content. The problem with Baudelaire was not so much that he was writing about sex, drunkenness, and violence; it was that he wrote about ugly things—at times horrible things—while using the classical perfection of the French verse, and merged the longing for a lost ideal with the modernity of Haussmanian Paris. As such, Baudelaire's art is not about gruesome indecency, but about acknowledging horror as a non-negotiable part both of the human condition and of the creation of the self. Dr Daouda's lecture focuses on two particular sonnets, 'À une passante' and 'Recueillement,' which offer emblematic examples of Baudelaire's poetic technique and his philosophical heritage, and help to explain why, although he died in utter misery, he was one of the most influential artistic figures of the century that followed. This lecture and discussion were recorded with a live online audience on June 23rd, 2022. Authors, Ideas, and Works Mentioned in this Episode Charles Baudelaire Eugene Delacroix, 'La Liberté guidant le peuple' Chateaubriand Benjamin Constant Alphonse de Lamartine Victor Hugo, 'Les Miserables' George Sand Jean-Jacques Rousseau Voltaire Victor Hugo, 'Les Chansons des rues et des bois' Édouard Manet Blaise Pascal Joseph de Maistre Edgar Allan Poe Platonism Neo-Platonism Edgar Allan Poe, 'The Imp of the Perverse' Charles Baudelaire, 'L'art romantique' Charles Baudelaire, 'Les Fleurs du mal' Carlos Schwabe, 'Spleen et idéal' Oscar Wilde Charles Baudelaire, 'À une passante' Petrus Borel, 'Champavert' Charles Baudelaire, 'Recueillement' Charles Baudelaire, 'Le Spleen de Paris' Michael Edwards, 'Bible et poésie' Vladimir Jankélévitch, 'La Mort' Carlos Schwabe, 'Les Noces du poete et de la Muse ou L'Ideal' Gustav Maureau Lord Byron Links of Possible Interest Dr Marie Kawthar Daouda's biography https://www.ralston.ac/people/marie-k... Dr Stephen Blackwood https://www.stephenjblackwood.com Ralston College https://ralston.ac Ralston College Short Courses https://www.ralston.ac/humanities-sho... Ralston College Humanities MA https://www.ralston.ac/humanities-ma
In this episode, Stephen Blackwood joins the podcast to discuss the founding and liberal-arts mission of recently established Ralston College where he is president. They touch on the challenges facing—and hunger for—classical education in America today.
In this episode, Stephen Blackwood joins the podcast to discuss the founding and liberal-arts mission of recently established Ralston College where he is president. They touch on the challenges facing—and hunger for—classical education in America today.
Dave Rubin of “The Rubin Report” talks to Dr. Debra Soh, Marissa Streit, and Stephen Blackwood about the continued erosion of our educational institutions. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul is now mandating that New York state colleges acknowledge an X gender. Meanwhile, Joe Biden is honoring teachers for providing a woke education, but blaming conservatives for starting a culture war. Even liberal Beverly Hills is having parents protest the pushing of ideas like gender expression on fifth graders as a part of their sex education. None of this should be a surprise when even Disney's children's programming is pushing a gay agenda as leaked footage of an internal meeting at Disney confirms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ralston College founder Stephen Blackwood discusses why young people are finding less meaning in life and becoming more depressed, why it is important to examine the reasons people find value in belief systems like wokeness, and what Ralston College aims to do with regard to the higher education system. Buy Drinkin' Bros new Hard AF Seltzer Here! Buy Drinkin' Bros Merch Here! Go to ghostbed.com/drinkinbros and use code DRINKINBROS for 30% off EVERYTHING (Mattresses, Adjustable Base, and more) -- plus a 101 Night Sleep Trial and Mattresses Made in the USA!
