Creative Retrieval: Recent Episodes
Creative Retrieval
A professional philosopher and theologian discuss great works of Catholic theology and philosophy, both ancient and modern. We recommend doing the reading, but it isn't necessary. Works already discussed include:
a. Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov b.St. Gregory of Nyssa, various essays c. St. Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Moses d. St. Gregory of Nyssa, Commentary on Song of Songs e. Norris Clarke, Person and Being (St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture)
If you have thoughts, questions, or comments please email us: CreativeRetrieval@gmail.com
I talk about the importance of memory throughout the Brothers Karamazov. I also talk about the power of the Good to bring good out of all things, even trama, sin, and brokenness.
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We talk about fatherhood, and why Dimitri is a Job figure.
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We talk about the trial of Mitya.
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We talk about the first part of book 11, and especially Dimitri's discussion on the Hymns he will sing underground in Siberia.
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We talk about Kolya, Illusha, and the roll of children in the Brothers Karamazov.
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In this lecture, I talk about Dimitri's dream about the suffering of the "wee ones" and link it up with Ivan's suffering children, and Smerdyakov's hatred of the 'wee ones.'
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We talk about Dimitri and the comparison with Zosima, and conscience as our ability to condemn ourselves as guilty so that we don't rebel against God's judgement.
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We talk about Dimitri as the incarnation of a man who is either hot or cold NEVER lukewarm. We also talk about his sudden decision to let go of his life.
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We talk about Alyosha's rebellion, the onion, and the wedding of Cana.
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This lecture is about Zossima's homilies/talks, sin, death, alcoholics anonymous, and St. Mary of Egypt.
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I talk about the life of Zossima.
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I talk about the Grand Inquisitor, the weight of freedom and conscience, and ideology.
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We talk about the need for a love that isn't contempt, the need for loving life with one's guts, and Rebellion.
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We talk about Zossima's claim he is guilty before all and for all, and worse than all.
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I talk about "the sensualists."
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We discuss why it is only active love that can convince one of God and immortality, why I think Ivan is NOT an atheist, etc.
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I discuss Book 2, chapters 1-4 of the Brothers Karamazov.
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An introduction to "A Nice Little Family " which is the title of book 1.
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Hans Urs von Balthasar, Theo-Logic, v.1 - Truth of the World (ch. 3, pt. 2)
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Balthasar, Theo-Logic, v.1 - Truth of the World (ch. 3, pt. 1)
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This finishes up chapter two - "Truth as Freedom" of Balthasar's The-logic, v.1: Truth of the World.
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Ch. 2 of Theo-Logic; "Truth as Freedom"
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In this lecture I discuss the second half of the first chapter of Balthasar's Theo-Logic. I talk about the relationship of knowledge to creation, and how knowledge requires a knowing of another as other even in its receiving of the other into itself.
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I discuss the first half of chapter 1 ("Truth as Nature") of Hans Urs von Balthasar's book Theo-Logic, v.1: Truth of the World. In this lecture I focus on the first two sections ("A. The Preliminary Concept of Truth" and "B. The Subject"). I contrast Balthasar's approach to truth with Kant's Transcendental Idealism.
The main thesis is that to be a knower (subject) is a loving servant of the object which allows the object to be known as other; the subject is an active receiver of objects, which allows them to be true in their unconcealment/disclosure - aletheia.
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Sienkiewicz and Jaeger talk about the dynamism of intellect and will towards the Infinite as found in the metaphysical thought of St. Thomas Aquinas. We talk about how man is self-determining in virtue of those capacities and how his mystery is a revelation of the Mystery towards which he yearns.
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In this last episode of our series on Plato's Republic, I discuss book 10, and the notion of imitation. I argue that the perversion of imitation lies in the fact that it presents reality as an external image which is divorced from reality's internal logos, this ultimately leads man into a pseudo-reality (a false world), enticing him to run and escape from reality by turning to pseudo-realities. I argue that these pseudo-realities are found now-a-days found not so much in "tragic poetry' but in online communities. The philosopher is the one who loves reality (which is ultimately in the image of God) over his own self-created pseudo-reality (which is in the image of fallen man). I also discuss what it would be required to profess believe in Christ not as an act of imitation but as a fruit of adhering to reality.
