Real ANSWERS & Real DRINKS with Professor Jacob | YES or NO

Summary

Summary of "Real ANSWERS & Real DRINKS with Professor Jacob | YES or NO" - The Michael Knowles Show

Release Date: May 26, 2025

In this engaging episode of The Michael Knowles Show, host Michael Knowles teams up with Professor Jacob for a spirited and intellectually stimulating segment titled "Yes or No." The segment functions as a playful yet insightful battle to determine who truly understands the other, blending personal anecdotes, cultural commentary, and philosophical debates.

---

Introduction to the "Yes or No" Game

[00:56] – [02:20]

Michael Knowles introduces the rules of "Yes or No," outlining a friendly competition where both he and Professor Jacob take turns answering binary questions. Each correct guess about the other's response earns points, while incorrect guesses result in point deductions and, humorously, the consumption of a drink. The segment promises high stakes, including playful wagers such as car modifications and cosmetic changes.

---

Setting the Stage: Wagers and Personal Dynamics

[02:20] – [04:19]

The hosts engage in light-hearted banter, establishing their competitive spirits through humorous wagers:

• Michael Knowles: "If I win, that means you lose."
• Professor Jacob: "You gotta pop a 15 milli lip filling."

This exchange sets a jovial tone, emphasizing their camaraderie and mutual respect despite the competitive environment.

Notable Quote:

• Michael Knowles: "And if you lose, I want a Michael Knowles modification to your beloved Camaro."
  [02:18]

---

Navigating Employment and Company Loyalty

[04:19] – [04:47]

The conversation shifts to Professor Jacob's role within The Daily Wire, addressing concerns about job security and internal company dynamics. Professor Jacob reassures his position by highlighting positive relationships within the company, particularly with influential figures like Ben, who likely supports his continued employment.

Notable Quote:

• Professor Jacob: "He [Ben] has no idea that you work for this company. Not one time has he been made aware of your existence."
  [04:34]

---

Personal Relationships and the "Friend Zone"

[14:25] – [17:44]

A pivotal question arises: "Do people who spend 10 years in the friend zone deserve to be there?" This leads Professor Jacob to share a personal story about his own experience being placed in the "brother zone," sparking a discussion on emotional strategies and maturity in romantic pursuits. Michael offers advice to young listeners on navigating similar social dynamics, emphasizing the importance of being forward yet respectful.

Notable Quotes:

• Michael Knowles: "Do people who spend 10 years in the friend zone deserve to be there? Brutal question. This is terrible."
  [14:30]

• Professor Jacob: "My advice is be forward. If it doesn't work out, step back a little bit. Go make somebody out of yourself, and then try again."
  [17:38]

---

Theological Debate: Iconography and Idolatry

[18:33] – [37:56]

A significant portion of the episode delves into a theological discussion about the prohibition of graven images in Judaism versus the use of religious icons in Catholicism. The hosts explore scriptural interpretations from the Ten Commandments, debating the legitimacy and moral implications of religious statues and symbols.

• Professor Jacob argues that any image of God is inherently idolatrous, aligning with strict interpretations of the Ten Commandments.

• Michael Knowles contends that the prohibition targets idolatry, not all forms of representation, distinguishing between respectful iconography and worship.

Notable Quotes:

• Professor Jacob: "Any image of God would be idolatrous."
  [36:35]

• Michael Knowles: "There is no way of avoiding the images. What you don't want to do is mistake the image, the appearance, for the thing itself."
  [29:53]

The discussion also touches on historical contexts, such as the construction of the Ark of the Covenant and its cherubim, and modern parallels in religious practices.

---

Moral Dilemmas: Warfare Ethics

[23:02] – [27:56]

The hosts engage in a deep ethical debate regarding Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of Japan during World War II, versus the decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They weigh the moral implications of targeting civilian populations to potentially shorten the war and save lives.

• Michael Knowles emphasizes the ethical distinction between targeting civilians and combatants, invoking just war theory.

• Professor Jacob argues from a utilitarian perspective, prioritizing American lives and questioning the moral weight of civilians in wartime.

Notable Quotes:

• Michael Knowles: "If you could end a war faster by nuking the entire civilian population of a country... would it be justified?"
  [25:07]

• Professor Jacob: "If I'm going to be the leader of a country... It's war, Michael. They shouldn't have bombed Pearl Harbor."
  [25:20]

---

Rapid Fire: Quick-Response Challenges

[20:54] – [41:11]

The final segment features rapid-fire questions that test the hosts' ability to respond quickly and thoughtfully. Topics range from contemporary social issues to historical events, maintaining the episode's dynamic and engaging pace.

• Sample Questions:
  • "Is playing Fortnite as an adult a turnoff to women?"
  • "Do Jews run Hollywood?"

Notable Quotes:

• Professor Jacob: "Obviously they do. These are the easiest questions. These are so obvious."
  [21:28]

• Michael Knowles: "You just made an image of God, by the way."
  [41:09]

---

Conclusion and Final Remarks

[39:44] – [41:11]

As the game concludes, Michael Knowles celebrates his competitive edge, teasing Professor Jacob about his social media presence and upcoming challenges. The episode wraps up with humorous jabs and a final nod to the themes discussed, leaving listeners with both entertainment and thoughtful contemplation.

Notable Quote:

• Michael Knowles: "Conservatives have been saying it forever, but if you need a reminder, critics of Donald Trump are some of the most dishonest people on the face of the planet."
  [40:23]

---

Key Takeaways and Insights

1. Interpersonal Dynamics: The playful competition between Michael Knowles and Professor Jacob highlights the importance of understanding and anticipating others' perspectives in building strong relationships.

2. Ethical Complexity: The debate on wartime ethics underscores the multifaceted nature of moral decision-making, especially in scenarios involving life-and-death consequences.

