The Nathan Jacobs Podcast The Realism of Symbology | A Conversation with Jonathan Pageau
Nov 25, 2025
Jonathan Pageau, an icon carver and host of The Symbolic World, explores the depth of symbology and its connection to reality. He discusses the tension between contemporary art and liturgical practices, revealing how symbols compress meaning and relate to ancient intuitions. Pageau differentiates between symbols as mere fictions and their ontological reality, arguing for a Christian framework that shapes perception. He emphasizes the importance of living symbols authentically and avoiding over-symbolization, making a compelling case for the real power of symbols in our lives.
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From Quiet Revolution To Icon Carving
- Jonathan Pageau describes growing up in Quebec during the Quiet Revolution and moving from Baptist roots toward Eastern Orthodoxy and symbolic art.
- He trained as a liturgical artist, became an icon carver, and later connected with Jordan Peterson which launched his public work.
Symbols As Compressed Structures Of Meaning
- Pageau frames symbology as a form of philosophical realism that identifies pattern and analogy across scales.
- Symbols compress salient facts into patterns that reveal the structure of reality, e.g., the cross as a dense image of meaning.
Symbols Are Both Psychological And Real
- Pageau rejects a strict psychological-only view of symbols and defends their ontological reality.
- He argues symbols must be real because they produce reliable psychological functions and map onto structures outside mere minds.
