Radical Thoughts on Human Nature: Stephen Blackwood at Hillsdale College
Release Date: 06/25/2024
Education without Indoctrination: Can It Exist? Stephen Blackwood, John Vervaeke & David Butterfield
The Ralston College Podcast
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...
info_outline
Self and Story: In Conversation with Gregg Hurwitz
The Ralston College Podcast
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...
info_outline
Language, Thought, and Style: The Articulated Logos in Victorian Literature with Michael D. Hurley
The Ralston College Podcast
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 ...
info_outline
Radical Thoughts on Human Nature: Stephen Blackwood at Hillsdale College
The Ralston College Podcast
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...
info_outline
The Medieval Cosmos as Permanent Apocalypse with Jonathan Pageau
The Ralston College Podcast
In his lecture, Jonathan Pageau presents a thoughtful examination of the Last Judgment through the lens of a late-11th-century mosaic, challenging the traditional view of it as solely an end-time event. He suggests that this imagery symbolizes an ongoing process of identity formation, where every entity acts as a judge, continually evaluating its alignment with its essence. This interpretation casts the Last Judgment in a new light, with the ideal human being as the ultimate measure of this alignment. Pageau further delves into how this imagery interacts with its placement within the church,...
info_outline
Serious Play: Renaissance Wisdom and Cosmic Choreography | Sophia Lecture 2023 Part 5/5
The Ralston College Podcast
In the culminating fifth lecture of the Sophia Lecture series, Professor Douglas Hedley culminates his exploration by delving into play's theological dimension, engaging with Marsilio Ficino, Desiderius Erasmus, and Plotinus to dissect 'serious play', a pivotal concept in Renaissance thought. Throughout the lecture series, Hedley has traversed play's philosophical terrain, examining its roots, the vital role of language in human development, the journey into self-awareness, and the allure of aesthetics. In this lecture, he weaves together the interplay of wisdom and play within cultural...
info_outline
Unveiling Aesthetics: Art, Suffering, and Transcendence | Sophia Lectures 2023 Part 4/5
The Ralston College Podcast
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,...
info_outline
Wisdom in Paradox: The Seriousness of Play | Sophia Lectures 2023 Part 3/5
The Ralston College Podcast
In the third lecture of the Sophia Lecture series, Professor Douglas Hedley embarks on an intellectual journey that explores the enigmatic nature of play and its profound impact on human life, drawing from ancient philosophies and modern psychological theories. Delving into the works of Heraclitus and Plato, Hedley examines the paradoxical relationship between play and seriousness and how this dynamic shapes our understanding of life's deepest questions. He discusses the transformative power of poetic language, the importance of embracing the child's soul, and the role of play as a bridge...
info_outline
Exploring the Inner Word: Play, Poetry, Philosophy | Sophia Lectures 2023 Part 2/5
The Ralston College Podcast
In this second episode of the Sophia Lectures, Professor Douglas Hedley from the University of Cambridge embarks on a deep exploration into the theme of "play" and its relationship to consciousness, language, and poetic expression. Drawing upon the intellectual legacies of Owen Barfield and Hans-Georg Gadamer, Hedley explores the philosophical and theological dimensions of language, highlighting its role in shaping our understanding of existence. He discusses the concept of the "inner word" as described by Augustine and how poetry serves as a bridge between the tangible and the abstract,...
info_outline
The Spirit of Play in Shaping Culture, Creativity, and Spirituality | Sophia Lectures 2023 Part 1/5
The Ralston College Podcast
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...
info_outlineIn 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