The Nathan Jacobs Podcast The Case for Realism | Confessions of a Former Nominalist
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Jul 18, 2024 Delve into the dynamic clash between realism and nominalism, exploring how our views shape our understanding of reality. Discover a personal philosophical journey that critiques epistemology and highlights the vital link between mind and existence. Uncover the chaos versus order debate, which argues for inherent laws over randomness. Dive into ancient creation narratives and their theological significance in shaping contemporary Christian thought. Finally, analyze the Arian dispute, showcasing how foundational beliefs influence metaphysics and theology.
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Realism's Importance
- The question of realism is the most important question in the history of ideas.
- Getting it right leads to getting everything else right, while getting it wrong leads to getting everything else wrong.
Journey to Realism
- Dr. Jacobs's journey from nominalism to realism began with studying Augustine and the history of Christian thought.
- He became cynical due to philosophical influences on historical Christianity and a disconnect between the God of philosophers and the God of the Old Testament.
Nominalism's Limits
- Nominalism struggles with concepts of properly formed and malformed states.
- Dr. Jacobs realized this while working on a philosophical project.