Monthly Archives: March 2012

One Market for the Western Tradition

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Dr. J

Heather MacDonald of the Manhattan Institute recently wrote an article on the Great Courses (formerly known as the Teaching Company) which demonstrates that there is a real demand in our culture for knowledge of the Western heritage. The article, “Great … Continue reading →

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Is This a Dagger I See Before Me?

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Dr. J

For the next few weeks in our Great Books reading project, we’ll reading Aristotle, Virgil, and St. Augustine all at the same time. Please try to contains yourself! Here are the readings for the upcoming week: The Aeneid of Virgil, … Continue reading →

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French-Speaking Philistines and Good Demons

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Dr. J

We are knocking down major works left, right, and center in this Great Books reading project. Last week we dispensed with John Dewey, and this week we’ll take on “the Scottish play.” Here are the readings for the upcoming week: … Continue reading →

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F. A. Hayek: Austrian Economist and Social Theorist

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Dr. J

Beware the Ides of March! OK, now that I’ve gotten that out of the way . . . Week 4 of the Mises Institute’s Home Study Course in Austrian Economics includes one audio lecture and a corresponding book chapter on … Continue reading →

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Cincinnatus and the EU: Continuing Relevance of the Classics

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Dr. J

This week I was able to go into one of my freshman survey classes and triumphantly proclaim the continuing relevance of the Western cultural heritage to contemporary politics. I showed them this article from the latest issue of the Economist … Continue reading →

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Reading the Great Books: Another Volume Down

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Dr. J

Yes, you read that correctly. With the completion of Thucydides’s History of the Peloponnesian War last week, we have now finished in their entirety two—count them, two!—volumes of the Great Books of the Western World series. It might not seem … Continue reading →

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Ludwig von Mises

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Dr. J

I’m spending the day at the Austrian Scholars Conference, which is hosted by the Ludwig von Mises Institute, so it seems appropriate that I’m covering Week 3 of the Mises Institute’s Home Study Course in Austrian Economics, which has Ludwig … Continue reading →

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When Athenians Attack!

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Dr. J

I’m logging in a day late with this weekly Great Books post; I hope you’ll forgive my tardiness. We’re halfway through the Aeneid and are nearing the completion of a couple of other longer works. I’m enjoying all these works … Continue reading →

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Experiencing Difficulties, Please Stand By

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Dr. J

I need one more day to wrap up the Great Books readings from last week. Virgil and Dewey have escaped my scrutiny thus far. Please check back tomorrow for the weekly Great Books post.

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General Principles of Human Action

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Dr. J

Chapter 2 of Shawn Ritenour’s Foundations of Economics lays out, first, a definition of human action, and second, a number of principles that govern action and our interpretation of it. Ritenour defines action as “applying means according to ideas to … Continue reading →

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