Unlimited Opinions - Philosophy, Theology, Linguistics, & More
Welcome to Unlimited Opinions! Have you ever wanted to listen to a lawyer and his son discuss philosophy, mythology, theology, politics and more? No? Well, Mark and Adam Bishop are here to discuss it all the same! From philosophy to mythology to politics, they discuss it all with rants and tangents galore! Now in Season 12, they're discussing The Closing of the American Mind, breaking down Allan Bloom's discussion of the failures of American education! There will also be more than the average amount of references to linguistics, 80s movies, and J.R.R. Tolkien. If any of that sounds vaguely...
S12 E3: Books and Music
Do young people even read anymore? What's up with their obsession with music? Such questions are not as boring as they sound, as Allan Bloom describes in the next chapters of The Closing of the American Mind! Join us as we discuss the importance of literature and good music on the formation of the soul and the coherence of political society!
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S12 E2: The Clean Slate
Do Americans have a national book? What is America's defining ideology? Is it structured by the Constitution and the Bible, or something else entirely? Such are the questions that Allan Bloom raises in The Closing of the American Mind, and that we discuss in this episode of Unlimited Opinions!
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S12 E1: Foreword, Preface, and Introduction to "The Closing of the American Mind"
What is the purpose of education? What is the truth? What is man? Find out in this season of Unlimited Opinions, as we read Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind: How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today's Students. In this episode, we discuss Saul Bellow's Foreword, as well as Bloom's Preface and Introduction, as the authors lay out the "new virtues" of relativism, openness, and freedom as the basis of our failing education system.
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S11 E8: Season Finale: J.R.R. Tolkien - Valedictory Address to the University of Oxford
Join us as for the finale of Season 11, as we discuss J.R.R. Tolkien's Valedictory Address to the University of Oxford, given in 1959 as he retired from the University. We break down his attitude towards the modern state of research-focused education, the problems in separating Language from Literature, and why Tolkien's essays matter more and more today.
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S11 E7: J.R.R. Tolkien - A Secret Vice
How weird is it to make your own language? Find out as we discuss J.R.R. Tolkien's "A Secret Vice", in which he describes his own evolution in making languages, the beauty in such a hobby, and language itself being an art form.
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S11 E6: J.R.R. Tolkien - English and Welsh
"I was born in the wrong language!" now ranks among perhaps one of the oddest phrases said during an active tornado warning. Join us as we discuss J.R.R. Tolkien's essay "English and Welsh", examining what makes a people a people and the beauty present in studying other languages!
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S11 E5: J.R.R. Tolkien - On Fairy-stories, Part 2
Join us as we conclude our discussion on Tolkien's fantastic essay "On Fairy-stories"! In this episode, we discuss why fairy-stories are not just for children, what true fantasy really is, the proper attitude of escapism, and why the Gospels are at the heart of it all.
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S11 E4: J.R.R. Tolkien - On Fairy-stories, Part 1
Join us for the first part of our discussion on one of the greatest essays ever written: J.R.R. Tolkien's On Fairy-stories! In this episode, we examine what is and is not a fairy-story, what is really meant by Faërie, how such stories are made, and much more!
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S11 E3: J.R.R. Tolkien - Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Is Sir Gawain underappreciated as a Catholic story? How did 14th-century English poets reconcile courtly honor and Christian love? Find out as we discuss Tolkien's essay on the great Middle English poem, as well as our thoughts on people's misconceptions about the pope!
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S11 E2: J.R.R. Tolkien - On Translating Beowulf
Why should we care about poetry? Are we just too stupid to really understand it? Find out as we discuss Tolkien's thoughts on how to properly translate an Old English poem into prose, and the many errors that a translator can fall into in the process.
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S11 E1: J.R.R. Tolkien - The Monsters and the Critics
Is Beowulf still relevant today? How often do we destroy towers to investigate their component parts, failing to recognize that we could have seen the sea from the top of them? These and other important questions are discussed, as we begin diving into J.R.R. Tolkien's The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays, discussing the best of Tolkien's scholarly writings and what they mean for us today.
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S10 E16: Season Finale - Biographical Sketches and Random Thoughts
Season Finale! Join us as we discuss how Thomas Sowell's early life and upbringing shaped his career, and our thoughts on several of his best one-liners. We also talk about our opinion of his writings overall, and our plans for Season 11!
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S10 E15: Educational Issues, Part 2 - Shallow Teachers and School-Resorts
Does a university really need a student recreation center with a sauna and a smoothie bar? Find out as we finish our discussion on Thomas Sowell's thoughts on the modern education system! We talk about teachers who don't know very much, the necessity for gifted students to have opportunities, the problems with the "publish or perish" attitude, and much more!