Dr. Peterson recently traveled to the UK for a series of lectures at the highly esteemed Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. This conversation was recorded during that period with Sir Roger Penrose, a British mathematical physicist who was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics for “discovering that black hole formation is a robust predictor of Einstein's general relativity.” Moderated by Dr. Stephen Blackwood. ___________ Chapters ___________ [0:00] Intro [1:00] Is Consciousness Computational? [3:20] Turing Machines [6:30] Determinism & the Arrow of Time [12:15] Consciousness & Reductionism [17:30] Emergent Randomness & Evolution [23:00] The Tiling Problem, Computation, & AI [29:30] Escher, Brains, Bach [39:00] Pattern Recognition & Intuition [45:30] Mathematical Representations & the Physical World [54:00] Collapsing Schrodinger's Equation [1:00:00] Consciousness-Independent Reality [1:07:00] Black Holes & Time Horizons [1:15:00] Einstein's Biggest Mistake [1:27:00] Meaning & Consciousness [1:39:00] Hawking Spots: Potential Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dr. Peterson recently traveled to the UK for a series of lectures at the highly esteemed Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. This conversation was recorded during that period with Sir Roger Penrose, a British mathematical physicist who was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics for “discovering that black hole formation is a robust predictor of Einstein's general relativity.” Moderated by Dr. Stephen Blackwood.___________Chapters___________[0:00] Intro[1:00] Is Consciousness Computational?[3:20] Turing Machines[6:30] Determinism & the Arrow of Time[12:15] Consciousness & Reductionism[17:30] Emergent Randomness & Evolution[23:00] The Tiling Problem, Computation, & AI[29:30] Escher, Brains, Bach[39:00] Pattern Recognition & Intuition[45:30] Mathematical Representations & the Physical World[54:00] Collapsing Schrodinger's Equation[1:00:00] Consciousness-Independent Reality[1:07:00] Black Holes & Time Horizons[1:15:00] Einstein's Biggest Mistake[1:27:00] Meaning & Consciousness[1:39:00] Hawking Spots: Potential Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Stephen Blackwood speaks with the Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, Vernon L. Smith. They begin by defining and exploring commonly misunderstood economic terms—markets, capitalism, equilibrium—and then unpack the discoveries of Dr Smith's pioneering experiments in economics, which—against widely held assumptions—revealed the operation of beneficence and non-zero-sum reciprocity at the heart of free exchange. ‘Self-interest' is […]
Stephen Blackwood speaks with the Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, Vernon L. Smith. They begin by defining and exploring commonly misunderstood economic terms—markets, capitalism, equilibrium—and then unpack the discoveries of Dr Smith's pioneering experiments in economics, which—against widely held assumptions—revealed the operation of beneficence and non-zero-sum reciprocity at the heart of free exchange. ‘Self-interest' is thus profoundly re-evaluated. Paradoxically, the only way to self-realization is through concern for others. Also, Vernon recommends for further reading, especially on the topic of his experimental games, which are described but not entirely comprehensible in the podcast, the following: Vernon L. Smith (1991) Papers in Experimental Economics. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Ralston College presents a lecture delivered on October 26th, 2021 by Dr Iain McGilchrist followed by a discussion with Dr Stephen Blackwood and questions from the audience. In his lecture Dr McGilchrist deals with certain themes that are treated at greater length in his recent book The Matter With Things. He focuses especially upon the coincidence of opposites (coincidentia oppositorum), which he explores (providing an extraordinary range of illustrative examples) in such a way as to make manifest both its universality and its particular relevance to our present historical moment.
