Dr. W. Matthews Grant—one of my greatest philosophical inspirations—served as an external examiner for my dissertation defense. Apparently, he didn't beat me up enough the first time, so he returned to the podcast to finish the job. (Okay, it wasn't really that combative. He just wanted to continue our conversation about the dissertation. : ) This was a fun, productive, and wide-ranging discussion. We get into divine simplicity (obviously), God as the ultimate foundation of reality, the principle of sufficient reason, epistemology, metaethics, and more. Consider this Dissertation Defense, Part II. ; )

For more philosophy content, head over to my Substack at https://journalofabsolutetruth.substack.com/

Pat is interviewed by Jake Buscher about his disseration (and other things).

Pat and Ethan discuss Hell.

Dr. Gaven Kerr returns to the podcast to discuss his recent editted volume Thomism Revisited: https://amzn.to/4m3Z4Jx

For more philosophy content, head to Pat's Substack: https://journalofabsolutetruth.substack.com/

Dr. Robert Koons has two forthcoming books on Aquinas's Five Ways—one popular, one academic—so we spend this episode walking through how he understands and defends each of the Five Ways, and why they're far more philosophically interesting than they're usually given credit for.

For more philosophy content, check out Pat's Substack at https://journalofabsolutetruth.substack.com/

Pat talks with philosopher Dr. Tim Pawl, author of Jesus and the Genome, about the theological and philosophical challenges raised by evolutionary biology and how Christians can think clearly about them.

Jesus and the Genome: https://amzn.to/4il5Ys8

Tim on Substack: https://pawlineepistles.substack.com/

Pat on Substack: https://journalofabsolutetruth.substack.com/

Pat is joined by Suan Sonna and Daniel Vecchio to discuss recent controversies related to capital punishment and magisterial teaching.

Pat's Substack article: https://journalofabsolutetruth.substack.com/p/an-intelligent-catholics-guide-to

Ed Feser's article: https://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/2025/10/fastiggi-and-sonna-on-catholicism-and.html

Dr. Mark Spencer returns to the podcast to discuss natural theology.

Head to Pat's Substack for more: https://journalofabsolutetruth.substack.com/

John DeRosa is launching an online Bible Workshop--and you should join! Here's the link: https://classical-theism-podcast.aweb.page/p/3e983115-1a58-48ed-a9cc-e5b9ef419c28

Dr. Logan Paul Gage joins Pat for a conversation on the thought of John Henry Newman—soon to be declared a Doctor of the Church—with a special focus on his commonsense epistemology and how it compares to modern epistemological projects.

For more philosophy content, head to Pat's Substack: https://journalofabsolutetruth.substack.com/