Ep. 119 - Liberal Arts, What Are They Good For? with Steven Cortright

Ep. 119 - Liberal Arts, What Are They Good For? with Steven Cortright

Author: Albertus Magnus Institute, Inc. April 9, 2026 Duration: 47:20

Join Joshua Mazrin and Professor Steve Cortright as they discuss what the name "liberal arts" actually means. Are they worthless? Are they tools? What's the point?


Deep within the rich tradition of the classical liberal arts, conversations unfold that feel both timeless and urgently contemporary. Magnus Podcast: Conversations from the Catacombs of Liberal Education is where you’ll find them, a production of the Albertus Magnus Institute. This series explores the foundational ideas that shape our humanity, society, and faith, guided by the enduring vision of St. Albert the Great. His dream was of an education that liberates the mind and spirit, one that is profoundly enriching yet accessible to all. Each episode delves into the intersections of philosophy, culture, and Christianity, examining how these ancient wells of wisdom speak directly to our modern condition. You’ll hear thoughtful dialogues and reflections that resist easy answers, instead inviting a deeper consideration of what it means to live a fully human life. The podcast serves as a kind of auditory academy, where the core subjects of a truly liberal education-those that free us-are opened up for anyone willing to listen. It’s for those curious about how enduring truths can illuminate contemporary confusion, offering not just information but a form of intellectual and spiritual nourishment. Tune in for a journey through the catacombs, where the light of classical thought remains undimmed, waiting to be rediscovered in our own time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 102

Magnus Podcast: Conversations from the Catacombs of Liberal Education
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 028 - Dante at 700 with Anthony Esolen. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:48
Season 2 of Magnus Podcast kicks off with a visit from renowned scholar, translator, author, and AMI Senior Fellow, Dr. Anthony Esolen. Listen in on his inaugural lecture for the Albertus Magnus Institute’s Fellowship as…
Ep. 027 - It's Science! - David Arias. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:37
In a day when science is heralded as an authority among all things, we pause to ask: what is it? This deep dive into natural science through Aristotle's physics is from Senior Fellow, David Arias who teaches Philosophy o…
Ep. 026 - Breaking Bad Physics: Aristotle v. Heisenberg [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:03
Does modern physics fail to develop beyond the pre-Socratics in its use of philosophical monism and pluralism? Sit in on Magnus Fellowship course Philosophy of Nature with Dr. David Arias who addresses the problem of bec…
Ep. 025 - An Introduction to Aristotle's Physics, David Arias. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:59:30
Senior Fellow David Arias is a professor of philosophy at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, NE, father of 13, and (if we may say so) a pedagogical wonder. Drop in on his second Philosophy of Nature class where ,…
Ep. 024 - An Introduction to William Shakespeare, Joseph Pearce. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:10
Listen in on Senior Fellow, Joseph Pearce's inaugural class in the Magnus Fellowship. William Shakespeare, his life, times, and faith. Was Shakespeare a closet Catholic? How can we read him and enjoy it? To apply for the…
Ep. 023 - The Fr. Owen Carroll: Being and Loving in St. Thomas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:54
Proving the Existence of God. Being, truth, and the desire to know more fully. Voluntas. Responding to the "But who moved God?" argument. Bertrand Russell and Kant. Motus in Aquinas vs Aristotle, and breaking through the…
Ep. 022 - Fr. Owen Carroll: Is Sacred Doctrine a Science? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:23
We continue our series with Fr. Owen Carroll as we sound the depths of the first question of the Summa Theologiae of St. Thomas Aquinas. Is Sacred Doctrine a science? If so, a science of what? We find in St. Thomas a vis…
Ep. 021 - Fr. Owen Carroll: What is Sacred Doctrine? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:20
You might not know of him, but you know of his students. Rev. Dr. Owen Carroll taught for decades at DePaul, St. Mary's College of CA, and the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology. Praying to remain hidden, his wo…
Ep. 019 - Wonder Seeking Wisdom with Tiffany Schubert. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:24
What is the role of the novel in a liberal education? Jane Austin vs. Flannery O'Connor. Geoffrey Chaucer's Miller's Tale, Dave Chappelle, the scandal of the body, and the Incarnational character of lurid prose. Newman o…