Combat and Classics Podcast
Combat and Classics Podcast
Brian Wilson
Combat and Classics is a series of podcasts and free online seminars for active duty, reserve, and veteran U.S. military members, sponsored by St. John's College. The podcasts and seminars encourage deep thought and reflection by leaders in the company of their peers. In the discussion-based seminars devoted to what a leader must be and know, participants study historical and fictional leaders from the great books of the western canon. We examine techniques and examples of persuasion and fundamental questions on the nature of man. When participants take the time to reflect, with their peers, on the principles of leadership, they find that they return to their lives and professional positions energized and focused, with a deeper understanding of the context of their decisions, decision-making processes, and leadership roles.
Episode 34 Iliad, Book 6
ANNOUNCEMENT: We recently learned that C&C co-founder Lise van Boxel has been diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. She is currently undergoing treatment. If you would like to help and express your support, please visit the GoFundMe page created for her benefit. In this episode, Brian is joined by guest Scott Hambrick, founder of Online Great Books. Brian will be teaching a seminar through Scott's website starting in January. Sign up here and receive a 25% discount. Brian and Scott discuss questions raised about war in Book 6 of Homer's Iliad.
Jan 7, 2020
56 min
Ep. 33: Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra
We begin our next "close read" series with the first two sections of Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra, which conclude with the famous line "God is dead." Lise, Jeff, and Brian discuss Nietzsche's imagery, allusions, and treatment of questions of love, envy, and humanity.
Nov 25, 2019
50 min
Ep. 32: Veterans Education Project
Brian interviews Daniel Elkins, founder and director of the Veterans Education Project, which works to address issues faced by veterans in higher education. You can find more information on the Project's website. And tune in to the Project's podcast "Coffee with Congress" here, where it shares conversations with members of Congress about everything but politics.
Aug 22, 2019
30 min
Ep. 31: Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
We're joined today by actor Matt Eitzen who is also a Shakespeare and Roman history aficionado. You can catch Matt in upcoming productions at The Guinea Pig Theater in Dallas, Texas through this link: https://www.facebook.com/theguineapigdallas/ You can rent Brian's favorite interpretation, "Caesar Must Die" on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVY_edU8vZA
Jul 30, 2019
59 min
Ep. 30: Shakespeare's King Lear
Brian is joined by guest George Eckerle, St. John's grad and co-founder (with Brian) of the Plato Project, a series of online seminars for discussion of Plato's complete works. In this episode they discuss one of William Shakespeare's most well-known tragedies, King Lear. Referenced Links: Peter Burke version of King Lear - https://youtu.be/0DWCn6H_KZM Ismail Kadare "Essays on World Literature" - https://www.amazon.com/Essays-World-Literature-Aeschylus-Shakespeare/dp/1632061740
Jun 12, 2019
53 min
Ep. 29: Emerson's Divinity School Address
How does speech move the human soul? How can a leader use speech inspire others to action? Lise, Jeff, and Brian tackle those questions in their discussion of Ralph Waldo Emerson's address to the graduating class of Harvard's divinity school in 1838.
Apr 30, 2019
49 min
Ep. 28: Aristotle's Politics Bk. I, part 4
Jeff, Lise, and Brian continue our "close-read" series on Aristotle's Politics. They continue to tackle Aristotle's discussion of slavery, which raises questions about nature, law, and virtue.
Mar 8, 2019
58 min
Ep. 27: Interview with Jennifer Wright
Brian sits down with St. John's College alum Jennifer Wright, who is a writer and the author of several books including It Ended Badly: Thirteen of the Worst Breakups in History. They talk about Ms. Wright's informed and fun take on history, as well as her career path from SJC to professional writer.
Nov 26, 2018
34 min
Ep. 26: Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher"
What is the relationship between the natural world and the human world? In this belated Halloween episode, Lise, Jeff, and Brian discuss Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Fall of the House of Usher."
Nov 19, 2018
50 min
Ep. 25: Aristotle's Politics, part 3
What is slavery? What does slavery have to do with the household or the state? Brian, Lise, and Jeff dig deeper into the Politics in Part 3 of their discussion of this series.
Oct 28, 2018
56 min
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