Brooks Robinson

Jay Dyer on Tucker Carlson: How Medieval Philosophy Nominalism created modern transgender ideology: “Nominalism is the idea that there are only names to things, not essences. So there’s no human nature. No dog nature. The ancient world believed things have real essences. Words described metaphysical reality. Occam started denying that. It influenced Luther. Then Hume, Kant, the Enlightenment… If things don’t have essences, then they don’t have genders objectively — everything is just a name. So I can just name myself he, him, Zer, Z. That’s the logical train from medieval philosophy to postmodern gender ideology. It flies in the face of lived experience. You basically have to be indoctrinated to believe it.”

Peter Kreeft is little known among non-Catholics. But every non-Catholic would do well to familiarize with him. He's a beautiful soul. An unassuming treasure. A friend to everyone.

A few quotes from Basil: The hearers taught in the Scriptures ought to test what is said by teachers and accept that which agrees with the Scriptures but reject that which is foreign. (Basil, Moralia, 72:1) If custom is to be taken in proof of what is right, then it is certainly competent for me to put forward on my side the custom which obtains here. If they reject this, we are clearly not bound to follow them. Therefore let God-inspired Scripture decide between us; and on whichever side be found doctrines in harmony with the word of God, in favor of that side will be cast the vote of truth. (Basil, Ep. ad Eustathius, NPNF II, 8:229) We ought carefully to examine whether the doctrine offered us is conformable to Scripture, and if not, to reject it. Nothing must be added to the inspired words of God; all that is outside Scripture is not of faith, but is sin. (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series: Prolegomena, 2. Work, 3. Ascetic (iii).) Be careful when you see counter citations, such as Basil, Epistle 51.2, where he writes, "To refuse to follow the Fathers, not holding their declaration of more authority than one's own opinion, is conduct worthy of blame, as being brimful of self-sufficiency." The context were individuals who were uncomfortable using the term homoousios. This was written in 370, so the memory of Ariminum and Sirmium was still fresh. All that Basil said must be taken into account to represent him fairly. Fair Protestants can allow him to be the product of his time. RCs and EOs will be forced to make him speak as they speak.