Jacob W. Torbeck
@jacobtorbeck.bsky.social
Professor of Theology, Religions, Philosophy, and Ethics | Mysticism & Spirituality | Attention, Memory, and the Divine Ideas
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
Yep.
“Why did the use of LLMs appear to diminish learning? One of the most fundamental principles of skill development is that people learn best when they are actively engaged with the material they are trying to learn.”
“Why did the use of LLMs appear to diminish learning? One of the most fundamental principles of skill development is that people learn best when they are actively engaged with the material they are trying to learn.”
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Learning With AI Falls Short Compared to Old-Fashioned Web Search
In virtually all the ways that matter, getting summarized information from AI models was less educational than doing the work of search.
buff.ly
November 30, 2025 at 3:39 AM
Yep.
“Why did the use of LLMs appear to diminish learning? One of the most fundamental principles of skill development is that people learn best when they are actively engaged with the material they are trying to learn.”
“Why did the use of LLMs appear to diminish learning? One of the most fundamental principles of skill development is that people learn best when they are actively engaged with the material they are trying to learn.”
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
Discourse commence. 📕
November 27, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Discourse commence. 📕
A dear friend of mine passed this morning. A priest, and theology professor, and my youngest son’s godfather. Just 47 years old. I find myself rereading our text exchanges to remember him and lamenting not being more intentional about seeing him more often.
Your prayers are appreciated.
Your prayers are appreciated.
November 27, 2025 at 5:04 PM
A dear friend of mine passed this morning. A priest, and theology professor, and my youngest son’s godfather. Just 47 years old. I find myself rereading our text exchanges to remember him and lamenting not being more intentional about seeing him more often.
Your prayers are appreciated.
Your prayers are appreciated.
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
November 26, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
“They had submitted extensive paperwork and paid fees. The foreign spouses had been fingerprinted and passed medical exams. None had criminal records. None had entered the country illegally. They had already been granted employment authorization.”
Illegal. Immoral.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Illegal. Immoral.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Green Card Interviews End in Handcuffs for Spouses of U.S. Citizens
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:38 PM
“They had submitted extensive paperwork and paid fees. The foreign spouses had been fingerprinted and passed medical exams. None had criminal records. None had entered the country illegally. They had already been granted employment authorization.”
Illegal. Immoral.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Illegal. Immoral.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
It was a delightful weekend with you, #aarsbl25!
Cheers to @jonhatter.bsky.social , @kaitlynugoretz.bsky.social , @mpgphd.bsky.social , @spgormm.bsky.social , and all the other lovely folks I broke bread with or saw in passing. ‘Til next time!
Cheers to @jonhatter.bsky.social , @kaitlynugoretz.bsky.social , @mpgphd.bsky.social , @spgormm.bsky.social , and all the other lovely folks I broke bread with or saw in passing. ‘Til next time!
November 24, 2025 at 7:08 PM
It was a delightful weekend with you, #aarsbl25!
Cheers to @jonhatter.bsky.social , @kaitlynugoretz.bsky.social , @mpgphd.bsky.social , @spgormm.bsky.social , and all the other lovely folks I broke bread with or saw in passing. ‘Til next time!
Cheers to @jonhatter.bsky.social , @kaitlynugoretz.bsky.social , @mpgphd.bsky.social , @spgormm.bsky.social , and all the other lovely folks I broke bread with or saw in passing. ‘Til next time!
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
Continental philosophy enjoyers be like:
Look, I just don't like books in which it is easy to tell what is happening.
November 24, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Continental philosophy enjoyers be like:
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
Studying theology is just variations on this theme and meme.
November 24, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Studying theology is just variations on this theme and meme.
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
In a very practical way, CS Lewis is illustrating how propriety and modesty are functions of common sense, enabling legibility in a context, whereas virtues (like chastity) enable self-transcendence.
