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Online Great Books Podcast


Jun 3, 2021

Scott and Karl begin discussing Philip Rieff's book The Triumph of the Therapeutic: Uses of Faith after Freud.

Published in 1966, the problems that Rieff saw with an increasingly irreligious view of society have only expanded with time. 

Rieff asks, "The question is no longer as Dostoevsky put it: “Can civilized man believe?” Rather: Can unbelieving man be civilized?”

The duo talks about the elements that may have created a therapeutic culture in place of theology. Scott says, "He's kind of like Nietzsche. A keen observer who gets all of the problems right, and I don't like that." 

Tune in for the beginning of this two-part discussion. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com.