3. Religious Interpretations: The theological discussion on iconography reveals the diverse interpretations within religious communities regarding the use of images and symbols, emphasizing the balance between representation and idolatry.

4. Cultural Commentary: Through rapid-fire questions, the hosts address contemporary societal issues, offering conservative viewpoints and challenging prevailing liberal narratives.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Michael Knowles: "Do people who spend 10 years in the friend zone deserve to be there? Brutal question. This is terrible."
  [14:30]

• Professor Jacob: "Any image of God would be idolatrous."
  [36:35]

• Michael Knowles: "There is no way of avoiding the images. What you don't want to do is mistake the image, the appearance, for the thing itself."
  [29:53]

• Professor Jacob: "If I'm going to be the leader of a country... It's war, Michael. They shouldn't have bombed Pearl Harbor."
  [25:20]

• Michael Knowles: "You just made an image of God, by the way."
  [41:09]

---

This episode offers a blend of humor, personal storytelling, and deep philosophical discourse, making it a compelling listen for those interested in conservative perspectives on contemporary and historical issues.

Transcript

[Michael Knowles]

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[Professor Jacob]

Ouch.

[Michael Knowles]

This is a brutal question.

[Professor Jacob]

I need to take a drink before we talk about this.

[Michael Knowles]

Welcome back. Welcome back to yes or no, the bibulous battle to discover who knows whom better. My guest today is Professor Jacob. How do we play? I'll ask the professor a yes or no question. He will select his answer away from my prying eyes. Then I'll guess how he answered. If I guess correctly, I get a point. If I guess incorrectly, I lose a point. No matter what, I will probably drink. Then it's the professor's turn. Neither of us has seen the questions beforehand. Whoever has the most points at the end wins. And the stakes could be higher. Let's get started. I have a wager for you. Okay, first of all, Professor, I'm really glad that they allow underage drinking on this show. Now, that's really great that they're 12 years old. That's outrageous. I'm very pleased that you're here. The audience, I think, mostly knows Professor Jacob. For those who have not followed the lore and the legend, Professor Jacob is my child labor on the show and my associate producer. So here's a wager. If I win, that means you lose.

[Professor Jacob]

That's true.

[Michael Knowles]

And if you lose, I want a Michael Knowles modification to your beloved Camaro.

[Professor Jacob]

Okay. Done.

[Michael Knowles]

Done.

[Professor Jacob]

Done Deal. Okay, but my wager. Yeah, you gotta pop a 15 milli lip filling.

[Michael Knowles]

Oh, kid, don't. I gotta own Manhattan. I'm not young and vibrant like you.

[Professor Jacob]

You put me on him and I surpassed you, so I did. You gotta get on my level now.

[Michael Knowles]

15? That's like a pack of cigarettes at once.

[Professor Jacob]

Might be two, but that's my one.

[Michael Knowles]

All right, whatever. I'm so good at the game. It'll be fine. No big deal. All right. Okay. Man, I really hate that idea. You ready?

[Professor Jacob]

I'm ready.

[Michael Knowles]

So, the rules. If you were a woman, I'd say you go first. But you're not.

[Professor Jacob]

I'M not.

[Michael Knowles]

You're a man. Or you're gonna be a man someday. When is your bar mitzvah?

[Professor Jacob]

It was like, it was, you know.

[Michael Knowles]

What, a few months ago. Okay. All right. Are you ready?

[Professor Jacob]

I'm ready.

[Michael Knowles]

Being a Jew. Wow, that was a nice lead in. You see that?

[Professor Jacob]

Thank you, producers.

[Michael Knowles]

That's talent. Being a Jew at the Daily Wire is a double edged sword because although you will constantly be made fun of, you know you can never be fired, obviously, because we get it. It would work for massads. Very true. Okay. It.

[Professor Jacob]

This is a lot harder than.

[Michael Knowles]

I got it wrong.

[Professor Jacob]

Ah, yes.

[Michael Knowles]

My thought was this. You could be fired. First of all, it was horribly phrased. Being a Jew at the Daily Wire is a double edged sword is technically the thing we're having a referendum on. But it's obviously, could you be fired or not? But these were written by semi literate people, so that's fine. You could be fired because you work for me and I like you somewhat. And. And Ben does not like things that I like. So Ben owning more of the company could fire you.

[Professor Jacob]

Yeah, but I think the question isn't. It would be, does Ben hate things that you like more than he likes me? And I think Ben likes me, and I don't think he would let me get fired.

[Michael Knowles]

Ben has no idea that you work for this company. Not one time has he been made aware of your existence.

[Professor Jacob]

He has specifically talked about me being the only other Jew at the company. So I think that's.

[Michael Knowles]

I know it is true. They say that there are all these Jews around Daily Wire. I am with half the Jews at the Daily Wire right now. Okay. All right.

[Professor Jacob]

It's insane.

[Michael Knowles]

So I have to drink.

[Professor Jacob]

You do have to drink.

[Michael Knowles]

And I might have to do a 50 millili lip peeling and have my entire heart explode.

[Professor Jacob]

It's not looking good for you.

[Michael Knowles]

Uh, okay, you're up.

[Professor Jacob]

Is it wise to trust spiritual advice from a man who is so out of shape that he gets winded blessing his food? Oh, man.

[Michael Knowles]

And you have to guess how I would answer. Is it wise to take spiritual advice from a man who gets winded blessing his food? It is wise. You knew that.

[Professor Jacob]

I just. I mean, you don't. You wouldn't have a podcast if you thought. If you thought that was the rule. I'm just.

[Michael Knowles]

Or maybe I would. I don't ever weigh in on the wisdom of listening to my show. I just do my show.