Regarding behavior, there's a chapter on sexual morality that begins with one of the least popular Christian virtues: modesty. Here's what CS Lewis had to say:
November 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
In a very practical way, CS Lewis is illustrating how propriety and modesty are functions of common sense, enabling legibility in a context, whereas virtues (like chastity) enable self-transcendence.
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
I owe you an apology. I wasn't really familiar with your theological game.
A friend who teaches theology shared with me a post about CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, which discusses foundational Christian logic across denominations. It reminded me of Dale's tweet below, and I wanted to share some thoughts here regarding modesty and respectability, which are often hot topics.
November 24, 2025 at 1:31 PM
I owe you an apology. I wasn't really familiar with your theological game.
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
Balthasar is extremely, extremely consistent on this point: culture is for persons and by persons. His *dissertation* makes this argument.
One of my favorite bits from the Test Everything interview with Balthasar is his take on culture as something that grows outward from activity that is truly human. Different from evangelization, though
November 21, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Balthasar is extremely, extremely consistent on this point: culture is for persons and by persons. His *dissertation* makes this argument.
November 21, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
Late, but I wanted to jump in on this trend. While I love Fieren, I am deeply inspired by how brave this person was! They went for the hard thing, were curious, made us all rejoice and draw together!
It makes me so happy to see folks gain that artistic curiosity!
So go forth! Rooting for you! 💖
It makes me so happy to see folks gain that artistic curiosity!
So go forth! Rooting for you! 💖
November 21, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Late, but I wanted to jump in on this trend. While I love Fieren, I am deeply inspired by how brave this person was! They went for the hard thing, were curious, made us all rejoice and draw together!
It makes me so happy to see folks gain that artistic curiosity!
So go forth! Rooting for you! 💖
It makes me so happy to see folks gain that artistic curiosity!
So go forth! Rooting for you! 💖
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
WTAF
Exclusive: The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, nooses and the Confederate flag as hate symbols.
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
www.washingtonpost.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:43 PM
WTAF
Hey all you friendly theologians and scholars of religion, I’ll be at AAR tomorrow night through Monday morning if you want to connect! It’s always great to see a familiar face.
elmo from sesame street is on fire and says `` my people ''
ALT: elmo from sesame street is on fire and says `` my people ''
media.tenor.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Hey all you friendly theologians and scholars of religion, I’ll be at AAR tomorrow night through Monday morning if you want to connect! It’s always great to see a familiar face.
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
When Trump was asked about the release of the Epstein files, he called one reporter "piggy" and said another was "being insubordinate."
When Trump saw a video calling on the military to follow the constitution, he called for the death of the Democrats who made the video.
He's a tyrant.
When Trump saw a video calling on the military to follow the constitution, he called for the death of the Democrats who made the video.
He's a tyrant.
November 20, 2025 at 3:46 PM
When Trump was asked about the release of the Epstein files, he called one reporter "piggy" and said another was "being insubordinate."
When Trump saw a video calling on the military to follow the constitution, he called for the death of the Democrats who made the video.
He's a tyrant.
When Trump saw a video calling on the military to follow the constitution, he called for the death of the Democrats who made the video.
He's a tyrant.
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
This is the Gospel.
NEW: Churches in Charlotte are hosting trainings on how to response to ICE agents — with *hundreds* filling pews.
At one training, a child led those gathered in "This Little Light of Mine" — but changed the words to “All around Border Patrol, I’m gonna let it shine" religionnews.com/2025/11/20/a...
At one training, a child led those gathered in "This Little Light of Mine" — but changed the words to “All around Border Patrol, I’m gonna let it shine" religionnews.com/2025/11/20/a...
As ICE descends on Charlotte, faith leaders draw on other cities' actions to aid immigrants
(RNS) — As many as 500 people, a mix of clergy and other volunteers, have appeared at the training sessions on how to counter ICE.
religionnews.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:41 PM
This is the Gospel.
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
Remember how Trump said ICE targets “violent criminals?”