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S10 E14: Educational Issues, Part 1 - Forced "Volunteerism", School Choice, and the Idea of a University
What is a university for? Is it just to get a degree and a well-paying job, or is it for a bigger, deeper formation? Find out as we discuss Thomas Sowell's writings on education, covering topics from unintelligent educators to the lack of transparency in the educational system!
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S10 E13: Race and Ethnicity, Part 3 - Affirmative Action and World Geography
What results have affirmative action policies had across the world? How much does geography impact the economies and cultures of various regions? Find out in this episode, as we finish our discussion on Thomas Sowell's thoughts on race and ethnicity!
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S10 E12: Race and Ethnicity, Part 2 - Historical Context, Cultural Bias, and Mom's Deli
Join us for a continued discussion on affirmative action, the historical context behind debates on equality, and race hoaxes! Also in this episode are rants about Linguistics and AI; stories of record collecting; and our recommendations for one of the best places to eat in St. Louis before the end of the month!
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S10 E11: Race and Ethnicity, Part 1 - Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Budweiser
Is the Right partially to blame for the state of our country over the past several decades, and how does our approach to race play into the broader social world? Find out as we discuss Thomas Sowell's thoughts on race and ethnicity, covering stereotypes, false notions of diversity, lowering standards, and more!
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S10 E10: Legal Issues, Part 2 - USAID, Judicial Activism, and Freedom
What does the dismantling of USAID mean for freedom? Is this government overreach, or the government pulling back its power? Join us as we discuss this and more, breaking down Thomas Sowell's thoughts on a variety of legal issues, from allegations of racist cops, lack of trust between doctors and patients, and what freedom actually is.
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S10 E9: Legal Issues, Part 1 - Presidential Pardons, Birthright Citizenship, and Loving Criminals
Should all of the January 6th protestors have been pardoned? Can we do away with birthright citizenship? Why do we keep making martyrs out of criminals? Find out as we examine Thomas Sowell's thoughts on legal issues, ranging from abortion to gun control and everything in between!
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S10 E8: Political Issues, Part 3 - John Stuart Mill and Karl Marx
Should we care about the personal lives of influential thinkers? In Marx's case, probably! In this episode, we discuss two more articles from Thomas Sowell: one evaluating John Stuart Mill's On Liberty, and the other giving a detailed description of Karl Marx. We also talk about Donald Trump's second inauguration and what it means for the country!
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S10 E7: Political Issues, Part 2 - Academia, Term Limits, and Gaslighting
How does the Left survive, and how do they keep gaslighting the nation? Find out in this episode of Unlimited Opinions, as we continue reading Thomas Sowell's thoughts on political issues. This is a wide-ranging episode, discussing the Los Angeles wildfires, transgenderism, private charity, and much more!
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S10 E6: Political Issues, Part 1 - Language, Corporate CEOs, and the Media
Why would people celebrate the death of a CEO they had never even heard of before his assassination? Thomas Sowell raised these kinds of questions 20 years ago! Join us as we begin discussing his articles on political issues, focusing on the role of the media in public life, unfunded mandates from the government, and spoiled brats.
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New Year's Special: The Strangest Year Ever and Hesitant Optimism for 2025

Hear our thoughts on 2024 in review and what we see coming up in 2025! In this special episode taken from our S10 E6 recording, we recap what we think changed in 2024, the strangeness of the election cycle, and our mix of positive and negative predictions for 2025!
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S10 E5: Economics, Part 2 - Minimum Wage, Statistics, and Morality
Join us as we conclude our discussion on Thomas Sowell's thoughts on economics, covering topics such as income disparity, the minimum wage, misuse of statistics, and more! We also discuss Walmart self checkout lanes and the holiday blues!
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S10 E4: Economics, Part 1 - Crime, Unions, and Recycling
Where does all of our recycling go? To the dump! Join us as we discuss the myths of recycling, the rationale behind organized crime, the illusion of social security, the ill effects of "affordability" measures, and much more! We also discuss many anecdotes, from funny t-shirts to experiences with criminals!
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S10 E3: Social Issues, Part 3 - Culture Wars, "Equality", Baseball, and More
In keeping with our timely opinions, we think that Thomas Sowell is the bee's knees! Join us as we finish discussing his writings on social issues, covering the true purpose of the culture war, the meaninglessness of "equality," the lack of discipline in modern society, and much more! We also give some excellent tips on what to do if you find yourself in the wrong restroom!