I'm thinking about going through Plato's complete works on this podcast; would you be interested in listening and/or supporting? If so please email me your thoughts (creativeretrieval@gmail.com) and please consider supporting Creative Retrieval !
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In this episode I discuss the nature of the tyrannical soul. The tyrant is lawless in the sense that he is unwilling to submit to any order (in this sense, he tries to live beyond good and evil), and for this reason he becomes enslaved to his own passions. I discuss the notion of creating needs which enslave us (e.g., social media can be experienced as a created need which we feel enslaved to). I also compare the tyrant to Raskolnikov from Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment.
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In this episode, I move into Book 8 of Plato's Republic, and discuss the way in which injustice is a perversion of justice wrought by the separation of the external and the internal. Once the appearance is cut off from the reality there is no longer ONE end/goal, and hence what was a single life is now split into two. I also argue that, for Plato, all deviations of aristocracy are different forms of tyranny.
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In this episode I discuss the notion of liberal education, and why this is something of a redundancy for Socrates since all education is liberating. I also show why without 'summoners' (a perception that strikes the relevant sense at the same time as its opposite) education would be impossible; hence, perplexity is a grace of Truth, since it awakens the soul to itself.
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In this episode, I discuss Plato's allegory of the cave at length, show its significance as an allegory of education as freedom. I compare the Platonic notion of education (which leads to a type of blindness) with St. John of the Cross's "Dark Night of the Soul" and show their similarities.
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We discuss the analogy of the sun and the way it is an image of the Good by being what gives knowables to knowers, and existence to "exist-ables." Moreover, the way the sun is beyond sight is also analogous to the way the Good is beyond knowledge and being.
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In this episode we talk about how - in one way - philosophy is powerless over sophistry, in that it cannot overpower and convince the sophist (on his own terms) about the value of philosophy and why the ruler should be philosophical.
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In this episode we talk about what the philosopher is, and why the philosopher must be the ruler of a just polis. We also talk about the fact that the philosopher is the one who can properly see the world they live in, because they are open to loving "the whole" and not just a part. This will play a key role in understanding Plato's allegory of the cave later in the dialogue. I finish by discussing the fact that belief is an icon/sign/sacramental of knowledge in that is shares in truth, but not fully - it's object is and is not...just like a sign communicates something that it isn't.
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Please subscribe and like to get notifications about future episodes in this series! Comments and questions below in the comment section! In this episode I discuss why the role of reproduction and the need for the many to share everything they have in order to share a single life...this is basically the description of polis as a political marriage bond. Questions and objections and thoughts welcomed (put them in the comments section)!
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n this episode I discuss why justice requires a common good, which entails that there must be a common happiness. To live in a polis is to share a single life - and hence a single happiness - with the other members of the polis.
Questions and objections and thoughts welcome!
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In this episode I discuss how physical education (or training) is an image of and participation in musical education...both of which are about the harmonizing (or the making good) of that which would otherwise be discordant. This ultimately leads one to see that the body is an icon of the soul, and thereby they must be intrinsically (rather than extrinsically) related.
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In this episode I discuss what I call "Platonic Hylomorphism." Often Plato is thought to be a substance dualist, however, I argue that this is not the case. Rather, he should be thought to be in line with hylomorphism. Many know hylomorphism from Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas's works; however, I believe the basic idea of hylomorphism (the unity of two - body and soul - into a one - substance) can be found to underlie Plato's views on the diversity yet unity of education which he offers in book 3 of the Republic! Questions and objections and thoughts welcomed (put them in the comments section on youtube or email them)!
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I discuss the second half of book 2 of Plato's Republic. We will get into the question of the relationship between the individual and the city as images of each other - man is a microcosm of creation. I also discuss the often misunderstood passage about the noble lie and the role it plays in the education of the guardians.
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In this episode, I discuss the challenge raised by Glaucon concerning (a) the origin of justice, (b) that people are just only unwillingly, (c) the unjust life is more preferable than the just life. I also discuss the relationship between the city and the individual soul, the former being a macroscopic image (or icon) of the latter.