Ralston College presents a lecture with Iain McGilchrist followed by a discussion and audience Q & A with Stephen Blackwood. McGilchrist's presentation is inspired by his new book, The Matter With Things, and his central thesis and basic observation is that every thing is dependent on its opposite. He examines this paradox across an impressive […]
In this episode we start discussing the great text by Leo Tolstoy Read the book here: The Death of Ivan Ilyich http://www.classicallibrary.org/tolstoy/ivan/index.htm Listen to Stephen Blackwood reading Leo Tolstoy's classic novella, ‘The Death of Ivan Ilyich.' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlaXnWk_mYY Check us out at www.learningtodie.com.au for all episodes and links to the YouTube video versions. The YouTube version of this episode has a video and some slides. Contact us at ian@learningtodie.com.au or ciaran@learningtodie.com.au
On the latest episode of Free Speech Nation, Andrew Doyle sat down with Stephen Blackwood.Stephen is a philosopher, cultural commentator and the founder and president of Ralston College in Savannah. The pair talked about the future of higher education in the era of wokeism, the nature of truth and beauty, and much, much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In this episode of the Learning to Die Podcast, Ciaran and Dr Stephen Blackwood discuss a broad range of topics including the lessons to be learned from the Roman poet Boethius, confusions around what science is and isn't, what reason and rationality can mean in their fullest sense compared to what they are often seen as in a more narrow one, what beauty is and the role it can play in the human experience, and the possible causes and remedies for the meaning crisis in which we are living through. Stephen Blackwood is the founding President of Ralston College. He was born in Alberta and grew up in beautiful Prince Edward Island in a big family on a small family farm. He studied classics as an undergraduate, and received an MA (Classics) from Dalhousie and a PhD (Religion) from Emory University. He has held visiting positions at Harvard University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Cambridge. His intellectual interests include philosophy, religion, psychology, theology, ethics, politics, nature, and art. His primary academic focus has been on the nature of the human person, specifically as it comes to be understood in ancient and medieval times, and on the evolution of the ideals, institutions, and cultural forms that enable human beings to flourish. His book on the Roman poet-philosopher-statesman, Boethius, was published by Oxford University Press. He has co-founded or helped to direct several non-profit organizations, including in inner-city education and cancer research. He has lived and worked in many European countries and is a naturalized citizen of the United States, Dr Blackwood's website: https://www.stephenjblackwood.com/ Ralston College's website: https://www.ralston.ac/ Dr Blackwood is the host of the Ralston College Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVbAjoLkDnj5f6JkCVM-agw Check us out at www.learningtodie.com.au for all episodes and links to the YouTube video versions. The YouTube version of this episode has a video and some slides. Contact us at ian@learningtodie.com.au or ciaran@learningtodie.com.au
Dr. Stephen Blackwood: Philosopher, cultural critic and founder of Ralston College. Jordan Peterson and Dr. Stephen Blackwood discuss his work as founder of the Inner City Youth Program and his experience with developing Ralston College in Savannah, Georgia. We get into a deep discussion about the inner workings of philosophical aspects about social constructs, University and the humanities, the spiritual ‘culture crisis' going on today, and more. Dr. Stephen Blackwood is the founding president of Ralston College in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. Blackwood specializes in the history of philosophy and dedicates a large portion of his work and studies on Boethius. He has contributed a great deal to several programs including the St. George's YouthNet as well as an educational mentoring program for inner-city kids in Nova Scotia. Dr. Blackwood has been recognized by the floor of the US Senate due to his op-ed “ObamaCare and My Mother's Cancer Medicine” that reached the Wall Street Journal. Check out Dr. Stephen Blackwood's website: https://www.stephenjblackwood.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dr. Stephen Blackwood: Philosopher, cultural critic and founder of Ralston College. Jordan Peterson and Dr. Stephen Blackwood discuss his work as founder of the Inner City Youth Program and his experience with developing Ralston College in Savannah, Georgia. We get into a deep discussion about the inner workings of philosophical aspects about social constructs, University and the humanities, the spiritual ‘culture crisis' going on today, and more. Dr. Stephen Blackwood is the founding president of Ralston College in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. Blackwood specializes in the history of philosophy and dedicates a large portion of his work and studies on Boethius. He has contributed a great deal to several programs including the St. George's YouthNet as well as an educational mentoring program for inner-city kids in Nova Scotia. Dr. Blackwood has been recognized by the floor of the US Senate due to his op-ed “ObamaCare and My Mother's Cancer Medicine” that reached the Wall Street Journal. Check out Dr. Stephen Blackwood's website: https://www.stephenjblackwood.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ralston College presents a conversation between Stephen Blackwood and award-winning architect and author Marwa Al-Sabouni, followed by an audience Q&A. A voice of penetrating clarity and prophetic power, Al-Sabouni discusses the role of architecture in cultivating or undermining our social fabric, arguing that the seeds of the devastating Syria Civil War were sown by the choices of architects and city planners. Though born of particular and painful experience, Al-Sabouni's insights on the nature of human life and community are universal, and offer consolation and hope amidst the civic alienation and aesthetic degradation facing so many of us today. The event took place online on June 24th, 2021.
