In this "blue-sky" podcast, Professor Dungey provides a totally unique and creative interpretation of the source of the existential crises and conflict now engulfing the individual, economic, and political dimensions of late-modern liberal democracy. Professor Dungey locates the source of this crisis in a fracturing of the tri-partite structure of Liberal Political Philosophy.  This is Part I of a Two Part show.

In a recent, nationally broadcasted speech about the American response to Syria's use of chemical weapons, President Obama said that America is an "exceptional" nation-state. But, what is American Exceptionalism? And, in light of recent foreign events in Egypt and Syria, what is the actual status of American Exceptionalism?

As a follow-up to our discussion about the legality of the NSA spying program, we take a Deeper Dive into the essential and transcendent notion of "executive power" and the critically ambiguous role it plays the creation and maintenance of modern political life. To fully understand the origins and implications of "executive power" we begin with Machiavelli's famous discussion of the Prince who opens and maintains the political space through the terrifying and awe-inspiring "execution." We then trace the way this dark truth of modern political life finds expression in Hobbes, Locke, and the founding fathers. This is a critical discussion for any real understanding of modern power and politics.

Going beyond the ideological blame game over who is responsible for the current government shutdown, Walker and Professor Dungey locate the existential and philosophical dynamics animating the political crisis.

The Legality of the NSA Spying Program

Ever since the disclosure of secret documents detailing the massive and far reaching NSA spy program, especially as it relates to American citizens and domestic channels of communications, a firestorm of controversy has erupted over the legality of the Program. However, this focus on the legality or illegality of the NSA PRISM program is misguidedand for two reasons. 1 - The focus on the question of the legality of the program misdirects our gaze from what is really going. 2 - What is really going on with the debate about the legality and existence of the NSA program is the realization of a dark truth about the theory and operation of MODERN POWER and POLITICAL LIFE.