Knowing God, part 2: Knowing the Unknowable God

March 12, 2024 • Nathan Beasley, Daniel Jepsen

How can we know the God who transcends human categories and ways of knowing?

Some thinkers have said that we can only have "negative" knowledge about God: that the only thing we can say of Him is that He is not like the things of this world.

But is it possible to go beyond that, and, if so, how?

This episode also includes a discussion of the following:

How negative theology paved the way for mysticism, both in the western church but especially in the Eastern (Orthodox) church.

The meaning of icons

How analogical knowledge of God works.

How pseudo-Dionysius, Maimonides and Aquinas answered the problem of how we can know God.

The Supposed Rationality of Greek Philosophy

June 19, 2024 • Daniel Jepsen, Nathan Beasley

In this episode, we delve into the early history of Greek philosophy, focusing on the Milesian school. The discussion covers Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes, examining their metaphysical inquiries about the fundamental nature of reality. We also discuss the broader implications of their thinking, such as assumptions about the eternity of matter, the rational comprehensibility of the universe, and the capacity of the human mind to understand it. These foundational ideas are tied to later philosophical developments and contemporary thought.

History of Philosophy, part 2: Thales and Early Greek Thought

June 11, 2024 • Daniel Jepsen, Nathan Beasley

Exploring the Foundations: The Role of Thales in the Birth of Greek Philosophy In this episode, we delve into the history and philosophy, focusing on Thales of Miletus, who is often considered the first philosopher. We review the importance of understanding historical and intellectual contexts and explore Thales' groundbreaking idea that water is the fundamental substance of everything. The discussion touches on critical concepts such as the shapeless stream, fate, and the significance of autonomous human reasoning in the development of philosophy. The episode also examines skepticism and its recurring role in philosophical discourse, setting the stage for future explorations of early Greek philosophers.

History of Philosophy, part 1: Before Philosophy

June 5, 2024 • Daniel Jepsen, Nathan Beasley

"We study history not to remember the past but to understand the present". That is the reason for this series. In this episode we discuss the intellectual seed-bed of the ancient world, especially that of Greece. We begin in Crete, whose Minoan civilization predated and heavily influenced the Grecian culture on the mainland. More specifically we talk about: Who "counts" as philosophers The philosophy and thought of the Minoan civilization The meaning of monism Mysticism in the ancient world The mystery religions and their connection with philosophy How the earliest Greek thought influences our thinking today