Ralston College presents a conversation between Stephen Blackwood and award-winning architect and author Marwa Al-Sabouni, followed by an audience Q&A. A voice of penetrating clarity and prophetic power, Al-Sabouni discusses the role of architecture in cultivating or undermining our social fabric, arguing that the seeds of the devastating Syria Civil War were sown by the […]
In Part II of their discussion Stephen Blackwood and Alexander Stoddart speak about the transhistorical community of past, present, and future. Stoddart explicates his Schopenhauerian view of art as life-denying and thus paradoxically able to help us relinquish our own will to power. He contrasts this view with that of a shallow presentism, a self-absorbed modernist outlook that views the present as inherently superior to both past and future, cutting off its own vital resources and neglecting its fundamental obligations. Stoddart shows another way. Artists, Art, and Writings Mentioned in this Episode: Homer; Palmyra; Br'er Rabbit and the Tar-Baby; Arthur Schopenhauer; Jean-Paul Sartre; Michel Foucault; Friedrich Nietzsche; Walter Scott; Richard Wagner; Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina; Charles Dickens; Walter Pater; Gian Lorenzo Bernini; Buddhas of Bamiyan; Trajan's Forum; The Colosseum; Bartolomeo Colleoni Monument; The Shard of London; Albert Speer's Volkshalle ("People's Hall"); T. S. Eliot: “Four Quartets”; Gone with the Wind, House of Tara (Antebellum architecture); Richard James Wyatt; Lincoln Memorial; John Flaxman: Am I Not a Man; Thomas Banks profile of Thomas Muir of Huntershill (https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/artists/thomas-banks); Edgar Degas; Paul Cézanne; Pierre-Auguste Renoir; The Acropolis; Tyche; Statue of Tyche and Plutus in Istanbul; Statue of Liberty; Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro; Mount Rushmore
In Part II of their discussion Stephen Blackwood and Alexander Stoddart speak about the transhistorical community of past, present, and future. Stoddart explicates his Schopenhauerian view of art as life-denying and thus paradoxically able to help us relinquish our own will to power. He contrasts this view with that of a shallow presentism, a self-absorbed modernist […]
Ralston College presents a conversation between Stephen Blackwood and Alan Dershowitz, followed by an audience Q & A. The discussion begins with Professor Dershowitz describing the early influences that awakened his appreciation for civil liberties—particularly free speech—and the origins of his fiercely independent thinking. The subsequent conversation and response to questions touches on the decline of meritocracy, the principles of the Civil Rights Movement, the role of universities and intellectuals in revolution and tyranny, and the ways in which a culture of free inquiry is fundamental to human flourishing. The event took place online on April 28th, 2021. Works and Artists mentioned: H.N. Bialik, "The City of Slaughter," Adolf von Hildebrand
Dr. Stephen Blackwood has held fellowships at Harvard, Cambridge, and the University of Toronto, and is the founding president of Ralston College in Savannah, GA. In this episode, he discusses his childhood growing up on on Prince Edward Island and the ways in which his formative years taught him that human life does not exist in the abstract, but rather in the particulars—places, times, landscapes, and cultural moments all inform humanity. He also discusses his friendship with Jordan Peterson and the notion that Dr. Peterson's positive vision of human potential has served as an antidote to the alienation and crisis of meaning felt by many in the current social moment. Dr. Blackwood also discusses his vision for Ralston College; its vision entails the promotion of free inquiry in pursuit of truth and human flourishing, especially at a time when these directives have left many modern universities.Host Jeremy Tate @JeremyTate41Guest Dr. Stephen Blackwood @stephenblackwdRalston College
Stephen Blackwood is president and founder of @Ralston College Find out more about this new academic institution at https://ralston.ac Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenblackwd And find the deeply informative Ralston College podcast here: https://www.ralston.ac/conversations/podcasts Support this channel: https://www.paypal.me/benjaminboyce Read my writing: http://bit.ly/aliastodream Sip the Nuance! https://www.teespring.com/boycemug
The critics of modernity are multiplying, but how many people are rolling up their sleeves and actively rebuilding among the ruins? We spoke with Stephen Blackwood, founder of Ralston College in Savannah, Georgia, about civic alienation, architecture, olive farming, what we still have to learn from the past and the hope of building the future. Link to article by Cornel West & Jeremy Tate Get full access to The Broken World at thebrokenworld.substack.com/subscribe