[Professor Jacob]

I think you've told people it's wise to listen to your show before.

[Michael Knowles]

All right, Maybe I have. Maybe I have.

[Professor Jacob]

I think.

[Michael Knowles]

Do I get winded blessing my food? First of all, Latin is a very complicated language, and some of the words are very long.

[Professor Jacob]

Wouldn't it be a fat person who would get winded? Not a skinny person.

[Michael Knowles]

Sometimes people call us skinny fat because we look nice and thin and hot and sexy, but we don't actually go to the gym or anything like that. But I don't know. I think I'm in great shape. We'll find out if I have to pop that 15. Melee lip, Billy.

[Professor Jacob]

That's true.

[Michael Knowles]

So I get to drink before this prompt is read. Take a look at this video.

[Professor Jacob]

Just like guys. It ends on that frame. That's great.

[Michael Knowles]

So all of those cars, they look kind of similar. So they're different cars, but they all have belonged to you.

[Professor Jacob]

Correct. All five of them.

[Michael Knowles]

You smashed them all up real good.

[Professor Jacob]

Not entirely true. In another one of those videos, a friend of mine was the one behind.

[Michael Knowles]

The smashing it up real good. Yeah. Okay. Of all these moments caught on camera, the last image is the most concerning.

[Professor Jacob]

Interesting.

[Michael Knowles]

You had your girlfriend's name stitched in pink on the headrest in your car.

[Professor Jacob]

Mm.

[Michael Knowles]

And you gotta be truthful in your answers. You gotta be truthful in your answers. You clicked it.

[Professor Jacob]

I clicked it.

[Michael Knowles]

How truthful are you gonna be with me and with yourself?

[Professor Jacob]

Michael, I'm a nice Jewish boy. I am not gonna lie to you. That's not what I do.

[Michael Knowles]

You wrongly said. No, yeah, but wrongly, you said that.

[Professor Jacob]

I mean, listen, I'm a guy in love. I put her name on the headrest. I don't see how that's worse than.

[Michael Knowles]

You don't think.

[Professor Jacob]

Almost dying five times. I think that's a little worse than having a. A girlfriend.

[Michael Knowles]

We all die. Some of us never live. Jacob, are you. Are you. You're gonna. You stitched your girlfriend's name in pink on your cool headrest in your Camaro.

[Professor Jacob]

I want to say a phrase that I know you hate so much.

[Michael Knowles]

What's the phrase?

[Professor Jacob]

Happy wife, happy life. She liked it.

[Michael Knowles]

And because she liked it, yeah, I'm probably going to vomit from the 15mg in that you're going to make me do. But first, I'll have the privilege of vomiting from that nauseating phrase. I hear it all the time. Happy wife, happy life. Which is true. You will have a happy life if your wife is happy. But you don't make your wife happy by simping in this egregious and nauseating way. That's what modern liberalism tells you to do. You know, do women. Do women want a guy who says, oh, hey, honey, I snitched your name on my. Or does a woman want Gary Cooper or Sean Connery, you know, or like.

[Professor Jacob]

That'S not exactly how it went. I mean, think back to World War II.

[Michael Knowles]

Well, she's not your wife. Hold on. Before you. She's not your wife. She's your girlfriend. Your wife. You still shouldn't do it, but it's your girlfriend.

[Professor Jacob]

A man can be optimistic.

[Michael Knowles]

Wow. Do I get to drink for that one?

[Professor Jacob]

You get to.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I'm gonna drink for that one.

[Professor Jacob]

I haven't even drank it. I'm drink. Anyway.

[Michael Knowles]

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[Professor Jacob]

All right. Okay, now we have a video to play first, the question that goes along the. This only happens in a video game, right?

[Michael Knowles]

Wow.

[Professor Jacob]

Wow.

[Michael Knowles]

Is that a.

[Professor Jacob]

That is deep. That is a. We're.

[Michael Knowles]

Hold on. Is the man who wrote these prompts. Not me. Producer Ben Davies wrote these prompts? Is he making a controlled demolition allusion?

[Professor Jacob]

I think he's been spending too much time on X. Wow. That's what I think Mr. Davies is.

[Michael Knowles]

He's been spending too much time on the anti Semitic portion of X, also known as X. What do. So is the question, would the boys do that? Or is the question was 9, 11 and control demolition?

[Professor Jacob]

I think the latter is the question they're trying to ask here.

[Michael Knowles]

Okay.

[Professor Jacob]

You locked it in.

[Michael Knowles]

It's locked in.

[Professor Jacob]

I got it correct.

[Michael Knowles]

You got it correct. I know this is gonna lose me Internet points because all of YouTube is gonna say it's an inside job or whatever. I just don't see it. I don't buy it. I've gone down so many of the rabbit holes. I was skeptical of the theories at first because it was promoted by people who made themselves sound like absolute idiots with that phrase. Jet fuel doesn't melt steel beams. The buildings didn't melt. No one's saying they melted. Why would anyone. Didn't liquefy or anything. So I just. From the start, I said, these are not people dealing with a full deck of cards. But there are all sorts of questions. Well, I mean, like, how'd they find the guys? The passport of the guy. Remember one of the hijackers, they said they found that passport on the sidewalk. I thought it was. I feel like that's so. That's a weird one. You know, I'm not saying there aren't any major geopolitical event. Pearl harbor, for instance. There are all sorts of questions and all kinds of intel reports and all kinds of why didn't. You know? But the idea that they just rigged the thing with explosives and the planes were just like theatrics or something. Shoot me. I don't buy it. Sorry. I know that's unpopular now. I don't buy it.

[Professor Jacob]

They also have to ask the question, why did Al Qaeda claim responsibility and have been doing it consistently so for 24 years, like, that's my biggest thing.

