In this third installment of our four-part (or 5-part 😬) series on Ethics & Anthropology, Dr. Nathan Jacobs explores Moral Philosophy and the enduring debate over Providence vs. Chaos in the history of philosophy and metaphysics. Is history guided by a divine hand, or is it nothing more than accident and chance?

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X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

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Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

What happens when morality is unmoored from its metaphysical foundations? In part two of the Anthropology series, Dr. Nathan Jacobs traces the slow unraveling of moral philosophy—from its classical roots in virtue and teleology to its modern preoccupation with utility and consequence.

All the links:

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

00:00:00 Intro 

00:05:22  Pagan philosophy and human polarities

00:35:38 Augustine and the Nature-Grace Divide

00:55:06 Medieval faculty psychology: intellect and will

01:04:52 From Medieval Scholasticism to Modern Philosophy

01:11:56 The rise of empiricism and materialism

01:29:46 The empiricist challenge to Providence 

01:41:18 Contemporary culture's nominalist foundation

01:47:53 The hedonistic definition of happiness 

01:52:47 Modern anomalies in historical perspective 

02:02:05 Passion over reason 

Dr. Jacobs explores how ancient pagan philosophers understood human nature and the good life, examining key thinkers from Plato and Aristotle to the Stoics and Epicureans. The discussion covers metaphysical dualism, the nature of the soul, and competing views on happiness and virtue. This is a series on anthropology, part 1 of 4. 

00:00:00 Intro 

00:07:04 Metaphysical dualism

00:09:25 Empedocles 

00:10:33 Plato 

00:14:29 Pantheism 

00:15:03 Heraclitus 

00:18:52 Evil is a privation or distortion 

00:22:13 The human experience of polarity 

00:27:24 Four levels of discourse 

00:33:46 Manichaeism & Gnosticism (extreme metaphysical dualism)

00:37:15 Plato & Socrates’ nature of the soul 

00:54:35 The body and the afterlife 

01:00:27 Epicureanism 

01:08:31 Happiness and pleasure 

01:14:43 The ethics of the stoics 

01:37:29 The ethics of Plato and Aristotle 

Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ course Intro to Philosophy: https://myprofer.com/

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Dr. Jacobs examines how different traditions understand the Eucharist, transubstantiation. consubstantiation, and real presence. He explores the Orthodox concept of the divine energies through communion and discusses how Eucharistic participation connects to broader questions of transformation and cultural renewal, and how to harness the transformative power of the Eucharist. 

All the links: 

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

00:00:00 Intro 

00:02:58 What is transubstantiation? 

00:11:57 What is consubstantiation? 

00:18:29 The problem with transubstantiation 

00:23:40 The problem with consubstantiation 

00:32:02 Memorialist, reformed, and real presence views

00:35:30 Imbibing the energies of God 

00:44:49 The doctrine of resurrection 

00:52:21 Transelementalism 

00:58:39 God communicates holiness 

01:02:13 Problems with evidentialist apologetics

01:13:52 Transformation of culture

01:22:33 Why don’t we see more transformations? 

Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ course Intro to Philosophy: https://myprofer.com/

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Dr. Jacobs explores the foundations of Eucharistic doctrine, examining the most prominent sacramental views, and the relationship between Christ's divine and human natures. The discussion covers divine attributes, divine simplicity as understood by the Eastern Fathers, and the Incarnation. This episode establishes the groundwork for understanding Eastern versus Western approaches to sacramentalism.

All the links: 

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

00:00:00 Intro 

00:07:58 Various views of the Eucharist 

00:13:20 Christ’s divinity, humanity, and the Eucharist

00:23:44 What are divine attributes? 

00:46:49 The Eastern Fathers on divine simplicity

01:00:47 The Incarnation 

01:07:36 Alchemy, transubstantiation, consubstantiation, and real presence

Follow Dr. Dell on Instagram @dr.adamdell

Dr. Dell’s book discussed on the podcast has not yet been released, but we will try to get him back on the podcast when it is! 

 Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ course Intro to Philosophy: https://myprofer.com/

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00:00:00 Intro 

00:07:01 What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)? 

00:18:30 Metaphysics and therapy

00:30:36 The 6 core principles of ACT 

00:43:24 Some examples 

00:55:42 The importance of confession 

01:17:59 The self — Eastern church fathers vs ancient philosophers 

01:33:24 Resonance with the Orthodox Church 

01:45:26 Are the principles of ACT rooted in reality? 

01:50:50 The ideal role of a therapist vs a priest 

02:25:17 Improving therapy 

Find Fr. De Young on his podcast: https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/lordofspirits/

Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/

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Dr. Jacobs talks with Fr. Stephen De Young about some of the stranger parts of David's story that don't make it into Sunday school lessons. They talk about why God ordered the destruction of the Amalekites, how giants ended up fighting for the Philistines, and whether David and Goliath were actually related. It's a fascinating look at the biblical world through an Orthodox lens.

All the links: 

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

00:00:00 Intro 

00:02:53 David as an outcast 

00:14:50 The preserved traditions surrounding David 

00:23:59 Taking text and tradition to turn it into story 

00:31:27 Sunday school David — fact or fiction? 

00:51:14 The destruction of the Amalekites 

01:15:39 Samuel 

01:23:57 Divine regret and foreknowledge 

01:32:40 Are David and Goliath cousins? (And other relational questions regarding giants) 

01:46:29 How did the giants end up amongst the Philistines? 

01:57:41 David existed in a post-apocalyptic time 

02:08:25 Magic and divination in the traditions of David

Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/

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Substack article: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/does-jesus-claim-to-be-god?r=r1mfj

Begotten Not Made Part 1: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/creed-0?r=r1mfj

Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/

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Ep. 12 The AI Episode: https://youtu.be/4hcTK9ye0KE

Ep. 09 The Case for Realism: https://youtu.be/tmFTsJRs5dg  

Ep. 29 Man’s Place in the Cosmos: https://youtu.be/uohc2aWOJbw

Another round of some of our favorite and underrated episode endings that you may have missed. We’ll dive into AI and consciousness, why Christianity is committed to philosophical realism, and an exploration of nostalgia through philosophical and theological lenses. 

All the links: 

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

00:00:00 Intro

00:2:03 Is AI conscious? What is Mind? 

00:38:05 Christianity is a realist religion. 

01:11:07 Man is a microcosm for all God’s creations & how God interacts with the world 

Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/

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   📖 $300 audit  

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Part 1 on Penal Substitution: https://youtu.be/WHx21LQncFI

Dr. Jacobs continues his examination of Eastern and Western atonement theology by analyzing key theological concepts through both traditions' interpretive lenses. The episode explores how East and West understand sin, wrath, and Christ's role as mediator, and finally, addressing the philosophical problems Dr. Jacobs identifies with penal substitution theory. 

00:00:00 Intro 

00:13:54 Delineating the Latin West / Christian East

00:20:07 Roadmap for the episode 

00:26:31 Interpretive lenses when reading scripture or the church fathers 

00:32:30 “Sin” East and West 

00:36:44 “Wrath” East and West

00:44:53 “Mediator” East and West 

00:59:32 Anachronism in reading biblical text (Leviticus 16) 

01:05:23 Other language in scripture 

01:11:05 The debtor metaphors relating to Christ

01:14:48 What are we made to become? 

01:35:40 Penal substitution is philosophically problematic — Justice & Mercy 

01:47:57 Problem 2 — “I love Jesus, but God the Father is terrifying”

01:52:38 Christ & the torments of Hell

01:56:38 How could anyone else be condemned? 

02:03:13 Does retributive justice set the world right?