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I discuss the second half of book 1 of Plato's Republic, wherein we find a discussion about justice as the virtue which brings unity out of plurality; which is the activity of rulers.
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I discuss the first 1/2 to 2/3rds of the first book of Plato's Republic. Please email me if you have any questions about this podcast, and I'll try to answer them in the next episode.
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This is the first of a series on Plato's Republic. I will devote a few episodes to each book of Plato's Republic.
In the first episode of this series, I talk about the centrality of the part/whole relation in Plato's thought (especially the Republic) and argue that it is central to an understanding what makes human's happy; since it leads to an understanding of what we are and hence to an understanding of the meaning of our lives. Happiness is not individualistic, but communal. I also talk about what is required of a reader if he is to read Plato's dialogues philosophically. I end by saying a bit about the life of Socrates, Plato, and the philosophic and poetic nature of the Republic.
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We turn to consider the three Thomistic notions of Being (active, relational, and communal) and discuss how Clarke unfolds the notion of person in light of those three characteristics of being. St. Thomas Aquinas's notion of person begins to be unfolded in this episode.
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We talk about chapter 1 of Norris Clarke's contemporary classic St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture, Person and Being). In this chapter we discuss why (i) being is self-communicative, (ii) being is relational, and (iii) being is receptive and communal.
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We finish our discussion of St. Gregory of Nyssa's Commentary on the Song of Songs.
(We will be working through W. Norris Clarke's Person and Beingnext week...I highly recommend reading along with us!)
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We continue our discussion and move onto discuss pages 243-263 of Nyssa's Commentary on the Song of Songs.
(We will be working through the Thomistic metaphysical work by W. Norris Clarke, Person and Beingin two weeks...I highly recommend reading along with us!)
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We discuss pages 222-243 of Nyssa's Commentary on the Song of Songs.
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We continue with our discussion on the Commentary on the Song of Songs.
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We continue our discussion of Nyssa's Commentary on the Song of Songs.
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We begin our discussion of Nyssa's Commentary on the Song of Songs.We are using Danielou's book, From Glory to Glory.
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We discuss the Song of Songs in the manner of a creative retrieval.
Also, we are wondering if we should keep posting episodes...let us know your thoughts!
Take the poll or email us at creativeretrieval@gmail.com
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We finish up Gregory of Nyssa's Life of Moses. Next time we discuss the book of the Song of Songs as preparation for looking at Nyssa's most mystical work - the Commentary on the Song of Songs.
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This episode is killer! We discuss what it means to be satisfied in one's eternal progress in God, why we can't see God face to face and live, and other mystical insights of St. Gregory.
We will finish the Life of Moses in the next episode. After the next episode we will move into Gregory of Nyssa's Commentary on the Song of Songs.
What books should we discuss next? Leave your thoughts here!
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In this podcast, we discuss pages 78-97 of Gregory of Nyssa's Life of Moses. If you have questions, thoughts about Nyssa or any of the things we discuss, please do not hesitate to email us and share your thoughts!
Next time we will go on to discuss pages 97 - 120 (one of the best/most famous sections of the book).
What books should we discuss next? Leave your thoughts here!
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Here we go on to discuss pages 55-78 of Gregory of Nyssa's Life of Moses. If you have questions, thoughts about Nyssa or any of the things we discuss, please do not hesitate to email us and share your thoughts!
Next time we will go on to discuss pages 78-97.
Let us know what books we should discuss in the future: https://www.patreon.com/posts/what-books-we-in-56233341
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We begin the incredibly influential book of mystical theology by St. Gregory of Nyssa: The Life of Moses. On our reading, this book proposes that the life of Moses as a temporal icon of salvation history, so that all of salvation history is recapitulated and imaged in Moses; moreover, we argue that this is what the Christian life is: a telling of the entirety of salvation history from a particular moment in history.
We discuss pages 29-51 of the following translation. In the next episode we will be discussing pages 55-78.
Buy Life of Moses here.
Leave your thoughts about what book we should discuss next, here!
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In this episode, we discuss St. Gregory of Nyssa's work "On what it means to call oneself a Christian." In the next episode, we will be moving into a series of episodes on Nyssa's more mystical work, _The Life of Moses_.