[Michael Knowles]

Because they were hypnotized by George Bush and Colin Powell, and just judging by Twitter, a certain ancient nomadic tribe, I think, convinced them to be Muslim and to claim responsibility.

[Professor Jacob]

It's true. It's true.

[Michael Knowles]

I wish I should have just said I believe in the theories just to get my point. Beck do people who spend 10 years in the friend zone deserve to be there?

[Professor Jacob]

Ouch.

[Michael Knowles]

Here's your answer. Do people who spend 10 years in the friend zone deserve this? Brutal question. This is terrible. Oh, man. Do people who spend 10 years in the friend zone do deserve to be there?

[Professor Jacob]

I need to take a drink before we talk about this. Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

If you say yes, that's kind of a chivalrous. Like, I should have tried harder to pick up my chickie. If you say no, it's kind of like you just didn't see what a giga cool chad said Sigma guy I am.

[Professor Jacob]

So which one do you think I'm. Yeah, that's the question.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, you. You're mogging pretty hard.

[Professor Jacob]

You're staring at a gigachad.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, yeah. Okay, but hold on. You want me to push?

[Professor Jacob]

No, no. I want you to give me, like, some honor and respect in this answer.

[Michael Knowles]

Come on.

[Professor Jacob]

Oh, this 15 milli is gonna be brutal. Oh, dude.

[Michael Knowles]

Dude, I don't exercise.

[Professor Jacob]

Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

You could be taking years off my life. You say no, so you say no. I'm sorry. You say that you did deserve to be in there. I'm sorry that hypothetically, someone would deserve to be in the friend zone. If you were there for 10 years.

[Professor Jacob]

There might be a girl in the audience that put your boy in the friend zone for 10 years. But it worked out. It worked out.

[Michael Knowles]

It worked out.

[Professor Jacob]

I'm gonna call her out. My reasoning for this is, looking back, girls don't put guys in the friend zone that like that. I'm gonna give you my personal anecdote here. I wasn't forward. I intentionally tried to become her friend as a way to try to imagine. It happens. I was 16. That's what happens, you know?

[Michael Knowles]

You thought, I'll pretend to be gay. Yeah, that's the way I. That's my in so bad.

[Professor Jacob]

But actually, it wasn't the friend zone turned into the brother zone. I got called her brother terrible.

[Michael Knowles]

Now you're accusing her of de facto incest.

[Professor Jacob]

That's what I'm saying. It was bad. It went really. It went far. But so what would you do?

[Michael Knowles]

What about the young guys who are watching this show right now who might be in a similar position to you? They're 15, 16 years old. They got the hots for some girl. How do they avoid the mistakes that you made?

[Professor Jacob]

Oh, man. I would tell them. I would tell them, number one, if a girl rejects you, do not say, okay, you want to be best friends. I wouldn't say that. That's terrible. I Wouldn't do that.

[Michael Knowles]

You didn't do that.

[Professor Jacob]

I didn't just say it like that, but I, like, got really close and then, you know.

[Michael Knowles]

So you did. You were forward. You said, hey, honey, you want to go to the sock hop this Friday? Or whatever.

[Professor Jacob]

I expressed interest in it.

[Michael Knowles]

And she said, no, I want to go chill with Gigachad. And then you were like, okay, let's keep chatting them, basically. Wow.

[Professor Jacob]

My advice is be forward. If it doesn't work out, step back a little bit. Go make somebody out of yourself, and then try again. That's what I did.

[Michael Knowles]

Wow.

[Professor Jacob]

And it worked out.

[Michael Knowles]

Become a TikTok star.

[Professor Jacob]

Become a TikTok star. Work for the future president of the United States.

[Michael Knowles]

Stop it. Come on, guys. Michael Knowles, you make me blush. Except I'm too tan right now. So it covers.

[Professor Jacob]

And then final step is get on yes or no with it, and then you'll.

[Michael Knowles]

That's it. And that will truly end your relationship in the moment. Okay. Would it be unchivalrous to tell the audience which one is your girlfriend?

[Professor Jacob]

She's going to get mad at me.

[Michael Knowles]

But would it be unchivalrous if I.

[Professor Jacob]

I don't think it would be unchivalrous. Give her the spotlight. She deserves it.

[Michael Knowles]

All right, Justin, do you want to say. Is that. Is it of headrest fame? We have destiny right over there. Wow.

[Professor Jacob]

I made it out.

[Michael Knowles]

Was that good advice?

[Professor Jacob]

Feels really good advice.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Professor Jacob]

Boom.

[Michael Knowles]

Okay.

[Professor Jacob]

I told you.

[Michael Knowles]

You're right. It worked. It worked in the long run. The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice.

[Professor Jacob]

Exactly.

[Michael Knowles]

Bends toward destiny. Some would say, wow.

[Professor Jacob]

Here we go. Should Judaism have its own pope called the Rabbi Maximus who lives in the oi Vatican?

[Michael Knowles]

And instead of the mitre or the Saturno, it's a little. It's like a big shrimal. Like a big white strimel. Wow. What do I think? I love a good pun. You love a good pun. I love a good pun. Okay, where are we, we thinking here? Okay.

[Professor Jacob]

You love a good pun, but you love reverse psychology. And you doubled down on that. I love a good pun way too much. You forget I work with you every day. You walked in here, you were like, oh, I'm not taking that.

[Michael Knowles]

You think the Jews should have a pope?

[Professor Jacob]

No, I don't.

[Michael Knowles]

Why not?

[Professor Jacob]

Because the.

[Michael Knowles]

Because they already have one.

[Professor Jacob]

Wow. That was.

[Michael Knowles]

We're just waiting for you to swim the tide.

