This episode's mature themes may not be suitable for children. Catholic philosopher and epistemologist, Dr. Trent Dougherty, joins Pints to tackle the age-old question: what does it even mean to know something? The conversation weaves between rigorous philosophical debate - Descartes, Gettier, justified true belief and vulnerable personal territory where Dougherty shares his battles with the inner demons that plagued his pursuit of success.

Ep. 571

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📚 Resources Mentioned:

Books
• Introduction to the Devout Life by Saint Francis de Sales https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Devout-Life-Image-Classics/dp/0385030096
• The Problem of Animal Pain by Trent Dougherty https://www.amazon.com/Problem-Animal-Pain-Creatures-Philosophy/dp/0230368484
• The Discarded Image by C.S. Lewis https://www.amazon.com/Discarded-Image-Introduction-Renaissance-Literature/dp/1107604702
• The Four Cardinal Virtues by Josef Pieper https://www.amazon.com/Four-Cardinal-Virtues-Josef-Pieper/dp/0268001030
• Spiritual Exercises by Ignatius of Loyola https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Exercises-St-Ignatius-Loyola/dp/0895550555
• The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis https://www.amazon.com/Imitation-Christ-Thomas-Kempis/dp/0385302754
• Against Heresies by Irenaeus (Church Fathers) https://www.amazon.com/Against-Heresies-Irenaeus-Lyons/dp/1614279551

Debates / Conversations
• The Bertrand Russell vs. Frederick Copleston Debate (1948 BBC) https://www.ditext.com/russell/debate.html
• Trent Dougherty and Tom Jump YouTube Conversation https://youtu.be/qw-ihYHwYUA?si=fEaxOKlwS_FOM4X_

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⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 Intro and Why Epistemology Matters
02:52 Solipsism, the Void, and the Problem of Other Minds
07:16 Descartes Reconsidered: Starting From Within
14:34 What Is Belief? Breaking It Down From First Principles
16:35 The Gettier Problem and the Death of "Justified True Belief"
25:14 How Evidence Accumulates: Probability, Testimony, and Medieval Law
31:06 Why Christians Hold Their Faith to an Unfair Standard
44:07 Lewis Carroll, Modus Ponens, and the Bedrock of All Reasoning
56:15 Skepticism Is a Failure of Nerve
01:04:39 Dougherty's Conversion: Hearing the Gospel for the First Time
01:09:59 How an Atheist Teacher Armed Dougherty With the Tools to Defend His Faith
01:14:31 The Great Reversal: How Analytic Philosophy Ended Up Proving God
03:01:37 Forget "Knowledge," Just Follow the Evidence

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