199 – Getting Friendly with John von Heyking
- Josh Lewis
- Apr 7
- 2 min read
Friendship is one of the last words you might associate with politics these days. Yet John von Heyking believes recovering a proper, classical understanding of friendship is precisely what our civic order needs to function. Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis and John discuss the differences in how the ancients and medievals viewed friendship and how it’s been undervalued by us moderns. They also discuss the important need for civic education and why America has to import Canadians like John to teach American civics.
About John von Heyking
Bio from Arizona State University
John von Heyking is Associate Director and Professor at the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University, where he teaches courses in political philosophy. He is author of Comprehensive Judgment and Absolute Selflessness: Winston Churchill on Politics as Friendship (2018), The Form of Politics: Aristotle and Plato on Friendship (2016), and Augustine and Politics as Longing in the World (2001). He has coedited numerous volumes including two volumes of the Collected Works of Eric Voegelinand, most recently, Friendship Studies: Politics and Practices Across Cultures (2024). He has published scholarly articles on topics including liberal and civic education, friendship, personhood, resistance to totalitarianism, cosmopolitanism, empire, Islamic political thought, punishment, and religious liberty. His scholarly essays and articles have appeared in numerous volumes and journals, including Cambridge Journal of China Studies, Review of Politics, History of Political Thought, Supreme Court Law Review, Perspectives on Political Science, Political Science Reviewer, History of Human Sciences, International Political Anthropology, and the University of British Columbia Law Review. His popular writing has been published by Finest Hour, Voegelinview, American Oxonian, Globe and Mail, Calgary Herald, C2C: Canada's Journal of Ideas, Troy Media, and Convivium.
Transcripts
Enjoy these podcast conversations but prefer to read them instead of listening to a podcast? Episode transcripts are now available here: https://www.savingelephantsblog.com/blog/categories/transcripts
A thoughtful episode that explores the idea of friendship through a philosophical and political lens. The conversation with John von Heyking is engaging and reflective, showing how classical concepts can still shape modern civic life. It encourages deeper thinking about how relationships influence public discourse. cartoon illustrator near me adds an interesting contrast between intellectual ideas and everyday creative work.
I really like your informative post about friendship and politics. It is interesting how ancient ideas about friendship can still teach us something today. I have been so busy with my dissertation that I have had no time to read philosophy for fun. My writing was stuck until a friend told me I could pay someone to do my dissertation with simple guidance. That support helped me finish my work. Now I finally have time to enjoy reading again. That balance has made me much happier. Nice Post
This discussion offers a refreshing perspective on how friendship can shape political and civic life. The connection between classical ideas and modern challenges is thought provoking. The current educational environment shows students who experience academic pressure because of modern life, yet they need to understand this, so they require online class time to study.