[Professor Jacob]

Unfortunately not. No. In the Old Testament, Moses outlines 70 elders that get to. That get to give advice to the people of Israel. And, you know and that really spread out through the rabbis and everything like that. But there is no, like, besides the Messiah. There is no, like. Like, definitive, singular figure who.

[Michael Knowles]

What about, like, the kings? Like in the old days? Like King David or something?

[Professor Jacob]

There were kings. But you look at King Saul, he was opposed by the prophets. And people looked to the prophets. They didn't just look. They didn't look to King Saul as if he was. If he was.

[Michael Knowles]

You know, listen to. Sometimes the cardinals have a little contentious relationship with the Pope, but. Okay. All right. No. Oy. Vatican. Hey, hold on, hold on. Before we go any further, you need to go to dailywire.com shop so that you can get your copy of the yes or no game. You can figure out who knows whom best among your family and friends. You can drink. You don't have to drink. Certainly you can play it totally dry. You will get the cards. You will get a little scoring mechanism. You'll get the game pieces. But Professor Jacob is not yet included. Back to it. Hi, Professor. Now it's time for rapid fire.

[Professor Jacob]

It's kind of dramatic. Let's do it.

[Michael Knowles]

I'm gonna read you a series of prompts. You are going to respond back to. Back to back. 30 seconds. Is playing Fortnite as an adult a turnoff to women? You have to be honest. Yes, obviously. Did you stop wearing a yarmulke because you're afraid it'll cause a bald spot? Yes, it obviously will. Do Jews run Hollywood? You gotta be truthful.

[Professor Jacob]

Obviously they do. These are the easiest questions. These are so obvious.

[Michael Knowles]

All right, well, it didn't help me at all because I didn't get any extra points. All right, you're up. Yeah.

[Professor Jacob]

All right, we're doing rapid fire again. You ready?

[Michael Knowles]

Yes.

[Professor Jacob]

Are zins more addictive than cigars? Is Revenge of the Sith better than Barbie? Would 100 Professor Jacobs win in a fight with a gorilla?

[Michael Knowles]

100, Professor Jacobs. 100 Professor Jacobs. How did you not know that? I said I'm going to teach you a syllogism on the show. I said that there's no number of men without weapons who. Who could beat the gorilla. That's the major premise. Minor premise. Professor Jacob is a man. Conclusion, Professor Jacob, I don't care if there's a million of. You can't beat the gorilla.

[Professor Jacob]

I thought you'd have more faith in me, man.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't.

[Professor Jacob]

Okay?

[Michael Knowles]

I do not. Listen, it's nothing on you. You do Krav Maga. You do a little jujitsu.

[Professor Jacob]

The next time that we go Traveling, and you ask me to be your bodyguard? I'm gonna say, I can't handle these.

[Michael Knowles]

Sorry. Get a gorilla. Go get the gorilla. Yeah. All right. All right. Professor, are you aware of the rules in this final round?

[Professor Jacob]

I am.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't know that I am. But from memory, these are worth about a bazillion points. This could decide the game. And we're going to read the prompt. We both answer as we would answer. Then we move the glasses to guess how the other person would answer. And then I'm going to win, and my face is going to be on your car.

[Professor Jacob]

Oh, no.

[Michael Knowles]

Ready?

[Professor Jacob]

I'm ready.

[Michael Knowles]

Okay. Would Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of Japan, which would have been four times larger than any proposed US military operation in history, have been morally better than dropping the atomic bomb? Morally better meaning less morally dubious. Would it have been less morally, morally better? Likely.

[Professor Jacob]

You want to lock in your answer?

[Michael Knowles]

What if I already did?

[Professor Jacob]

You already locked in your answer?

[Michael Knowles]

Yes. Okay.

[Professor Jacob]

I think I have to. Of your dream.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, probably. I'm not saying it's not exactly a complex issue, but the targeting of civilians is morally sus.

[Professor Jacob]

I agree, but the thing about that is that civilians will die in any war.

[Michael Knowles]

Yes.

[Professor Jacob]

And is a. If you look at it from the eyes of the person president at the time, he had to make a decision. The Japanese who refused to surrender, they're going to lose a certain amount of people in this war. Or I'm going to send my boys, the sons of the citizens, of the moms, of the dads that are hard workers in my country. I'm going to send three times that to Japan, and they're going to die just because I don't want the. It's war, Michael. They shouldn't have bombed Pearl Harbor.

[Michael Knowles]

But we're talking about the moral justifications here.

[Professor Jacob]

That's my moral justification.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. They shouldn't have bombed Pearl Harbor. But you say, well, the Japanese are going to lose a certain number of people, but people aren't all interchangeable. So there's a difference in war between targeting civilians and targeting combatants.

[Professor Jacob]

Correct.

[Michael Knowles]

And this actually is central to just war theory. So with the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they were targeting civilians. With a planned invasion, they'd be targeting. Now, the best argument you could make, because I still would like to defend the atomic bomb, if I can, would be you say, well, they were going to fight to the last man. So there's no distinction between civilians and soldiers. It's a little dubious. It's a little morally dubious. Okay. And the reasoning that you're taking up is utilitarian reasoning, which is morally not quite right.

[Professor Jacob]

I don't know. I think. I think you should prioritize Americans before you prioritize people that started a war with your country.

[Michael Knowles]

Should we. To end a war faster? If you could end a war faster by nuking the entire civilian population of a country and it would end the war faster, or you'd have to drag the war out another three months by only fighting armed combatants with proportionality and right intentions and all the rest, would it be justified to nuke the whole civilian population?

[Professor Jacob]

If I was the President of the United States and I was faced. I'm going to alter this a little bit to kind of fit the scenario. If I was told that if I drop that bomb on that area to end the war, the amount of people that would die is a fraction of the amount of my own soldiers that are going to die.

