Ascend - The Great Books Podcast: Episode Summary Title: Lying as Contraceptive Speech: Lessons from Dante's Inferno
Release Date: April 22, 2025
Hosts: Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan
Guests: Shannon from Catholic Frequency and Sean from Catholic Frequency

Introduction to the Episode

In this thought-provoking episode of Ascend - The Great Books Podcast, hosts Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan delve into the intricate relationship between lying and its broader implications on human intellect and society. Drawing profound lessons from Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, the conversation is enriched by insights from guests Shannon and Sean from Catholic Frequency, both esteemed voices on platform X (formerly Twitter). The episode, titled "Lying as Contraceptive Speech: Lessons from Dante's Inferno," explores how dishonesty undermines our intellectual and communal structures, echoing themes from Western philosophy and Catholic intellectual tradition.

Overview of Dante's Inferno and the Eighth Circle

Deacon Harrison Garlick opens the discussion by contextualizing Inferno, particularly focusing on the eighth circle of Hell, which houses sinners of fraud such as flatterers, fortune tellers, and counterfeiters. He introduces Master Adamo, a counterfeit Florentine, as a symbol of how acting contrary to reason leads to a distorted humanity.

"Master Adamo lies a bloated mass of watery, rotten... he lies blurred himself, a poor counterfeit of his former self." [08:15]

Garlick questions why Dante places fraudulent sinners below more overtly violent ones, asserting that fraud represents a deeper perversion of human intellect.

The Nature of Sin: From Incontinence to Malice

The hosts explore Dante’s hierarchical structure of sin, contrasting sins of incontinence (like lust and greed) with sins of malice (such as violence and fraud). Garlick posits that fraud is more heinous because it corrupts the intellect—the highest faculty of man, aligning with the Catholic principle that the corruption of the best is the worst.

"Fraud is more perverse than violence because it represents an abuse of that which is highest in man, his intellect." [08:15]

The Intelligence and Malice Behind Fraud

Sean from Catholic Frequency emphasizes the grievous nature of lying, labeling it as inherently satanic due to its opposition to the Logos—the divine reason embodied in Christ.

"Lying is effectively the most grievous of sins because it is satanic, the fact that it's contrary to the logos." [08:15]

He draws parallels to Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s observations in The Gulag Archipelago, underscoring that systemic lies fuel dystopian regimes and personal rebellion begins with a refusal to participate in falsehoods.

The Role of Logos in Catholic Thought

Garlick delves deeper into the concept of Logos, explaining its dual meaning as both the ordering principle of the cosmos and human rationality. He references Pope Benedict XVI’s interpretation, highlighting the harmony between Greek philosophical thought and Christian theology.

"Truth, ultimately, is a person that we should know and have a relationship with—Jesus Christ." [18:23]

Sean connects this to Augustine’s journey from Platonic philosophy to understanding Christ as the true Logos, emphasizing that Christianity transforms the abstract concept of truth into a relational, personal experience.

Modern Implications: Liberalism and Contraceptive Speech

The conversation shifts to contemporary society, where Garlick and Sean critique liberalism as the primary vehicle for contraceptive speech—a term they use to describe speech that divorces reality from truth. Sean argues that liberalism, both on the left and the right, reduces man to isolated individuals whose truths are subjective, leading to societal relativism.

"Liberalism reduces man's political capacity and his nature greatly and kind of reduces him to simply an agent of freedom that has to give up certain freedoms to live together." [76:33]

Garlick echoes this sentiment, explaining that liberalism's reductionist anthropology disrupts communal bonds and aligns more with human will than with divine reason.

Contraceptive Speech in Politics and Society

Sean further analyzes how contraceptive speech manifests in politics, describing it as the malleable manipulation of language and definitions that distort objective truths. He criticizes the modern redefinition of terms like "freedom" and "love," arguing that these distortions lead to societal fragmentation and nihilism.

"Our culture has swallowed lies, and our speech becomes sterile, impeding its very purpose of sharing truth." [54:44]

Shannon contributes by highlighting societal examples, such as political figures refusing to provide clear answers, thereby perpetuating dishonesty and division.

"We're asked to lie. We're asked to look at Master Adamo and say, 'All is well,' even when it isn't." [58:14]

The Role of Speech and Rhetoric

Garlick emphasizes that speech is inherently purpose-driven (telos), meant to convey truth. Lying subverts this purpose, rendering speech contraceptive—sterile and divorced from reality.

"The purpose of speech is truth... when you lie, you hinder speech from fulfilling its true purpose." [54:44]

He cites Aristotle’s definition of Logos in rhetoric as an appeal to intellect and contrasts it with the manipulative rhetoric celebrated in Plato’s Gorgias. The hosts argue that true rhetoric should align with philosophical truths to foster a well-ordered society.

Hope and Redemption: Lessons from Dante

Despite the bleak portrayal of fraud, the episode concludes on a note of hope. Garlick references the final silence of Satan in Dante’s Inferno as a metaphor for the ultimate futility of lies. He suggests that while modern society is entrenched in anti-Logos speech, the inherent truth will ultimately prevail.

"All lies will follow the father of lies into silence, offering a subtle statement of hope that truth shines forth." [98:50]

Sean echoes this optimism, asserting that living in accordance with the Logos—truth—can lead to personal and societal redemption.

"Keep your aim on your relationship with the Logos. The truth shall set you free." [131:47]

Conclusion

This episode of Ascend - The Great Books Podcast masterfully intertwines literary analysis, philosophical discourse, and theological insights to explore the destructive power of lies and the essential role of truth in human flourishing. By drawing lessons from Dante's Inferno and applying them to modern societal issues, Garlick and his guests challenge listeners to reflect on their own speech and its alignment with the divine Logos. The conversation serves as both a critique of contemporary liberalism and a call to embrace truth as a path to genuine freedom and community.

Listeners are encouraged to engage with the podcast further by exploring upcoming episodes on great works like Plato's Dialogues, Homer's Epics, and more, fostering a deeper understanding of the foundational texts that shape Western civilization.

Notable Quotes:

• Deacon Harrison Garlick: "Fraud is more perverse than violence because it represents an abuse of that which is highest in man, his intellect." [08:15]

• Sean from Catholic Frequency: "Lying is effectively the most grievous of sins because it is satanic, the fact that it's contrary to the logos." [08:15]

• Sean from Catholic Frequency: "I will not take a part of the lie was the beginning of the rebellion." [10:16]

• Sean from Catholic Frequency: "Rhetoric divorced from truth is bad because it corrupts your soul, it hurts you, it divorces you from reality." [76:33]

• Shannon from Catholic Frequency: "Liberalism is the dogmatic affirmation of the absolute independence of the individual and of social reason." [124:37]

Resources Mentioned:

• "The Intellectual Life" by Dietrich von Hildebrand
• C.S. Lewis's The Abolition of Man
• Tolstoy's Anna Karenina
• Patrick Deneen's Why Liberalism Failed from Notre Dame
• Ascend's reading guides and upcoming podcast episodes at thegreatbookspodcast.com

Final Thoughts:

Ascend - The Great Books Podcast expertly navigates complex theological and philosophical landscapes, urging listeners to critically assess the integrity of their speech and its alignment with eternal truths. By bridging classical literature with contemporary issues, the podcast not only educates but also inspires a return to authenticity and rational discourse in an age dominated by contraceptive speech.