How does one cultivate creativity and independence of mind? Stephen Blackwood talks to physicist and entrepreneur Stephen Wolfram about his precocious and largely self-educated early life and his ascent to become a world-class scientist, an innovator in computational theory, and the founder of a global company. They discuss how to pursue and develop one’s gifts, […]
Have we killed Homer for good? Stephen Blackwood and historian-farmer Victor Davis Hanson examine the state of the contemporary West by returning to its ancient Greek origins. They explore the richness of its first principles, including self-critique, the elevation of rational understanding, the democratization of learning, and the unification of thought and action. They also bring to light our current cultural crisis: the uncritical rejection of the inherited past, an intellectualism divorced from reality, and a surrender to relativism at the cost of true self-reflection. They close by reflecting on the lateness of the hour, and offer a vital call to seek and speak truth, to ignite the fire of independence of mind, and to remember that while we may know more than those who came before, they are, as T.S. Eliot said, that which we know.
“This view that there is no truth, but only power has emanated through and infected...our whole cultural and institutional life,” says Dr. Stephen Blackwood, President of Ralston College. “We are facing civic alienation, inner-city violence, the devastation of our inherited intellectual and spiritual culture” are evidence of the sickness ailing Western civilization, in Blackwood's view. “The only antidote to the widespread nihilism is to recover, to re-apprehend the realities that nihilism denies—truth, beauty, goodness, forgiveness.” Blackwood has recently launched Ralston College, a new institution of higher education committed to free speech and open discourse. https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/highereducation (#HigherEducation) https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/stephenblackwood (#StephenBlackwood) https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/freespeech (#FreeSpeech)
Join Dr. Stephen Blackwood and Erich Prince as they discuss proposed alternatives to higher education, the state of American liberal arts curriculum, and Stephen's burgeoning university project - Ralston College.
Ralston College presents a lecture with Andrew Doyle followed by a discussion and audience Q & A with Stephen Blackwood. Doyle discusses his new book, ‘Free Speech and Why it Matters,' and offers trenchant examples of recent curtailment of the freedom of speech and thought. He provides a lively account of why free speech and free expression are vital for a thriving culture and describes the kinds of degradation that result when a wide array of ideas are not examined in the public square. The event took place online on March 4, 2021.
Should art be beautiful? This forbidden question guides Stephen Blackwood's conversation with eminent sculptor and aesthetic luminary, Alexander Stoddart. Stoddart describes, in his usual incandescent fashion, his aesthetic awakening and his views on the failings of modernist and contemporary art. He also speaks about iconoclasm, about art's battle with nature, and about the power of beauty to still the will. Finally, he offers parting advice for young artists and other seekers of meaning and beauty. The conversation took place in Stoddart's studio in Scotland. Artists, Art, and Writings Mentioned in this Episode: The paintings of Eisenhower, Churchill, and Hitler; The Buddhas of Bamayan; Venus de Milo; Richard Wagner: Tristan and Isolde; Bust of Beatrice in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence; The Statue of Liberty; Mount Rushmore; Gutzon Borglum; Christ of the Andes; The Angel of the North; Jackson Pollock; Desiderio da Settignano; Michelangelo: Staircase in the Laurentian Medicean Library, Medici tombs, Medici Chapel; Michelangelo: The Slaves; Giambologna; Adolf von Hildebrand; Copenhagen, especially the work and museum of Bertel Thorvaldsen; Hermann Ernst Freund; Arthur Schopenhauer; Antonio Canova; Lorenzo Bartolini, Plaster Cast Gallery at the Accademia Gallery
Stephen Blackwood speaks with Harry Lewis, legendary Professor of Computer Science at Harvard University (where he taught both Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg). They discuss the tragic limits of narrowly vocational approaches to education—with which many young people are pressured to conform—by contrast with education that fosters true self-reflection and a meaningful life. They also discuss cancel culture, college admissions, and freedom of speech.
