Welcome back to the Signature of Man, a podcast dedicated to pursuing truth in the philosophy of art and beauty.

This is Episode 12 of the Signature of Man podcast and I’m your host Miguel Benitez Jr. In this episode I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Noel Carroll.

Noël Carroll is a distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the CUNY (City University of New York) Graduate Center. He is known as one of the most important contemporary figures in Philosophy of Art. Dr. Carroll has a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Illinois and a  Ph.D. in Cinema Studies from New York University.

In this episode, Dr. Carroll and I discussed the relationship between art and morality.

Welcome back to the Signature of Man, a podcast dedicated to pursuing truth in the philosophy of art and beauty.

This is Episode 11 of the Signature of Man podcast and I’m your host Miguel Benitez Jr. In this episode I had the opportunity to interview Jacob Beal.

Jacob Beal received his MM in composition from Eastern Washington university and his BA in Ethnomusicology from Moody Bible Institute. His music has been performed by multiple groups in the Pacific Northwest area and he has had one of his pieces premiered in Limerick, Ireland for the choir festival Limerick Sings. He is currently an adjunct music professor at Great Northern University.

In this episode, Jake and I discuss the morality and metaphysics of music. 

Please be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this out on social media. As always, feel free to send any comments or questions to [email protected]

Welcome back to the Signature of Man, a podcast dedicated to pursuing truth in the philosophy of art and beauty.

This is Episode 10 of the Signature of Man podcast and I’m your host Miguel Benitez Jr. In this episode I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Jessica Mecham.

Dr. Mecham is an adjunct professor at BYU-Idaho teaching classes for the music, art, and humanities departments. She recently finished her PhD in Humanities from Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama, by defending her dissertation entitled: “The Eternal World Made Flesh: Spiritual and Religious Implications in Abstract Art.” She has a Master’s degree from Northwestern University in Music History and Literature and a Master’s of Library and Information Sciences from Brigham Young University. In addition to teaching at BYUI starting in 2002, she has also taught at College of Southern Idaho and Salt Lake Community College. She has four children ages 18 to 29 and has been married to Bryce Mecham for 31 years. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, hiking, cooking, and reading.  

In this episode, Jessica and I discuss abstraction and religion in art. Jessica also makes a case for greater acceptance of abstract art in Christian communities. 

Welcome back to the Signature of Man, a podcast dedicated to pursuing truth in the philosophy of art and beauty.

This is Episode 9 of the Signature of Man podcast and I’m your host Miguel Benitez Jr. In this episode I had the opportunity to interview Michael Jahosky. Due to my posting this interview on multiple platforms, I introduced Michael at the beginning of our discussion, so I won’t do that here. 

In this episode Michael and I discuss the idea of myth, parable, and allegory in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. We then conclude by discussing some implications of Michael’s research for the philosophy of art.

Be sure to check out Michael's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Good-News-Return-King-Middle-earth/dp/1725263165/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=michael+jahosky&qid=1611513155&sr=8-1

See Michael's Website here: https://lastdunadancom.wordpress.com/

This is Episode 8 of the Signature of Man podcast and I’m your host Miguel Benitez Jr. In this episode I had the opportunity to interview Rachel Shockey.

Rachel is a visual artist specializing in oil and watercolor painting. She is also a graphic and commercial designer, an illustrator, a copywriter, and a Christian apologist.

Rachel earned an M.A. in Christian Apologetics with highest honors from the Talbot School of Theology at Biola University (La Mirada, CA) in 2019. Her master’s thesis, The Intersection of Christian Apologetics and the Arts: The Power of the Arts to Convey Truth and Change Lives, explores the ability the arts have in conveying truth and their impact on Christian conversions.She also has her B.A. in Contemporary Literary Studies from Warner University. 

In this episode, Rachel and I discuss art as a kind of vehicle for truth and the role art can play in conversions to Christianity. 

You can visit Rachel's Website Here

You can see Rachel's interview with Reasons to Believe Here.

Welcome back to the Signature of Man, a podcast dedicated to pursuing truth in the philosophy of art and beauty.

This is Episode 7 of the Signature of Man podcast and I’m your host Miguel Benitez Jr. In this episode I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Surrendra Gangadean.

Dr. Gangadean has been a philosophy teacher and professor for over 50 years. He earned his B.A.s in Literature and Philosophy from Arizona State University, an M.A. in Literature from Arizona State University, an M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Arizona and a PhD. in Natural Theology. Dr. Gangadean  has also written a book entitled Philosophical Foundation: A Critical Analysis of Basic Beliefs. 

I’d like to take a moment and remind listeners that content on this podcast should not be reproduced and/or sold without my consent or the consent of the guest on the show. 

In this episode Dr. Gangadean and I discussed art and beauty and why seeking a definition of art and resisting skepticism in aesthetics is still a worthy endeavor. 

In this episode I interview Dr. John-Mark Miravalle about his book Beauty: What It Is and Why It Matters. John-Mark Miravalle received his pontifical doctorate from the Regina Apostolorum in Rome, and is associate professor of moral and systematic theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD. He is the author of several books, including Why God? Why Jesus? Why the Catholic Church? ; How to Feel Good and How Not To: the Ethics of using Marijuana, Alcohol, Antidepressants and Other Mood-Altering Drugs ; and Beauty: What it is and Why it Matters. His debates with noted atheists on the topics of God’s Existence, Theistic Morality, and Same-sex marriage are available on YouTube. He and his wife have six children.

John-Mark's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-What-Matters-John-Mark-Miravalle/dp/1622827120/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1KCCXER7CJK3T&dchild=1&keywords=beauty+what+it+is+and+why+it+matters&qid=1594595252&sprefix=beauty+what+it%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-1