If you want to read along while you listen, you can find the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Gregory-Nyssa-Classics-Western-Spirituality/dp/0809121123/ref=sr_1_2?crid=77332UU830U0&dchild=1&keywords=life+of+moses+gregory+of+nyssa&qid=1631308871&s=books&sr=1-2
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We finish up St. Gregory of Nyssa's "On the Christian Mode of Life." This is a work which all Christian's should read. Next week we will discuss St. Gregory of Nyssa's "On what it means to call oneself a Christian."
Starting September 28th, we will be reading through the entirety of St. Gregory of Nyssa's mystical theological work: Life of Moses (buy it here to read along).
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Having finished the Brothers Karamazov, we begin to discuss some of the best works of the great Cappadocian father, St. Gregory of Nyssa (335-395). We begin with his short (but profound) work, "On the Christian Mode of Life." We discuss this work in two parts.
This work can be found in the following collection: https://www.amazon.com/Saint-Gregory-Ascetical-Fathers-Church/dp/0813209692
For next time, finish reading "On the Christian Mode of Life."
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This is our last conversation about the book. Lots of people hate how the book ends - but I (Jaeger) think it is one of the most Beautiful (in the transcendental way) endings imaginable to one of the best novels ever written. You can only understanding the ending if you go back to the beginning, the "From the Author" note.
Next time we will begin reading/discussing the work of the Church Father, St. Gregory of Nyssa.
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We talk with Br. Maximilian again, as well as Christian Duran about the first few chapters of Book 12.
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We talk with Br. Maximilian - outside St. Benedict's Abbey - about the last three chapters of the "Ivan" Book. Our discussion centers around "The Devil. Ivan's Nightmare." If the sound is a bit soft, we apologize as we were outside.
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This was a great conversation about Ivan and what he thinks about himself, Dimitri and what he thinks about God and suffering, and what Alyosha thinks about his brothers.
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We talk about "The Boys" and how it is a recapitulation of the Dostoyevskian thesis, stated by Dmitri as well as Fr. Zossima that 'all are responsible for all."
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We talk about book IX, and especially the turn Mitya makes from darkness to the light, and how Karamazovian sensualism can be redeemed.
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We talk about book 8, Dimitri, who is a sensualist who slowly finds himself caught up in the paschal mystery.
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We discuss the chapter "Cana of Galilee" - the cosmic wedding feast of heaven and earth.
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We discuss the first three chapters of Book VII "Alyosha." Central to this discussion is Alyosha's 'rebellion.'
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We talk about the Mysterious visitor and what freedom is, and why it must be an inner reality that isn't realized by external conditions. We also talk about the relation between freedom and love and judgment.
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We discuss one of the best parts in Dostoyevsky's Brothers Karamazov: the life of Zossima, especially the section entitled, "The Duel."
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We talk about Ivan and Smerdyakov's conversation, the mystery of faith that surpasses understanding, the early life of Fr. Zossima with his brother Markel. Central to Markel's life is the fact that prayer is joy, and if only we could live joyfully in the world, we would be in heaven now.
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John - the neighbor - joins us to discuss the chapter on the Grand Inquisitor. What is freedom? What is its relation to love? Is freedom needed in order to be happy?
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That's rebellion! We discuss the very painful conversation the Alyosha and Ivan have in the tavern. Central is the role that suffering and love play in 'understanding' the order of the world. Also, the need to be true to oneself once again comes up.
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Jaeger and Sienkiewicz talk mostly about the contrast between Frs. Zossima and Ferapont and Zossima's assertion that "all are responsible for all sins."
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Jaeger and Sienkiewicz talk about Book III, especially the idea that we - you, and I, and everyone - are all Karamazovs; that is, the universal Adam.
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Jaeger, Sienkiewicz, Brs. Angelus and Leven talk about the second half of Book two. We reflect mostly on chapters 5 and 6.
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Jaeger, Sienkiewicz, Br. Angelus and Br. Leven discuss the first half of Book 2.
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We talk about the chapter "Elders," and discuss the question of what it would mean for faith to be an ideology.
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We begin by briefly talking about Dostoyevsky's life and why we are reading this book. We then move into talk about the first four chapters of BK. 1.
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