Entitled Opinions (about Life and Literature)

Robert Harrison

The narcotic of intelligent conversation

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300 episodes
Updated May 4

Episodes300

Newest first

Nov 12, 2024 · 38 min
Language, Music, and Meaning with Julie Sedivy
A conversation about the origins of language and everything in between with Julie Sedivy, a psycholinguist and author of Linguaphile: A Life of Language Love. Songs in this episode: “From the Beginning” by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and “Belly Button Window” by Jimi Hendrix.
Oct 17, 2024 · 53 min
Rainer Maria Rilke with Alexander Sorenson
A conversation about the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke with Alexander Sorenson, Assistant Professor of German Studies at Binghamton University and author of The Waiting Water: Order, Sacrifice and Submergence in German Realism. Songs in this episode: “The Trampled Rose” by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, and “New Age of the Earth” by Ash-Ra Temple.
Sep 19, 2024 · 54 min
The Dark Places of Wisdom with Grant Bartolomé Dowling
A conversation about the work of Peter Kingsley, the thought of Parmenides, and everything in between, with Grant Bartolomé Dowling, a PhD Candidate in Philosophy at Stanford University, who is currently finishing his dissertation on elenchus in Plato’s Socratic dialogues. Songs in this episode: “La nuit du rat” by La Féline and “End Of The […]
Sep 3, 2024 · 43 min
Vico, Rome, and the Rise of American Fascism with Julian Davis
A conversation about the intersection of Giambattista Vico’s philosophy, Roman history, and the recent rise of “American Fascism” with Julian Davis, a PhD Candidate in Philosophy at Stanford University, who is also a well-known activist and attorney in San Francisco. Songs in this episode: “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones and “Lotus Flower” by […]
Aug 16, 2024 · 46 min
Nietzsche and van Gogh with Brian Pines
A conversation about the creative peak of Nietzsche and van Gogh in 1888 with Brian Pines, Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco. Song in this episode: “The Ghost” by Fleetwood Mac.
May 9, 2024 · 48 min
Bioregionalism and the Reinhabitation of Place with Mark Gonnerman
A conversation about bioregionalism and reinhabitation with Mark Gonnerman, author of “A Sense of the Whole: Reading Gary Snyder.” Songs in this episode: “Comin’ Back to Me” by Jefferson Airplane and “Dear Mother Earth” by Canned Heat. PLEASE NOTE: In his introduction, Professor Robert Harrison misattributes the following passage to Gary Snyder: “reinhabitation means learning to […]
Apr 18, 2024 · 31 min
The Spirit of Rivers
A meandering monologue on rivers with our host, Professor Robert Harrison. Songs in this episode: “Getting Ready” by Frans Bak, and “You Better Move On” by Arthur Alexander.
Mar 28, 2024 · 47 min
Crime in America with Scott Thomas Anderson
A conversation about crime in America with Scott Thomas Anderson, author of “Shadow People,” journalist for Sacramento News & Review, and producer of the podcasts “Drinkers with Writing Problems” and “Trace of the Devastation.” Songs in this episode: “Helen” by Glass Wave and “Hey Joe” by the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Feb 15, 2024 · 39 min
Mindfulness in a Distracted World with Nate Klemp
A conversation with Nate Klemp, a philosopher, writer, and founding partner at Mindfulness Magazine, on practicing mindfulness in our fast-paced, technology-dependent world. He is also co-author of the New York Times bestseller “Start Here.” Songs in this episode: “Nausicaa” by Glass Wave and “Dayvan Cowboy” by Boards of Canada.
Feb 1, 2024 · 39 min
The Artificiality of Natural Intelligence with David Bates
In this philosophy-heavy episode, Professor Robert Harrison and David Bates, Professor of Rhetoric at UC Berkeley, discuss the “unnatural” origins of human technology and the difficulty of drawing sharp distinctions between artificial and natural intelligence. Songs in this episode: “Bourée” by Jethro Tull and “Ghost” by Fleetwood Mac.
Jan 18, 2024 · 35 min
Dante’s Characters: Part Four, Brunetto Latini