Ralston College presents a lecture by Dr Anthony Daniels (aka Theodore Dalrymple) on Ivan Turgenev's 1862 “Fathers and Sons”, followed by a conversation about the novel with Dr Stephen Blackwood. Daniels illuminates the depth of Turgenev's insight into the revolutionary mindset, and its relevance to the nihilism of our own time and culture. This event was held live on January 14th, 2021 and includes questions from participants around the world.The music mentioned is Schubert's “Litanei auf das Fest Allerseelen, D.343” played by Deborah Pae (cello) and Misha Namirovsky (piano), available at https://bit.ly/3a8UoO6.
How does humor work and why is it needed more than ever? Stephen Blackwood talks with comedian and political satirist Andrew Doyle (aka, Titania McGrath) as they explore the sovereignty of truth, the metaphysical implications of satire, the role of humor in friendship, and why the asking of real questions is always a reason for hope.
Stephen Blackwood speaks with Freeman Dyson, the late mathematical-physicist and renowned free thinker. They begin with a discussion of education and of the formative experiences that inspired Dyson's intellectual curiosity and courage. The conversation then ranges from evolution to particle physics to consciousness as they discuss the free and non-reductive character of both thought and nature. Along the way, Dyson shares many stories from his long and adventuresome life; this interview was one of his last. One can only be astounded by the depth and breadth and fearlessness of his intellect and the power of his insight and example. Requiescat in pace.
In this complementary episode to the reading of ‘The Death of Ivan Ilyich,' Stephen Blackwood speaks with Dr Donna Orwin, professor of Russian literature at the University of Toronto. Dr Orwin provides context for Tolstoy and his world, and the two discuss the style, structure, and unfolding layers of meaning within this masterpiece novella.
In this first episode of a new series, Stephen Blackwood reads Leo Tolstoy's classic novella, ‘The Death of Ivan Ilyich.' A masterful text from one of history's great writers, it tells the story of a man whose fatal illness forces him to confront the shallow assumptions of his life and the slowly encroaching, inevitable reality of death. ‘Ivan Ilyich' is a timeless meditation on the fundamental content of life: finding purpose, loving others, and understanding our finitude. The translation Dr Blackwood is reading from—easily found online, if you'd like to follow along—is by Louise and Aylmer Maude.
How does one cultivate creativity and independence of mind? Stephen Blackwood talks to physicist and entrepreneur Stephen Wolfram about his precocious and largely self-educated early life and his ascent to become a world-class scientist, an innovator in computational theory, and the founder of a global company. They discuss how to pursue and develop one's gifts, how to think against the grain, and how to approach life with a sense of its unbounded possibility.
Stephen Blackwood talks with Cal Newport, writer and professor of computer science. They begin by reflecting on the historically unparalleled challenges and distractions of the digital age. They then discuss strategies to reclaim our mental autonomy, the generative power of non-instrumental thinking, and the fundamental dynamic of thought and life.
North Korean defector and human rights champion Yeonmi Park speaks with Stephen Blackwood about her journey to freedom: first from an oppressive political regime, then from slavery in China, and then from her own inner humiliation and fear. They speak about agency, resilience, and redemption, as well as the life of the mind, our need for others, and, above all, the relation between freedom and truth.
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Bishop Barron and Stephen Blackwood mark the launch of the Bishop's Word on Fire Bible with an in depth discussion of the project and its dynamic, interdisciplinary content.
“Freedom of speech has never been in greater peril at any time since the Second World War.” Toby Young sets the tone in no uncertain terms in his thinkspot exclusive discussion with contributor Stephen Blackwood. The conversation draws heavily upon the experiences of both educators as they contend with the hostility that surrounds free speech in both the academy and public sphere.
What connects truth, imagination, and freedom? Stephen Blackwood talks with philosopher-theologian Douglas Hedley about the human mind and its participation in a fundamentally knowable universe. The conversation begins with an introduction to three foundational aspects of the Platonic tradition — beauty, nature, and self-knowledge — and to the influences of that tradition throughout history, extending from modern science and the Enlightenment to contemporary understandings of beauty and human rights. They discuss the mind's extraordinary and complementary capacities of imagination and rationality in making and understanding the world. They conclude with a discussion of dominant contemporary ideologies — both materialist determinism and the philosophies of power — and consider ways of regaining a more adequate standpoint.
