Can We Bring Back the Classics? with Roosevelt Montás

Can We Bring Back the Classics? with Roosevelt Montás

Author: The Atlas Society December 30, 2025 Duration: 59:11

Join Atlas Society Senior Fellow Robert Tracinski for the 283rd episode of Objectively Speaking when she sits down with Roosevelt Montás to talk about his book "Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed My Life and Why They Matter for a New Generation," which describes how four authors―Plato, Augustine, Freud, and Gandhi―had a profound impact on Montás’s life, driving home why a liberal education can still remake lives.

Roosevelt Montás is a Senior Lecturer in American Studies and English at Columbia University and the director of the Center for American Studies’ Freedom and Citizenship Program, which brings low-income high school students to the Columbia campus to study political theory and then helps them prepare successful applications to college. He speaks and writes on the history, meaning, and future of liberal education and is the author of "Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed My Life and Why They Matter for a New Generation."


Tune in to The Atlas Society Presents-Objectively Speaking for a series of thoughtful conversations that explore the practical application of Ayn Rand's philosophy. This podcast, brought to you by The Atlas Society, moves beyond abstract theory to examine how the principles of reason, individualism, and achievement manifest in our daily lives, careers, and culture. Each episode features discussions that connect Objectivist ideas to contemporary issues in business, creative pursuits, and societal trends, offering a framework for navigating a complex world. You'll hear analyses that celebrate human potential and the power of the individual while critically examining opposing doctrines. The dialogue is grounded in Rand's works, from the monumental *Atlas Shrugged* to her incisive essays, treating Objectivism as the vital, life-affirming guide it was designed to be. Whether you're well-versed in the philosophy or newly curious, this podcast provides a space for open, reasoned exploration. It’s an invitation to consider how a commitment to rational self-interest and freedom can shape a flourishing life and a better society. Join the conversation to hear these ideas unpacked with clarity and depth.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 252

The Atlas Society Presents - Objectively Speaking
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