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S10 E2: Social Issues, Part 2 - Revisionism, Autism, and White People
Join us for another wide-ranging conversation on Thomas Sowell's thoughts on social issues! In this rant-laden episode, we discuss the overdiagnosis of autism, the problems with viewing history by our own standards, and the racist practice of dismissing the achievements of white people. We also share many of our anecdotes, such as a trip to France and problems with modern media!
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S10 E1: Social Issues, Part 1 - Education, Family, and More
A new season, a new book! Join us as we start discussing The Thomas Sowell Reader, covering social issues ranging from America's warped education system, the loss of the traditional family, the impact of poverty, and more! We also recap the 2024 election, comparing the results to our predictions and what we see in the coming second Trump presidency!
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S9 E15: Season Finale - Destiny - Political and Religious
According to Orestes Brownson, America is truly a Catholic country! Join us as we discuss the final chapter of The American Republic: Its Constitution, Tendencies, and Destiny, as we break down Brownson's vision of the future of the United States. We discuss the importance of religion, a far-reaching form of manifest destiny, and our own thoughts on the future of our nation. We also offer our much-sought-after opinions on the 2024 Presidential Election!
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S9 E14: Political Tendencies
How do we manage the battle between rampant individualism and all-consuming socialism, two ideologies rooted in pure humanism? Orestes Brownson's answer: Catholicism! Join as we discuss Brownson's views of the political future of the United States, and how we need to fight for a future based on eternal truth.
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S9 E13: Reconstruction
Should we continue to punish the South, or readmit them as full citizens of the United States? Join us for Orestes Brownson's great answer to this question, and some less than great answers to some other questions! We discuss his view of the contradictions between the Executive and the Supreme Court in the handling of the Supreme Court, what actually happened when the States seceded, and what we should do moving forward.
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S9 E12: Secession
In perhaps the most convoluted chapter of Orestes Brownson's The American Republic, we discuss secession, and how that relates to modern American politics. We discuss why secession does not make a state an independent sovereign, and instead is the state giving up its existence as a state and becoming a territory once more. We also discuss abortion, immigration, and much more!
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S9 E11: Constitution of the United States, Continued
How does the government of the United States actually function, and how does it relate to Orestes Brownson's idea of a providential constitution? We discuss this and more as we continue our discussion of the constitutions of the United States of America, including our first place where we fully disagree with Brownson!
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S9 E10: Constitution of the United States
Are we finally starting to disagree with something Orestes Brownson has said? Find out as we discuss how Brownson applies his theories of the two constitutions to the American Founding, and whether or not the Constitution created the American people, or if the American people existed long beforehand.
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S9 E9: The United States
The United States: one sovereign people, or really fifty different sovereigns in a trench coat? Find out as we discuss Orestes Brownson's description of America, eventually concluding that the American people were one unified whole long before 1787. We also discuss many other vitally important topics, such as where college students should vote and how long the ideal nap length is.
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S9 E8: Constitution of Government, Concluded
Who really is the sovereign, and why is their job to promote the common good of the people of the nation? Find out as we conclude our discussion of the two constitutions of a nation, how the history of Rome reflects this idea, and when the overthrow of a ruler may be warranted!
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S9 E7: Constitution of Government
Is there a difference between the constitution of the people and the constitution of their government? How are those two constitutions related, and what is the role of God in their development? What about societies with terrible morals? Find out the answers to these questions and more!
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S9 E6: Origin of Government, Concluded
In this episode, we finally end our discussion of Orestes Brownson's description of where authority comes from! We talk about why the spiritual authority does not grant temporal authority to kings, and how authority really has divine origins as expressed mediately through the people! We also look at how these ideas reflect our society today, and whether the American Revolution is really moral in a Christian context.
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S9 E5: Origin of Government, Continued (Again)
Is sovereignty really held by the people themselves, acting as the voice of God? Or is government just a natural evolutionary development? Or does God supernaturally give certain people the divine right to rule? Orestes Brownson says no to all three! Hear our thoughts on his refutations of these theories, as well as some lengthy rants in this episode of Unlimited Opinions!
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S9 E4: Origin of Government, Continued
In this episode, we examine all of the reasons why Orestes Brownson believes that social compact theory is not a good explanation for the origin of government! By the end of this episode, we're pretty convinced that he's right! We break down the issues with the theory, including the nature of man, eminent domain, and the logical conclusions of the idea, and how these all fit into Brownson's theory of government.
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