[Michael Knowles]

That's not the question I asked you. I asked you a more illustrative question. Would you nuke the entire civilian population of a country if it would end the war faster and save many, many lives of your own soldiers?

[Professor Jacob]

More soldiers than civilians. That's my question. Is it more.

[Michael Knowles]

It would save more of your civilians, but you'd have to nuke the entire. It's a small country. Let's say you'd have to nuke the entire civilian population. Would you do it?

[Professor Jacob]

I'm not saying. Look, I'm not trying to push this off as it's like something easy, but if I'm going to be the leader of a country.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, it's a yes. It's yes. Wow. Okay. I would got to pull back our Cicero, huh?

[Professor Jacob]

Did I move Michael's glass to yes? No. No. I moved his glass to no?

[Michael Knowles]

Yes. Wait. Yes.

[Professor Jacob]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Did I. Was it more?

[Michael Knowles]

Let's go. Oh, wait, wait, no.

[Professor Jacob]

I think I did move.

[Michael Knowles]

Suck it.

[Professor Jacob]

I think I did. Wait.

[Michael Knowles]

Go back to the tape.

[Professor Jacob]

Wait. Go to the question.

[Michael Knowles]

Go to the tape.

[Professor Jacob]

Go to the question.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't know what I did. I'm hammered. I've already had half a margin.

[Professor Jacob]

He can say he doesn't know.

[Michael Knowles]

Go back to the tape. Did I get my points? Let's go, kid. Okay, baby. Good luck. Good luck on your last one. And enjoy your new car modification. Guess what it's going to be. You're putting my mug on your car seat. That's what you're doing. You're getting rid of the girlfriend one and you're putting my beautiful face stitched in Pink on your car seat. That's what's going on. You're up, kid. Let's go, Reese. Oh, yes, yes.

[Professor Jacob]

Final question. Was thou shall not worship any graven image originally written in the lesser known Hebrew tongue in cheek sense explaining why it's not blasphemous when Catholics do it. Thou shalt not worship any graven image originally written in the lesser known Hebrew.

[Michael Knowles]

It's written poorly, but I get the point he's trying to make.

[Professor Jacob]

Can you translate?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, yeah, let me try to translate to Davies.

[Professor Jacob]

Ease Davies.

[Michael Knowles]

Was thou shalt not worship any graven image originally written in the lesser known Hebrew tongue in cheek sense explaining why it's. He's an iconoclastic Protestant and he's accusing Catholics like you would do too. The iconoclastic Protestants and some Jews would are on the team on this. Is it okay to have icons in a Catholic church? And I have to guess how you would answer, but I know how you would answer, sucker. So you're gonna have to change your car seat. Unless you're a liar and commit an evil sin and break a different commandment. But now you're gonna have to get a new car seat. We ready? Set. Start the clock. Okay, hold on. I want to make sure I don't make the same mistake he did. Was thou shalt not worship any graven image originally written in the tongue in cheek sense explaining why Catholics are. Okay Professor Jacob would say. Well, hold on. You gotta put luck in your answer. Unless you want to be a filthy liar and burn in hell forever. What do you want to do?

[Professor Jacob]

Don't want to do that.

[Michael Knowles]

You want to do? Is making me take his inn worth burning in hell forever?

[Professor Jacob]

No, it's not.

[Michael Knowles]

You ready? You ready? No. You lose even more points because it's not written in a tongue in cheek sense. It just plainly doesn't mean what the Protestants and some of the Jews. Well, some of the Protestants and some of the Jews think that it means, but it's not tongue in cheek.

[Professor Jacob]

What does it mean?

[Michael Knowles]

A graven image, an idolatrous dumb idol that the Canaanites worshiped like a baal is not the same thing as. As venerating an image. Because all human communication, all human thought is mediated by images. Even if you close your eyes in a perfectly whitewashed room and you pray to God, you're going to have some image in your mind. So there's no way of avoiding the images. What you don't want to do is mistake the image, the appearance, for the thing itself. Which is why Veneration and outright worship are different things. And it's why the Catholics and pagans are different. That's why you're going to have to change your car seat.

[Professor Jacob]

I got a question. I love you too. I got to push back a little bit. Your associate producer's Jewish.

[Michael Knowles]

Okay.

[Professor Jacob]

The icons in the church that you're referring to.

[Michael Knowles]

Yes.

[Professor Jacob]

Where are the things they represent currently? Where are they right now?

[Michael Knowles]

Well, certain images are of, like, saints and things. So there might be relics of the bodies of saints, but of course, a human being is soul and body together, and it death or soul and body separate. But, you know, like an icon of St. Thomas, for instance.

[Professor Jacob]

So where is St. Thomas right now?

[Michael Knowles]

Well, his soul is in heaven and his body is on earth and in reliquaries all over the world.

[Professor Jacob]

It's good that you mention in heaven and in earth because, you see, you talk about how Jewish. This and that we both share the Ten Commandments.

[Michael Knowles]

Yes.

[Professor Jacob]

And what does the Ten Commandments say about making a graven image of something that's in the heavens above or on the lands beneath?

[Michael Knowles]

What book of the Bible said in.

[Professor Jacob]

That is the book of Exodus.

[Michael Knowles]

Book of Exodus.

[Professor Jacob]

Okay, the Ten Commandments.

[Michael Knowles]

And what else is in the book of Exodus?

[Professor Jacob]

In the book of Exodus. Yeah, I know what you're going to say. You're going to talk about the graven image of the angels on the side of the.