A monologue on Dante’s unflattering (and unjustified) portrait of his teacher, Brunetto Latini. This episode wraps up the first season of Robert Harrison’s series on “Dante’s Characters.” Songs in this episode: “La nuit du rat” by La Féline and “Preludio” by Dolce Acqua.
Jan 4, 2024 · 41 min
Dante’s Characters: Part Three, Guido da Montefeltro
A monologue on Guido da Montefeltro, a false counselor whose speech foreshadows literary modernism’s stream of consciousness. Songs in this episode: “Present Tense” by Radiohead and “Prufrock Blues” by Robert Harrison and Anne-Sophie Bine.
Dec 20, 2023 · 37 min
Dante’s Characters: Part Two, Ulysses
A monologue on Dante’s Ulysses, the Homeric hero who, in Dante’s retelling, foregoes his return to Ithaca and opts instead to venture into the unknown and unpeopled world, at his own peril. Songs in this episode: “Winter Mind” by Robert Harrison, “Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 1” by Pink Floyd, and “Calypso” by Suzanne […]
Dec 14, 2023 · 36 min
Dante’s Characters: Part One, Francesca da Rimini
A monologue on Dante’s famous love heroine, Francesca da Rimini. This episode is part one of a new mini-series on “Dante’s Characters,” set to air over the coming weeks, in which Professor Robert Harrison discusses some of the most fascinating characters in Dante’s Divine Comedy. Song in this episode: “Helen” by Glass Wave.
Dec 8, 2023 · 47 min
Garry Nolan on UFOs
A conversation with Garry Nolan, who is the Rachford and Carlota Harris Professor of Immunology in the Department of Pathology at Stanford. He has authored numerous medical research papers, has founded biotechnology companies, two of which are on the NASDAQ, and has been particularly active in ufology, the study of Unidentified Flying Objects, also known as […]
Oct 19, 2023 · 42 min
Women and Madness
A conversation with Maria Massucco, who earned her PhD in Italian at Stanford in 2023. Her dissertation is titled “Woundedness and Reintegration: The Phenomenology and Transmission of Women’s Trauma in Modern and Contemporary Italy.” Songs in this episode: “Helen” by Glass Wave, and “Ophelia” by Glass Wave.
Oct 12, 2023 · 19 min
Vico and Joyce
A conversation with Corey Dansereau, a PhD Candidate in Modern Thought and Literature at Stanford, about the impact of Giambattista Vico on James Joyce’s writing. Songs in this episode: “Echo” by Glass Wave, and “I Might Be Wrong” by Radiohead.
Sep 14, 2023 · 41 min
Robert Harrison on Giambattista Vico
A monologue in which our host, Professor Robert Harrison, discusses the originality and continued relevance of Giambattista Vico’s New Science (1748). Songs in this episode: “Riders on the Storm” by The Doors, “Nausicaa” by Glass Wave, and “Cycle of Eternity” by Tangerine Dream.
Aug 31, 2023 · 44 min
On Gardenism with William Rosenzweig
A conversation with gardener, social entrepreneur, and venture investor William Rosenzweig about the ethics of care in the private and public spheres. Songs in this episode: “Bourée” by Jethro Tull and “A Lotus On Irish Streams” by Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Aug 24, 2023 · 49 min
Lydia Maria Child: A Radical American
A conversation with philosopher and professor Lydia Moland about the life and thought of Lydia Maria Child, one of the best known American writers and abolitionists of the 19th century. Songs in this episode: “Bourée” by Jethro Tull and “Trampled Rose” by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

Entitled Opinions (about Life and Literature)

Language, Music, and Meaning with Julie Sedivy

Rainer Maria Rilke with Alexander Sorenson

The Dark Places of Wisdom with Grant Bartolomé Dowling

Vico, Rome, and the Rise of American Fascism with Julian Davis

Nietzsche and van Gogh with Brian Pines

Bioregionalism and the Reinhabitation of Place with Mark Gonnerman

The Spirit of Rivers

Crime in America with Scott Thomas Anderson

Mindfulness in a Distracted World with Nate Klemp

The Artificiality of Natural Intelligence with David Bates

Dante’s Characters: Part Four, Brunetto Latini

Dante’s Characters: Part Three, Guido da Montefeltro

Dante’s Characters: Part Two, Ulysses

Dante’s Characters: Part One, Francesca da Rimini

Garry Nolan on UFOs

Women and Madness

Vico and Joyce

Robert Harrison on Giambattista Vico

On Gardenism with William Rosenzweig

Lydia Maria Child: A Radical American