The Dialog

For centuries, humanity has wrestled with the nature of truth — from Plato’s “forms” and Aristotle’s “good” to Jesus’ claim, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”In this episode, Nick and Josh trace how the deepest ideas of philosophy and religion reveal the same thing: every search for truth is ultimately a search for God.They discuss Plato’s ideal “form of the good,” Paul’s conversation in Athens, and the ancient Jewish concept of Derek Yahweh — the “way of God.” Then they bring it all together through the lens of Jesus’ promise of living water — a metaphor for the Holy Spirit and the spiritual hunger within every human beingThe Dialog - Episode 5_otter_aiThe Dialog - Episode 5_otter_ai.This is not a lecture — it’s a conversation that moves from philosophy to personal encounter, from the abstract to the alive.Follow Josh Craft on Instagram by clicking hereFollow Nick Surface on Instagram by clicking hereGet more information and get in touch at joshuacraft.com 

In this conversation, Nick and Josh pull on one of the deepest philosophical and spiritual threads in human life: the tension between blame and ownership. From the ancient world to our modern systems of government and welfare, they examine how cultures have drifted from personal responsibility toward collective dependence — and how that shift affects the way we understand poverty, justice, and even discipleship.This isn’t about assigning guilt. It’s about asking: When we stop taking ownership, who really ends up in control? Central QuestionsWhy does blame feel easier than responsibility?What does Jesus’ call to “repent” — to change our thinking — have to do with ownership?How does blaming government, culture, or circumstance quietly strip us of freedom?Can you be materially wealthy but mentally or spiritually poor?What does true compassion look like when it doesn’t remove accountability?Core Ideas & ThemesWhatever You Blame Controls You Blame gives away your agency. Whether it’s the government, your boss, your past, or your parents — the more power you assign outward, the less you hold inward. Ownership, even of pain or failure, is the doorway to freedom.Ignorance and Responsibility As Josh notes, “Ignorance isn’t a defense — not in court, not before God.” The conversation wrestles with whether our society’s obsession with fairness has unintentionally taught us that not knowing or not trying absolves us from consequence.The Shift from Equality to Equity Nick and Josh explore how the modern language of “equity” often masks a deeper problem — a belief that outcomes should be managed for us rather than earned through growth and wisdom.The Poverty of the Mind Drawing from Jesus’ words in Matthew 11, the hosts question whether poverty is more often a mental and spiritual state than a financial one. When Jesus said the gospel was “preached to the poor,” was He changing their circumstances — or their thinking? From Rome to Now: The Loss of Ownership The discussion traces how early Christians shocked the Roman world by taking ownership of care for the weak and abandoned — not because the government told them to, but because they believed it was their divine responsibility. Somewhere along the way, modern culture outsourced that virtue.Follow Josh Craft on Instagram by clicking hereFollow Nick Surface on Instagram by clicking hereGet more information and get in touch at joshuacraft.com 

In this episode of The Dialog, hosts Josh Craft and Nick Surface explore one of the most persistent illusions of modern life — the pursuit of happiness. Is happiness something we can ever truly achieve, or is it the wrong target altogether?Through a thought-provoking blend of Stoic philosophy, biblical truth, and Eastern wisdom, Josh and Nick unpack what it means to stop treating life like a problem to solve and start seeing it as a reality to experience. Drawing on insights from Kierkegaard, Lao Tzu, Romans 8:28, and Epictetus, they confront the modern obsession with control and certainty — and reveal why peace and joy are found not in mastering circumstances, but in mastering the mind.Follow Josh Craft on Instagram by clicking hereFollow Nick Surface on Instagram by clicking hereGet more information and get in touch at joshuacraft.com 

In this episode of The Dialog, hosts Josh Craft and Nick Surface dive into one of the most deceptively simple questions in human history: Is happiness really worth pursuing?From Aristotle’s eudaimonia and Stoic virtue ethics to biblical joy and modern dissatisfaction, this conversation explores how ancient philosophy and timeless Scripture converge on a radically different understanding of happiness. It’s not about chasing feelings — it’s about becoming the kind of person who lives in harmony with truth, virtue, and reason.Drawing on Socrates, Aristotle, Musonius Rufus, and Romans 8, Josh and Nick uncover how logic, faith, and human flourishing all connect — and why joy, not happiness, might be the truer measure of a meaningful life.Follow Josh Craft on Instagram by clicking hereFollow Nick Surface on Instagram by clicking hereGet more information and get in touch at joshuacraft.com 

In the premiere episode of The Dialog, hosts Josh Craft and Nick Surface invite you into a deep, thought-provoking conversation about what it means to seek truth in a world obsessed with being right. Drawing on the timeless wisdom of thinkers like Socrates, Kierkegaard, and Musonius Rufus, they explore how philosophy, theology, and history can illuminate the questions that modern life still hasn’t answered — questions about happiness, purpose, and how to live well.This episode challenges one of the most uncomfortable but liberating truths: growth begins when we realize we’re wrong. Through lively discussion and honest reflection, Josh and Nick show how humility, curiosity, and meaningful dialog are the keys to discovering truth and building a “winning philosophy of life.”Follow Josh Craft on Instagram by clicking hereFollow Nick Surface on Instagram by clicking hereGet more information and get in touch at joshuacraft.com