在节目的第一部分，肯和约翰开始探索宗教和政治思想，这些思想激励了林肯的行动以及他的言论背后的哲学。约翰质疑林肯葛底斯堡演说的修辞、他发动战争的决定以及他对奴隶制的理解。我们对林肯的大部分了解都陷入了矛盾之中:他相信政府是由人民来管理的，但却决定将我们的国家带入战争以维护联邦，他个人的世俗主义(或者甚至是无神论)在这个政治言论中带有深刻的宗教主题，他对公民自由的坚定承诺，他暂停了人身保护令，关闭了报纸，并让谢尔曼参加了他那臭名昭著的穿越格鲁吉亚的游行。这个列表还在继续，当肯和约翰讨论林肯在做出重大决定时所面临的选择，他对学习的承诺尽管完全没有接受过正规教育，他的哲学和修辞。

Guest Al Gini describes the subtleties of Lincoln’s thinking and the difficulty of getting beyond our 16th President’s iconic status to understand the underpinnings of his philosophy. Gini uncovers Lincoln as an actor whose philosophy was based more on rationalism and a legalistic interpretation of the United States’ founding documents, rather than an idealistic commitment to abolitionism, religion or the Union. Lincoln is exposed as the first true leader of the Industrial Age, whose dedication to personhood and protecting the individual guided his difficult choices through a bloody war and a strained and bitter peace.

• Roving Philosophical Report(Seek to 4:53): April Dembosky interviews Kevin Weiner, who plays Lincoln for 3rd graders, about Lincoln's personality, humor, philosophy about slavery and political identity.

• 60 Second Philosopher(Seek to 48:30): Ian Shoales takes on two icons of Satire in Lincoln’s time: Artemus Ward and Petroleum V. Nasby