Reading · University of Austin

Dr. Catherine Pakaluk on large families, the soulmate era, and how to be excellent.

Catherine Ruth Pakaluk is an American economist and social philosopher at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. She completed her doctoral work in economics at Harvard University under Nobel laureate Oliver Hart. A mother of eight, she collaborates closely, personally, and professionally, with her husband, American philosopher Michael Pakaluk. They split their time between suburban Maryland and New Hampshire’s White Mountains.

This is Episode Eight of The Uncaptive Mind, hosted by UATX Editor-in-Chief Audrey Unverferth. It was recorded last year on September 9, 2025, at UATX.

00:00 — Introduction
00:40 — 'The birth of my eighth child mattered more than my PhD from Harvard'
02:13 — What Americans think of large families today
04:40 — Why aren’t large families seen?
07:19 — Can you afford to have kids?
11:47 — The Soulmate Era
15:53 — What should marriage prioritize?
19:09 — Is Anna Karenina a hero?
22:21 — Great literature
23:37 — Are marriage and children still useful?
26:03 — How to be happy
27:26 — 'I don't want to settle'
28:53 — Utility and wants
32:34 — Europe is dying
33:01 — Advice to college students
38:30 — Why are we having this conversation at UATX?
45:23 — Academic excellence
56:00 — The women quietly defying the birth dearth