Trump’s own DOJ now reports that ONLY 2.5% of the people ICE arrested in Chicago have any criminal history.
That means 97.5% have ZERO criminal record. They were targeted because they were of Latino ethnicity. This is what fascism looks like
Trump’s own DOJ now reports that ONLY 2.5% of the people ICE arrested in Chicago have any criminal history.
That means 97.5% have ZERO criminal record. They were targeted because they were of Latino ethnicity. This is what fascism looks like
November 16, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Remember how Trump said ICE targets “violent criminals?”
Trump’s own DOJ now reports that ONLY 2.5% of the people ICE arrested in Chicago have any criminal history.
That means 97.5% have ZERO criminal record. They were targeted because they were of Latino ethnicity. This is what fascism looks like
Trump’s own DOJ now reports that ONLY 2.5% of the people ICE arrested in Chicago have any criminal history.
That means 97.5% have ZERO criminal record. They were targeted because they were of Latino ethnicity. This is what fascism looks like
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
Side note: We here at @rns.org cover a wide spectrum of religious voices and groups that few other outlets cover with any regularity — including the religious left.
If you like what we’re doing, give us a follow, throw us a donation, share our stuff, etc.
If you like what we’re doing, give us a follow, throw us a donation, share our stuff, etc.
NEW: In his first interview since his arrest for protesting outside the Chicago-area ICE facility, @revdrmichaelwoolf.bsky.social tells me he has "bruises all over my body."
Even so, he said, “the cruelty that goes on that facility … must be 100 times worse." religionnews.com/2025/11/15/a...
Even so, he said, “the cruelty that goes on that facility … must be 100 times worse." religionnews.com/2025/11/15/a...
November 16, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Side note: We here at @rns.org cover a wide spectrum of religious voices and groups that few other outlets cover with any regularity — including the religious left.
If you like what we’re doing, give us a follow, throw us a donation, share our stuff, etc.
If you like what we’re doing, give us a follow, throw us a donation, share our stuff, etc.
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
the greatest magic writer ever strikes again and again and again and again
www.hipstersofthecoast.com/2025/11/one-...
www.hipstersofthecoast.com/2025/11/one-...
One Battle Damage After Another
Writing from a cold and sanitized chain hotel, Rob ponders the effect that wear (or lack thereof) has on the value of our items.
www.hipstersofthecoast.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:29 PM
the greatest magic writer ever strikes again and again and again and again
www.hipstersofthecoast.com/2025/11/one-...
www.hipstersofthecoast.com/2025/11/one-...
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
I don't use AI for the same reason I don't eat tapeworms... I don't like parasites.
November 8, 2025 at 5:01 PM
I don't use AI for the same reason I don't eat tapeworms... I don't like parasites.
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
"Migration is always a double right: a right to find the conditions for a respectable existence in your own country, and a right to move away when those minimum conditions do not exist." #PopeFrancis #Hope
November 4, 2025 at 5:04 AM
"Migration is always a double right: a right to find the conditions for a respectable existence in your own country, and a right to move away when those minimum conditions do not exist." #PopeFrancis #Hope
Reposted by Jacob W. Torbeck
"But segregation still haunted the church. /
For three hundred years you were /
a saint-in-waiting, invisible as the poor /
of Peru.
(Philip C. Kolin, 2018)"
sojo.net/magazine/nov...
For three hundred years you were /
a saint-in-waiting, invisible as the poor /
of Peru.
(Philip C. Kolin, 2018)"
sojo.net/magazine/nov...
A Litany for St. Martin de Porres
A poem.
sojo.net
November 4, 2025 at 2:00 AM
"But segregation still haunted the church. /
For three hundred years you were /
a saint-in-waiting, invisible as the poor /
of Peru.
(Philip C. Kolin, 2018)"
sojo.net/magazine/nov...
For three hundred years you were /
a saint-in-waiting, invisible as the poor /
of Peru.
(Philip C. Kolin, 2018)"
sojo.net/magazine/nov...