Charles Mathewes has narrated 3 audiobooks on Listento.it by 3 authors, with an average listener rating of 4.8★ across 70 ratings. The most-rated is Why Evil Exists.
Why Evil Exists
Summary
Whether we view it in theological, philosophical, or psychological terms, evil remains both a deeply intriguing question and a crucially relevant global issue. Now, Professor Mathewes offers you a richly provocative and revealing encounter with the question of human evil - a dynamic inquiry into Western civilization's greatest thinking and insight on this critical subject. With the inspired guidance of these 36 lectures, you'll engage with how both individual thinkers and larger trends of thought have faced evil, studying the work of major theologians, philosophers, poets, political theorists, novelists, psychologists, and journalists. You'll study the psychology of evil in Islamic theology, as well as the weighty meditations of St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Anselm of Lyon, and Martin Luther. And among contemporary views, you'll grasp Arthur Cohen's extraordinary post-Holocaust reformulation of faith in a God whose reality "is our prefiguration" - the promise of what we may become. Parallel with the theological accounts, you'll also study primary currents of Western secular thinking on evil in the work of key philosophers and social theorists. You'll investigate Thomas Hobbes's proposition that good and evil are invented constructs of human language, and Kant's conception of morality as located in the human will. You contemplate Freud's hypothesis of the "death drive," an innate, destructive force of the psyche, and Hannah Arendt's highly influential analysis of the "moral inversion" of Nazism. So why does evil exist in the world? Join a deeply insightful teacher in facing this fascinating, primordial question - a chance to bring your own most discerning thought to a crucial challenge for our world. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2011 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2011 The Great Courses
How the Scots Invented the Modern World
Summary
Who formed the first literate society? Who invented our modern ideas of democracy and free market capitalism? The Scots. As historian and author Arthur Herman reveals, in the 18th and 19th centuries Scotland made crucial contributions to science, philosophy, literature, education, medicine, commerce, and politics - contributions that have formed and nurtured the modern West ever since. This book is not just about Scotland: it is an exciting account of the origins of the modern world. No one who takes this incredible historical trek will ever view the Scots - or the modern West - in the same way again.
©2001 Arthur Herman (P)2016 Recorded Books
Books That Matter: The City of God
Summary
Augustine of Hippo's masterpiece The City of God is one of the greatest books ever written, yet its size - nearly 1,000 pages - too often intimidates even serious readers. Composed in the years after the sack of Rome in the fifth century, it ushers you on an astounding historical and theological journey through the final years of the ancient world. What made this book so powerful? What mysteries lie within it? What relevance does the 1,600-year-old text have for our world today? And how should contemporary readers approach this monumental text? Now is your chance to answer these questions and more with this profound survey of one of the world's truly great books. Over the course of 24 in-depth lectures, Professor Mathewes guides you chapter by chapter through Augustine's magnum opus, introducing you not only to the book's key arguments but also to the historical context necessary to comprehend The City of God's true power. Here, you'll discover that Augustine was a surprisingly modern man with a clear-eyed outlook on a world in transition - and whose ideas continue to influence us today. Witness how he wrestled with some of the thorniest philosophical challenges of any time, including the problem of evil, faith versus reason, fate versus free will, and the very nature of God. Although there are no easy answers, Augustine's approach is ultimately therapeutic, helping readers live "happy in hope", which, he argues, is the only true happiness in a fallen world. Whether you come to this book as a Christian, a philosopher, a historian, a literature lover, or simply someone who wants fresh insight into our world today, Augustine will revolutionize the way you think about politics, religion, history, and our relationship to the divine. Professor Mathewes delivers a magnificent introduction to one of the world's truly great books. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2016 The Great Courses (P)2016 The Teaching Company, LLC