The Nathan Jacobs Podcast

The Nathan Jacobs Podcast

A philosophy podcast exploring the issues of today.

Episodes

October 2, 2025 94 mins

This episode examines the moral case against polygamy from a natural law and Eastern Orthodox perspective, then addresses why polygamous practices appear in the Old Testament. Dr. Jacobs distinguishes between biological and psychological dimensions of sexual ethics, critiques Thomistic approaches for neglecting reason's role in human sexuality, and argues that ancient Near Eastern circumstances created conditions where polygamy...

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This episode examines the biblical pro...

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September 23, 2025 31 mins

Head to thenathanjacobspodcast.com to snag your membership.

Use code: LEWIS when purchasing a "Fellows" for the founders price.

Orthodox Foundations includes:

1 - Basic Terms & Concepts

2 - The Gospel According to the Eastern Church

3 - Partaking of the Divine Nature “Theosis”

4 - Descent into Hades

5 - How to Embrace the Life That Christ Has Given Us

6 - The Saints & Christ’s Descent into Hades

7 - The 7 Ecumenical Cou...

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Sign up for Jacobs Premium: thenathanjacobspodcast.com


In this postscript to his anthropology and ethics series, Dr. Jacobs examines why people experience discomfort when confronted with moral assessments that challenge their preferred behaviors or beliefs. He draws parallels between objective aesthetics and ethics, arguing that humans possess default intuitions about justice and fairness that create psychological tension when t...

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We dive once more into the differences between Eastern and Western Christianity. This time, Dr. Jacobs tackles the nature-grace divide. He’ll trace how Augustine's anti-Pelagian framework created a nature-grace divide in the Latin West, where human nature is seen as inherently incapable of pleasing God without supernatural assistance. In contrast, the Eastern tradition maintains that humans as icons of God possess a natural con...

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Our culture often frames debates on homosexuality, transgenderism, and abortion as a simple clash between “Christians vs. progressives.” But the real story runs deeper. In this episode, Dr. Nathan Jacobs tackles three of today’s most pressing ethical and cultural issues, examining them through the great traditions of moral philosophy—Natural Law, Deontology, Divine Command Theory, and Utilitarianism.

Dr. Jacobs shows how these syste...

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In this fourth installment of our series on Ethics & Anthropology, Dr. Nathan Jacobs traces the evolution of Realism from ancient philosophy through John Locke and even Woody Allen, asking what this tradition missed about the true nature of reality. How does Christianity reframe the conversation on Realism, and why does it matter for ethics, anthropology, and our understanding of the world?


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In this third installment of our four-part (or 5-part 😬) series on Ethics & Anthropology, Dr. Nathan Jacobs explores Moral Philosophy and the enduring debate over Providence vs. Chaos in the history of philosophy and metaphysics. Is history guided by a divine hand, or is it nothing more than accident and chance?


All the links:

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Pod...

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What happens when morality is unmoored from its metaphysical foundations? In part two of the Anthropology series, Dr. Nathan Jacobs traces the slow unraveling of moral philosophy—from its classical roots in virtue and teleology to its modern preoccupation with utility and consequence.


All the links:

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple....

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Dr. Jacobs explores how ancient pagan philosophers understood human nature and the good life, examining key thinkers from Plato and Aristotle to the Stoics and Epicureans. The discussion covers metaphysical dualism, the nature of the soul, and competing views on happiness and virtue. This is a series on anthropology, part 1 of 4. 


00:00:00 Intro 

00:07:04 Metaphysical dualism

00:09:25 Empedocles 

00:10:33 Plato 

00:14:29 Pantheism 

00:15...

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Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ course Intro to Philosophy: https://myprofer.com/

   📚 Click “Join as a student”

   📚 Fill out registration 

   📚 Verify your email 

   📚 Navigate to “Course Registration” in the side menu

   📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 

   📚 Auditors can register immediately 

   📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for approval before registration


   📖 $175 audit  

   🎓$400 college credit


D...

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Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ course Intro to Philosophy: https://myprofer.com/

   📚 Click “Join as a student”

   📚 Fill out registration 

   📚 Verify your email 

   📚 Navigate to “Course Registration” in the side menu

   📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 

   📚 Auditors can register immediately 

   📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for approval before registration


   📖 $175 audit  

   🎓$400 college credit


D...

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Follow Dr. Dell on Instagram @dr.adamdell

 

Dr. Dell’s book discussed on the podcast has not yet been released, but we will try to get him back on the podcast when it is! 


 Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ course Intro to Philosophy: https://myprofer.com/

   📚 Click “Join as a student”

   📚 Fill out registration 

   📚 Verify your email 

   📚 Navigate to “Course Registration” in the side menu

   📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 

   📚 A...

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Find Fr. De Young on his podcast: https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/lordofspirits/


Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/

   📚 Click “Join as a student”

   📚 Fill out registration 

   📚 Verify your email 

   📚 Navigate to “Course Registration” in the side menu

   📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 

   📚 Auditors can register immediately 

   📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for a...

Mark as Played

Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/

   📚 Click “Join as a student”

   📚 Fill out registration 

   📚 Verify your email 

   📚 Navigate to “Course Registration” in the side menu

   📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 

   📚 Auditors can register immediately 

   📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for approval before registration


   📖 $300 audit  

   🎓$500 college credit 


Substack art...

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Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/

   📚 Click “Join as a student”

   📚 Fill out registration 

   📚 Verify your email 

   📚 Navigate to “Course Registration” in the side menu

   📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 

   📚 Auditors can register immediately 

   📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for approval before registration


   📖 $300 audit  

   🎓$500 college credit


Ep. 12 The AI...

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Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/

   📚 Click “Join as a student”

   📚 Fill out registration 

   📚 Verify your email 

   📚 Navigate to “Course Registration” in the side menu

   📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 

   📚 Auditors can register immediately 

   📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for approval before registration


   📖 $300 audit  

   🎓$500 college credit 


Part 1 on Pe...

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Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/

   📚 Click “Join as a student”

   📚 Fill out registration 

   📚 Verify your email 

   📚 Navigate to “Course Registration” in the side menu

   📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 

   📚 Auditors can register immediately 

   📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for approval before registration


📖 $300 audit  

🎓$500 college credit  


The Most Importan...

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Cliffe & Stuart Knechtle Episode: https://youtu.be/ZSf7o3Jel_g


Dr. Jacobs compares how Eastern and Western Christianity understand Christ's death on the cross, examining the theological differences that emerged over centuries. The discussion traces the Western development from Augustine through the Protestant Reformers and their focus on penal substitution, while exploring Eastern perspectives from church fathers like Gr...

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Read the original letter: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/to-a-woman-who-lost-several-children


In this episode, Dr. Jacobs reads aloud a deeply personal letter written to "Etheline," a woman who had lost several children and sought theological perspective on suffering. The letter explores three key Eastern patristic doctrines: the distinction between God's antecedent and consequent will, the doctrine of synerg...

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