[Michael Knowles]

Hold on. You're telling me. You're telling me right at almost exactly the same time that God tells the Israelites, don't make, according to your interpretation of it, don't make any image whatsoever of anything in heaven. He immediately tells you to craft images of angels who are in heaven. So my interpretation of that would mean. Okay, well then that means that God, because God can't contradict himself. This is the first principle of. It's Aristotle's principle of non contradiction, from which we have to reason. That would mean that God cannot be contradicting himself. So he's not telling us literally we can't have any images of things in heaven. He's saying, don't create any idols because idols are very wrong. But images are just the way that our experience of the world is mediated. And this is one evidence of this is that immediately after God says, don't do this thing that you think he's saying, he immediately tells you to do that exact thing. And God would not do that because we're not Muslims and we don't believe that Allah is pure will unbounded by reason.

[Professor Jacob]

Producer Davies is probably going to have to stop us because this might go for a while. I'm going to give a counterpoint, give a hypothetical. I understand your logic. I understand why you believe what you believe.

[Michael Knowles]

Yep.

[Professor Jacob]

Let's say the street in front of the office. The speed limit is 30 miles an hour.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Professor Jacob]

Okay. Once every two years, NASCAR comes and they do an event on the street. They shut it down. I'm sure you've seen it. They shut down Nashville.

[Michael Knowles]

Damn.

[Professor Jacob]

Okay. The police say on this very day, specific people can speed down this street going as fast as they want.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Professor Jacob]

Are you to tell me the law that has been set before this exemption was created? Right.

[Michael Knowles]

No.

[Professor Jacob]

This is nullified.

[Michael Knowles]

These moral laws are from all time. They're eternal God's moral law. It's not bound by time. It's not constantly changing like the libs of morality is always evolving, man.

[Professor Jacob]

But what I'm trying to say, you're saying that you can make graven images because these angels were made on the side.

[Michael Knowles]

We can have icons.

[Professor Jacob]

You can have icons. Okay.

[Michael Knowles]

Not items, but icons.

[Professor Jacob]

But my question now to you is, what you're essentially saying is because the police gave permission to the NASCAR to go fast down the street for one specific instance, the law that existed before, to not speed on that street after NASCAR is over, now I can go ahead and speed down the street as.

[Michael Knowles]

Many times as possible. That would be an interesting rebuttal if God told us in the book of Exodus, do not make any images of anything in earth except for this one time when I'm telling you to. But he doesn't say, except for this one time when I'm telling you to that part. You're just adding that in. Like some people add words to the Bible.

[Professor Jacob]

Adding it in.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. There's no except for this one time. That's a resurrection.

[Professor Jacob]

Does the word accept, change everything?

[Michael Knowles]

It certainly would.

[Professor Jacob]

How would?

[Michael Knowles]

Because in what God says, do this, don't do this, and do this. So you say, okay, well, how do I reconcile these two things? They're not in contradiction with each other. Okay, so let me try to make sense of it. If merely he had said, don't do this except this time, then I have no paradox to resolve. That's not what happens here. So it would seem to me, especially just reasoning from the fact that we always have images. We're always arguing for, we're always mediating our ideas and our discourse through images, that there's no problem with images. The problem is with idolatry. And so even for Instance, even with the exception, would you say that the cherubim that the ancient Israelites were ordered to carve for the ark, would you say that those are idols? Does God command that the Israelites construct an idol?

[Professor Jacob]

I think if the. No, because the angels are a servant of God. They're not God. They're not God, exactly. But it creates a graven image.

[Michael Knowles]

But to create an image used in liturgy, the liturgy of going through the desert, the Exodus, which is the figure of all history, would that not. Isn't your objection to that, that that would be idolatrous? Isn't your objection, as a Jew to the images and the statues in the Catholic Churches that they're idolatrous, or is that not your objection?

[Professor Jacob]

My objection is that they're not idolatrous because God specifically commanded them to create it.

[Michael Knowles]

But are the images in the Catholic.

[Professor Jacob]

Churches idolatrous in the Catholic Churches?

[Michael Knowles]

Why are they idolatrous? Why could they not be? Hold on, hold on. You just said that the statue in the ark is not idolatrous because God said to create it. Let's say God did not say to create it. Let's say that they just. The Israelites misinterpreted it and they just created it on their own. Would the statue in the ark necessarily be idolatrous? Would it be an idol? Or is there something. Or is there a distinction between an idol and a different kind of statue of something in heaven?

[Professor Jacob]

It depends how the Hebrews would view the angels on the side of the.

[Michael Knowles]

Exactly. So are the images in the Catholic Church necessarily idolatrous, or does it depend on how the Catholics view the images?

[Professor Jacob]

But just because something's not classified as an idol doesn't mean that it's an exception from the rule in the Ten Commandments not to make any graven images.

[Michael Knowles]

Right? Right. I don't think it's.

[Professor Jacob]

That's a prohibition of a physical act. But.

[Michael Knowles]

Okay, so you're saying that the images and the statues and the Catholic Church are not necessarily idols? It depends upon how the Catholics view them.

[Professor Jacob]

I mean, I think if that's true.

[Michael Knowles]

For the Israelites, it's true for the Catholics, isn't it?

[Professor Jacob]

I'm going to get some hate for this because I.

[Michael Knowles]

Here we go, baby. Let's go.

[Professor Jacob]

I hate. I love my Catholic friends to death. I'm going to put that out there. I love them. But I think the only idol that I would name would be Jesus on the crucifix, because that's perceived to be God.

[Michael Knowles]

And to make an image of God is idolatrous. So you're not saying it's idolatrous specifically because of the Catholics. Right. And you're not even saying it's idolatrous because you, being a Jew, don't believe that Christ is God yet, but you're saying that to make any image of God would be idolatrous?

[Professor Jacob]

I think, yeah. Any image of God would be idolatrous.

[Michael Knowles]

Why?