This week's episode finds Ralston College president Stephen Blackwood interviewing artist and symbologist Jonathan Pageau. The two discuss the philosophical power of imagery in art, society, and politics, touching on cultural cornerstones from the archetype of the Joker to the spiritual evocations of Kanye West. The conversation concludes with the pair addressing a series of questions submitted from the thinkspot community.
In Part II of their conversation, Stephen Blackwood and Iain McGilchrist discuss questions of theology, science, and philosophy, including: the shared nature of human life, revealed anew by the COVID-19 pandemic; 'unfolding' as a metaphor for actualization; freedom, necessity, and reason; and the fundamental role of the humanities in a thriving culture.
A conversation between Iain McGilchrist and Stephen Blackwood: Dr McGilchrist gives a brief summary of his account of the two sides of the brain and then the two discuss how that account offers a powerful interpretation of the contemporary world.
In this week's episode, Ralston College president and author Stephen Blackwood interviews internationally best selling author Gregg Hurwitz.
In this week's episode of thinkspot presents, Ralston College president and author Stephen Blackwood interviews writer and social critic Chloe Valdary. The conversation centers around the idea of compassion and its role in opening up the world for the disenfranchised and alienated among us, as the two also discuss Chloe's Theory of Enchantment curriculum and its role in addressing America's social discord.
In this week's edition of thinkspot Presents, Dr. Stephen Blackwood, President of Ralston College, interviews Bishop Robert Barron of the Los Angeles Archdiocese. They discuss the relationship between rationality and revelation, the essence of knowledge, and wrestle with the meaning of life's most transcendent moments as they contemplate the mysteries of Christianity.
In this week's episode of thinkspot Presents, Dr. Stephen Blackwood, President of Ralston College, interviews world renown skeptic and best selling author Michael Shermer, where they talk about Michael's influences, his history founding Skeptic Magazine, his record 214 consecutive articles for Scientific American, and his latest book out soon, Giving the Devil His Due
In this lecture for the Temenos Academy in London, delivered on June 19th, 2019, Stephen Blackwood offers a powerful reading of the ancient Roman writer Boethius and his magnum opus The Consolation of Philosophy. After tracing the Ancient Greek roots from which it draws, Blackwood sketches the Consolation's investigation of how the individual can attain self-possession and true fulfillment amidst injustice, misfortune, distraction, and the inexorable movement of time. Blackwood also shows how this perennially influential book, written as its author faced unjust imprisonment and torture, relates the inner life of the individual and the wider cultural renewal with which it is intrinsically connected. Ralston College: www.ralston.ac Don't forget to subscribe!
A conversation between Dr Jordan Peterson and Sir Roger Scruton, moderated by Dr Stephen Blackwood, introduced by Professor Douglas Hedley, presented by The Cambridge Centre for the Study of Platonism and Ralston College, held on November 2nd, 2018 in Cambridge, England.
Dr Jordan Peterson speaks with Dr Stephen Blackwood about our cultural inflection point and higher education, as well as Solzhenitsyn, redemption, and the hunger for meaning.
Are we living through an era of madness? Stephen Blackwood sits down with best-selling author Douglas Murray to discuss manifestations of madness in contemporary culture. They explore the metaphysical system sustaining present ideologies, consider the necessity of meaning and forgiveness, and move beyond to discuss the transcendent values and works of art that enlighten, and perhaps offer an antidote for, the madness of the present. Works mentioned: Literature: T. S. Eliot, especially The Four Quartets; Philip Larkin; C. Day-Lewis; Shakespeare Music: Palestrina; Orlando Gibbons; Thomas Tallis, especially Spem in Alium and Lamentations of Jeremiah; Gustav Mahler, especially Symphony No. 3; Igor Stravinsky; Olivier Messiaen; Johannes Brahms, piano; Benjamin Britten; Michael Tippett