Posts tagged doubts

Justice Permits No Excuses: PARADISO, Canto IV, Lines 64 - 90

Beatrice takes apart the pilgrim Dante’s second doubt: Is God unjust for relegating Piccarda and Constance to the lowest sphere of heaven? Beatrice launches into a hard, troubling argument about free will . . . and about how your actions are your fault, even when force is used to make you do something.

Paradiso Cantos I - VIIMark ScarbroughOctober 14, 2026Beatrice, the moon, Justice, free will, doubtsComment

Sailing Across The Great Sea of "To Be": PARADISO, Canto I, Lines 94 - 114

Beatrice has answered Dante’s first doubt, but he has another: How can he, perhaps in his body, transit the known universe? She doesn’t really answer the question. Instead, she launches into an explanation of the universe’s order, sailing across the great sea of “to be.”

Paradiso Cantos I - VIIMark ScarbroughAugust 9, 2026Beatrice, mind/body problem, order, doubtsComment

Here are the episodes for the opening cantos of PARADISO. The podcast is currently into Canto III. Because of the way my website is coded, the episodes appear in reverse order. Sorry about that. Scroll through the list to find earlier (or the earliest) episode.