Feasts of Reason

Matt Ward

Lively, respectful discussions even when, especially when, there's disagreement. No shouting, no talking over each other, no straw man or ad hoc arguments. Reason baby, it's what's for dinner! To learn more about New Atenism please visit our website,

Episodes

  1. May 8

    Can reason prove God exists — or does it just create better beliefs?

    This conversation with Philosopher Dylan Shaul delves into the importance of philosophy and its role in answering fundamental questions about the universe, human existence, and the nature of reality. It explores the distinction between philosophy, religion, and art in addressing these questions and discusses the limits of empirical observation in understanding metaphysical truths. We also touched on the challenge of induction and the role of reason in arriving at metaphysical truths. The conversation delves into metaphysical concepts like the existence of God. It explores the ontological argument, the definition of God, Spinoza's pantheism, and the dispute of verbal disagreement. The attributes of thought and extension, the root of thinking and extension in German idealism, and the unconditioned and the good are also discussed. The conversation concludes with an exploration of the argument for the existence of God and the definition of God. Takeaways Philosophy as the Love of WisdomThe Role of Reason in Metaphysical Truths Metaphysical conceptsGod's existenceSpinoza's philosophy Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Philosophy and Its Importance08:01 Philosophy, Religion, and Art: Different Approaches to Fundamental Questions13:12 Metaphysical Truths and the Limits of Empirical Observation23:00 The Challenge of Induction and the Role of Reason in Metaphysical Truths44:25 The Ontological Argument and God Ideas49:27 Spinoza's God Idea and Humility55:11 The Unconditioned and the Good

    1h 22m
  2. May 1

    Can Science Create Peace? 5-Time Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Dr. Zafra Lerman

    Can science succeed where politics fails? In this episode of Feasts of Reason, I speak with Dr. Zafra Lerman — chemist, educator, human rights advocate, and founder of the Malta Conferences Foundation. For more than two decades, Zafra has brought together scientists from across the Middle East — including Israelis, Palestinians, Iranians, Jordanians, Egyptians, and others — to collaborate across some of the world’s deepest political, religious, and cultural divides. Her work has earned multiple nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and offers a powerful answer to one of the central questions of our time: How do we rebuild trust in a world driven by tribalism, propaganda, and polarization? We discuss: • Why science creates trust where politics often fails • The hidden social architecture of peacebuilding • Why “people who know each other cannot be enemies” • Human rights, Cold War Soviet dissidents, and risking arrest by the KGB • Why scientists have moral responsibilities beyond the lab • Creating a “critical mass” of scientists for peace #ScienceDiplomacy #MiddleEastPeace #Reason #HumanRights #NewAtenism #FeastsOfReason #ZafraLerman #MaltaConferences #Peacebuilding #CriticalThinking   For more information about New Atenism: https://newatenism.org/ Dr. Lerman’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Human-Rights-Peace-Zafra-Lerman/dp/9815129724/ref=sr_1_2?crid=138IJLD4LJH0I&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.TW6NIoQQRh7nmBN7xksItuGuUMZm_Svk1Hkxi6EL0N6BHqnwVYdW9Xq1jIxxvNM1gjPHXmAyPgGEdqW4onL7CDPe7YQ-ue9w2QpfM4Bwe1znOD9W7nxZTBftZwnW_SI1xTu9RquFN5cbzQVBbjqHlp2kHVEpNG7Jzf7-Tp767hgwlj0Q2xgfUTDeJMUWzuFuPaegfkfxVZYw6eMkkmtwafjWNMMiOpVrvR9W346st30.2gJ53H5NxAkML75KDPW-EYQLf9tJhxExuxTurQ8h5Fo&dib_tag=se&keywords=zafea+lerman&qid=1777468899&s=books&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=%2Cstripbooks%2C145&sr=1-2 To support the Malta Conferences Foundation: https://www.maltaconferencesfoundation.org/

    59 min

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Lively, respectful discussions even when, especially when, there's disagreement. No shouting, no talking over each other, no straw man or ad hoc arguments. Reason baby, it's what's for dinner! To learn more about New Atenism please visit our website,