[Professor Jacob]

Because it specifically says God is not God. Well, first, to get into the specifics, God says he's not a man in the Old Testament. And I think he specifically. He says that he's not a man. So that we don't, you know, we don't look to man to.

[Michael Knowles]

Where does he say he's not a.

[Professor Jacob]

Man in Book of Exodus, Book of Deuteronomy?

[Michael Knowles]

What does he say specifically?

[Professor Jacob]

I'm not saying both. I'm saying it's one of them. I can't remember which book that's in. But he says he's not a man specifically.

[Michael Knowles]

Not just a man.

[Professor Jacob]

Not a man who doesn't change. He's not a man who changes his mind.

[Michael Knowles]

Yep. Immutability. He doesn't change. But could you. Could you make an image of a thing without confusing the image for the thing itself? Do you ever write down the word God?

[Professor Jacob]

Of course I write down the word God.

[Michael Knowles]

But that's an image to represent God.

[Professor Jacob]

But graven means to construct out of like a.

[Michael Knowles]

Okay. Would you ever carve the word God in a. In a wooden sign to hang?

[Professor Jacob]

I mean, I don't know if I would consider script an image.

[Michael Knowles]

It is an image because.

[Professor Jacob]

Because you can communicate with the Bible script. I don't know.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't know.

[Professor Jacob]

I don't know if writing the Bible is a sin.

[Michael Knowles]

But you wouldn't say it is. You would say it's not a sin. Just as making other kinds of images that represent God but are not taken to be God are not sins.

[Professor Jacob]

No, I just. I think you draw a little bit. Like you cut too many corners to try and get around the.

[Michael Knowles]

How am I cutting corners? I'm just explaining what signs and symbols are.

[Professor Jacob]

You're cutting. You're taking a commandment that says not to make. And this was given right after the golden calf, which they made something that was supposed to represent God in heaven and he punished. He killed a bunch of people for it. This is a commandment given right after that not to make any graven image. He specifically says nothing in the heavens, nothing on the earth, nothing.

[Michael Knowles]

And then he tells you make an image of something in heaven.

[Professor Jacob]

Correct. And then I'll just reference you back to the NASCAR example I gave you. It's like, just because he gives you specific permission to do something at a certain time doesn't mean that the laws that he specifically outlined being eternal, are null and void.

[Michael Knowles]

Well, if he's contradicting himself, that is what it was.

[Professor Jacob]

He says that murder is wrong. He says that murder is wrong. But he also told the Israelites to go into Canaan and not spare anybody when they go in and take over.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, that was a justified war. That gets us back to our justified war point. But you know what else it gets us back to? I'm reminded of this.

[Professor Jacob]

What?

[Michael Knowles]

Speaking of creating images. Not of anything in heaven yet. You got to make an image of something on Earth. You gotta make a nice, beautiful icon. This little terrestrial mug. And you gotta stitch that in pink on your car. And I'm gonna have to be smiling, and I'm gonna look like this.

[Professor Jacob]

Can I say that's against my religion?

[Michael Knowles]

You can say that all you want, but you're stitching it just like this. This is what it's gonna look like on Professor Jacobs car. Destiny. I'm very sorry about that. She says it's okay, too. There you go. All right, now you got two. Professor Jacob, thank you for joining me on today's episode of yes or no. Everyone should go check out his Instagram acobfelach. And, professor, is your TikTok still alive?

[Professor Jacob]

I haven't used that thing in, like, a year. They banned me seven times. Seven times. Lost, like, half a million followers. And then I was like, you know what? They banned my biggest account because I talked about gas prices.

[Michael Knowles]

That's it.

[Professor Jacob]

Hold on.

[Michael Knowles]

Of all the things you've talked about gas prices.

[Professor Jacob]

They banned me because of a video talking about gas prices under Biden. And the reasoning was child endangerment.

[Michael Knowles]

Wow.

[Professor Jacob]

What does that even mean? I don't know.

[Michael Knowles]

Making you drink on this show, I think today qualifies as child endangerment. Yeah, especially. And then putting you behind the wheel of that Camaro with my face on it, that might be endangerment, too. Everyone go check out Jacobs social media channels to get your dose of Zoomer conservative commentary like this.

[Professor Jacob]

Conservatives have been saying it forever, but if you need a reminder, critics of Donald Trump are some of the most dishonest people on the face of the planet. Here's a headline from the Fortune. The Vatican asked all Pope Francis funeral attendees to wear black. Trump wore a blue suit. Oh, my God. I mean, this is the worst thing ever.

[Michael Knowles]

You just made an image of God, by the way.

[Professor Jacob]

How dare Trump be the only person at this funeral wearing a blue suit instead of black like the Vatican asked. Let me show you something. This right here is the image that the Fortune used. Pretty damning, right? Trump is the only one in frame wearing a blue suit. Now here is the full image zoomed out. There is a sea of people wearing a blue suit. But it's not just a sea of random people. If we zoom in a little bit, we'll see that your boy Joe Biden is wearing a blue suit as well.

[Michael Knowles]

If you want hip, cool, zoomer stuff like that, you know, with your gatt and all your Sigma bros and everything, go to Jacob's social media channels. Who knows? Hopefully bigger and greater things into the future. Professor Chin Chin. I won. See you next time. Did you know 39% of teen drivers admit to texting while driving? Even scarier, those who text are more likely to speed and run red lights. Shockingly, 94% know it's dangerous, but do it anyway. As a parent, you can't always be in the car, but you can stay connected to their safety with Greenlight Infinity's driving reports. Monitor their driving habits, see if they're using their phone, speeding and more. These reports provide real data for meaningful conversations about safety. Plus, with weekly updates, you can track their progress over time. Help keep your teen safe. Sign up for Greenlight Infinity at greenlight. Com Podcast.