Jefferson and the Intellectual Origins of the Declaration of Independence

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: 250 Years of the Declaration of Independence · Jul 16, 2026 · 1h 5m · transcript

with Andrew Sola and Prof. Steven Sarson (U. of Lyon)

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

In this episode, we discuss the historical and philosophical origins of the Declaration of Independence.

Topics include:

-an explanation…