Explore the significance of conscience, prudence, and natural law in decision-making. Delve into moral norms, freedom, and the philosophical basis of conscience. Understand the complexity of moral decision-making and the nature of actions. Learn about the obligations of conscience, forming one's conscience, and making informed decisions. Dive into the concept of natural law, seeking truth, and navigating moral complexity through virtue and prudence.

Debates on truth in morality, challenges of empirical testing for moral judgments, survival vs. moral goodness, Aristotle's perspective on virtue, and the impact of positivism on defining truth are explored in a thought-provoking discussion on ethics and philosophy.

Guest Joshua Hochschild, Professor of Philosophy and Director of Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Mount St. Mary's University, explores the relationship between natural law and the U.S. Constitution, discussing topics such as Locke's conception of natural law, the existence of a higher law, and the nature of law according to Aquinas. The podcast also delves into the historical development of natural law and different interpretations of the founding of the United States in light of natural law.

Prof. Joshua Hochschild discusses Wendell Berry's environmental philosophy, emphasizing virtues like stewardship and piety. They explore the interconnectedness between humans and nature, the significance of storytelling and sacred scripture, and how Catholic social teaching addresses environmental care within divine providence.

Joshua Hochschild, a Professor of Philosophy at Mount St. Mary's University, delves into marriage as a natural community and the philosophical foundations of human interactions. He contrasts Aristotle's views on natural versus artificial communities with modern social contract theory. Hochschild discusses how technology impacts relationships, highlighting the risk of detachment in communication. He draws parallels between Aristotle's insights on community, politics, and the essential virtues for meaningful relationships, emphasizing a moral order in our social fabric.

Delve into philosophical teachings on friendship with insights from Plato, Aristotle, and Christian perspectives. Explore the essence of true friendship, ethical principles, and the challenges of forming relationships in the digital age. Reflect on the impact of friends on character development and navigating friendships during religious conversion.

Prof. Joshua Hochschild discusses Aquinas' perspective on skepticism and faith in God. They explore Aristotle's epistemology, skepticism, and the importance of diverse modes of learning. The podcast delves into the limits of social science, domain-specific knowledge, and Aquinas' emphasis on reason in Christianity.

Prof. Joshua Hochschild dives into St. John Henry Newman's critique of liberalism and knowledge, exploring its impact on human understanding of truth. They discuss liberalism's providential purpose in politics, the complexity of human knowledge and faith, and the impact of liberalism and Vatican II on the church's evolution.

Prof. Joshua Hochschild discusses Wendell Berry's political philosophy and Catholic social teachings. They explore themes in 'That Hideous Strength', Catholic social teaching responses to modernity, heavenly hierarchy in Christianity, challenges in university education, and fighting oil and gas interests. Emphasis on defending community, waste reduction, and balancing conflicting interests in modern institutions.

Renowned scholar Joshua Hochschild explores divine naming and analogy in St. Thomas Aquinas' theology, discussing concepts of linguistic and metaphysical analogy, proportional likeness, realism in semantics, evolving meanings, truth-maker theory, negative truths, and SCOTUS concerns about shared meaning in analogy construction.