The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
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The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
The Partially Examined Life is a podcast by some guys who were at one point set on doing philosophy for a living but then thought better of it. Each episode, we pick a short text and chat about it with some balance between insight and flippancy. You don't have to know any philosophy, or even to have...
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Ep. 379: Egyptian Philosophy with Chike Jeffers (Part Two)
Continuing on sources from ancient Egypt, finishing up the instructional literature: "The Instruction of Ptahhotep," and "The Instruction Addressed to...
PEL Presents PvI#105: Friendtor Debate Club w/ Scott Gelfand
Scott, ex-professor at Oklahoma State University and author of "Thinking Ethically: A Handbook for Making Moral Choices," chats with Mark and Mary abo...
PEL Presents PMP#209: Alien Franchised
In light of Noah Hawley TV show Alien Earth, Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al revisit the franchise through its seven canon films beginning with Ridley...
Ep. 379: Egyptian Philosophy with Chike Jeffers (Part One)
The co-author of the African run of the History of Philosophy Podcast (and new book) joins us to go over philosophical works from 2200-1400 BCE: "The...
PEL Presents NEM#241: Humor in Music Discussion
Mark is joined by returning NEM guest Don Rauf (from Life In a Blender), singer/songwriter/cartoonist David Heatley), and writer/musician Dave "Diggy"...
PREMIUM-Ep. 378: Aquinas on God and Mind (Part Four)
We complete our Aquinas treatment for the moment by considering emotions: categorizing them, asking whether they have opposites, and making them coher...
Ep. 378: Aquinas on God and Mind (Part Three)
We're now moving on to the "mind" portion of our discussion, covering how reason motivates us, how free will is possible, and the degree to which the...
PEL Presents PvI#104: The Hippie Code w/ Vickie Eistenstein
Mark and Mary are joined by improvisor-comedian-actress-filmmaker-host Vickie to talk about code switching and authenticity. Can you be authentic and...
Ep. 378: Aquinas on God and Mind (Part Two)
Continuing on bits of Thomas Aquinas: Selected Philosophical Writings, completing our analysis of his arguments for the existence of God and then turn...
PEL Presents PMP#208: An Ed Gein Halloween
It's a special two-hander where Mark and Lawrence reflect on the appeal of horror and how the new Monster: Ed Gein Netflix show has to contribute, giv...
PEL Presents NEM#240: Jonathan Rundman, Multi-Branded
Singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Jonathan (currently based in Minneapolis) has been putting out indie rock solo albums since 1992, but has also...
Ep. 378: Aquinas on God and Mind (Part One)
On selections from Thomas Aquinas: Selected Philosophical Writings, mostly taken from the Summa Theologica (1268).
Given our flawed, finite huma...
PEL Presents PvI#103: Post-COVID Mary and Mark
How does your body talk to you? Your favorite hosts-of-a-philosophy-and-improv-comedy show Mark Linsenmayer and Merry Mary Hynes re-connect after both...
Ep. 377: Emil Cioran's Pessimism (Part Two)
Continuing on "Directions for Decomposition" from A Short History of Decay (1949). What is it that humans are inevitably trying to avoid that seems so...
PEL Presents PMP#207: Spinal Tap and Other Fake Bands
Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al watched Spinal Tap and its new sequel, and we throw these into a mix with K-Pop Demon Hunters and other films and sho...
PEL Presents NEM#239: Adrian Sherwood's Dub Productions
Adrian has applied his distinctive, spacey dub mixing techniques to numerous recordings since 1978 including Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Lee "Scratch"...
Ep. 377: Emil Cioran's Pessimism (Part One)
On A Short History of Decay (1949), a pessimist/existentialist somewhat text from the most famous Romanian philosopher.
Cioran's short essays to...
PEL Presents PvI#102: Pit of Despair w/ Seth Paskin
Mark's Partially Examined Life co-host Seth joins us (i.e. Mark and Mary) to introduce Seth to improv and continue introducing philosophy to Mary.
Ep. 376: Plato's "Laws" (Part Two)
Continuing on selections from this late Platonic dialogue. Starting in Book 4, Plato's characters are discussing how to create a new state ("Magnesia"...
PEL Presents PMP#206: Abbott Elementary w/o Emmys
For our Emmys/back-to-school episode, we cover the pinnacle of the current network sitcom landscape: The six-time 2025 Emmy nominated 4-year-old sitco...
PEL Presents NEM#238: Eric Andersen Endures
Eric was a major figure in the 1960s NYC folk scene, and his early tunes have been covered by Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, and many others. He's released...
Ep. 376: Plato's "Laws" (Part One)
On this later dialogue presenting Plato's ideas about the character of laws in a just state. They should all be aimed at making people virtuous, and s...
PREMIUM-PEL Back-to-School Nightcap 2025
Mark, Seth, and Dylan add some more detail and thought to our recent episodes, including more about Steven Pinker and re-litigation of the utility of...
PEL Presents PvI#101: Co-Hostery: Season Five Premiere with Mark and Mary
It is a new era! Merry Mary Hynes is now Mark's co-host, and we do some improv related to that and feel our the degree to which Mary has not studied p...
Ep. 375: Luce Irigaray's Feminism (Part Two)
Continuing on "Women on the Market" from The Sex Which Is Not One (1977) and other selections.
Irigaray gives a Marxist analysis of the commodif...
PEL Presents PMP#205: Fantastical Foursome
What do we expect out of a superhero film? Does it need overqualified dramatic actors? Does it even need a real budget?
Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn...
Ep. 375: Luce Irigaray's Feminism (Part One)
On The Sex Which Is Not One (1977) and other Irigaray selections from the French Feminism Reader (2000), featuring guest Jenny Hansen (who wrote the i...
PEL Presents PvI#100: Maximizing Turtle Revenue w/ Tim Sniffen and Anthony LeBlanc
It's our season finale, and the end of Bill's regular participation on the show. You may wish to weep, but let your tears be of joy as well as reminis...
Ep. 374: Discussing Liberalism (Lincoln, et al) with Walter Sterling (Part Two)
Continuing our discussion of the dangers to and weak points of liberal democracy, including consideration of Patrick Deneen's Why Liberalism Failed (2...
PEL Presents PMP#204: Naked Gun Rapid Firing
What is the state of the stream-of-gags formula that used to stand tall in the films of the Zucker Brothers (mainly Airplane) and Mel Brooks? A new ge...
PEL Presents NEM#237: Maia Sharp's Homey Subversion
Maia has released ten lush, Americana-influenced singer-songwriter albums since 1997 and has collaborated with artists like Art Garfunkel, Bonnie Rait...
Ep. 374: Discussing Liberalism (Lincoln, et al) with Walter Sterling (Part One)
What's the crisis of liberal democracy? Dylan, Wes and Seth are joined by St. John's College President J. Walter Sterling to discuss Abraham Lincoln's...
PEL Presents PvI#99: Philosophy of Humor w/ Nessa Voss
Nessa teaches philosophy at Lone Star Community College and writes on the philosophy of humor. We thought we should get this topic out before we wrap...
PEL Presents Closereads: Peter Railton's "Moral Realism" (Wrap Up)
We are concluding our treatment of Peter Railton's "Moral Realism" (1984), and given that you likely haven't listened to the seven preceding parts, th...
Announcement: Mark's "Foundational Political Philosophy Texts" Fall 2025 Class
I bet you'd like to have an excuse to read some Aristotle, and Locke, Rousseau, Simone Weil, and other fun texts. Well, go read about this opportunity...
Ep. 373: Michael Walzer on Just Wars (Part Two)
Continuing on on Just and Unjust Wars (1977), ch. 5-6. When might it be morally permissible to strike first? When is it permissible (or obligatory?) t...
PEL Presents PMP#203: What Superman?
In light of the new James Gunn film Superman, Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al talk about the character, his stories, and past films and shows.
...
PEL Presents NEM #236: Tee Templeton's Psychedelic Ending
...OK, maybe not his ending, but it's a late career boost into overdrive: This 66-year-old has been making music since the '80s, but you're only going...
Ep. 373: Michael Walzer on Just Wars (Part One)
On Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument With Illustrations (1977), ch. 4-6 on "jus ad bellum," which refers to moral justifications for going to war...
PEL Presents Philosophy vs. Improv #98: Ragnarocking
Recorded back in June, posting now as we near the end of our season and Bill's tenure on the show, this episode now bleeds with dramatic irony. Mark a...