

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, Dylan Casey
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 read the text we're talking about to (mostly) follow and (hopefully) enjoy the discussion. For links to the texts we discuss and other info, check out www.partiallyexaminedlife.com.
We also feature episodes from other podcasts by our hosts to round out your partially examined life, including Pretty Much Pop (prettymuchpop.com, covering all media), Nakedly Examined Music (nakedlyexaminedmusic.com, deconstructing songs), Philosophy vs. Improv (philosophyimprov.com, fun with performance skills and philosophical ideas), and (sub)Text (subtextpodcast.com, looking deeply at lit and film). Learn about more network podcasts at partiallyexaminedlife.com.
We also feature episodes from other podcasts by our hosts to round out your partially examined life, including Pretty Much Pop (prettymuchpop.com, covering all media), Nakedly Examined Music (nakedlyexaminedmusic.com, deconstructing songs), Philosophy vs. Improv (philosophyimprov.com, fun with performance skills and philosophical ideas), and (sub)Text (subtextpodcast.com, looking deeply at lit and film). Learn about more network podcasts at partiallyexaminedlife.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 6, 2021 • 12min
PREMIUM-Ep. 277: Hegel on Our Understanding of Physics (Part Two)
Continuing on The Phenomenology of Spirit, ch. 3, "Force and the Understanding." We start off by considering the players in force: the thing exerting the force and the thing receiving. By arguing that these are not so different, Hegel moves to arguing that knowledge and the world are likewise not sharply distinguished. If you're not hearing the full version of this part of the discussion, sign up via one of the options described at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.

Aug 30, 2021 • 54min
Ep. 277: Hegel on Our Understanding of Physics (Part One)
Delve into Hegel’s 'Phenomenology of Spirit' and uncover the intricate relationship between consciousness and reality. Explore how knowledge intertwines with self-consciousness, revealing truths about force in physics. The conversation contrasts Hegel’s ideas with those of Locke and Hume, examining sensuous universals and their implications. Discover the dual nature of force, emphasizing the dynamic interplay within physical phenomena. The dialectical process of understanding is unveiled, illustrating how oppositional relations shape our grasp of truth.

Aug 29, 2021 • 30min
PEL Special: Nightcap Early September 2021
A little political ranting precedes a consideration of what we might read in aesthetics, philosophy of science, and philosophy of sport. What do we remember about emotions? Finally, Seth's morbid interests and Devo. If you enjoy this kind of free-form discussion, you can get it on the reg by becoming a PEL Citizen via one of the methods identified at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.

Aug 23, 2021 • 11min
PREMIUM-Ep. 276: Hegel on Perception (Part Two)
Focusing on The Phenomenology of Spirit (1807), ch. 2 "Perception." Hegel's critique of the adequacy of perceptual knowledge has metaphysical aspects: The relation of substance to properties, properties to each other, and things to other things and to the perceiver all create difficulties that call for more active participation by the mind. If you're not hearing the full version of this part of the discussion, sign up via one of the options described at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.

Aug 16, 2021 • 58min
Ep. 276: Hegel on Perception (Part One)
Dive into Hegel's philosophical labyrinth as the hosts unravel the intricacies of perception and consciousness. They dissect sense certainty, questioning whether immediate sensory experiences can stand alone without universal concepts. Personal anecdotes bring humor to the complex ideas, while discussions on the evolution of consciousness challenge traditional notions of knowledge. Listen as they explore the relationship between experience and language, unveiling the limitations of direct perception and our understanding of selfhood in the process.

Aug 15, 2021 • 39min
PEL Presents Philosophy vs. Improv #7: Meritocracy Now!
Does it make sense to try to have everyone get what they "deserve"? Your hosts Mark Linsenmayer and Bill Arnett (Chicago Improv Studio) act out the desert machine but yet get no predictable cake. Hear more PvI at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get bonus stuff and good karma!

Aug 9, 2021 • 12min
PREMIUM-Ep. 275: Hegel's Project in the "Phenomenology of Spirit" (Part Two)
Continuing on the Introduction, we get into more detail on Hegel's goal and his tricky terminology. If you're not hearing the full version of this part of the discussion, sign up via one of the options described at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.

Aug 2, 2021 • 1h
Ep. 275: Hegel's Project in the "Phenomenology of Spirit" (Part One)
On G.W.F. Hegel's 1807 opus: A series of treatments of various theories in epistemology (among other things), seeing how they're internally incoherent, which then moves us to more sophisticated theories. Part two of this episode is only going to be available to you if you sign up at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support or via Apple Podcasts. Get it now or listen to a preview. Don't miss Mark's new podcast Philosophy vs. Improv.

Jul 26, 2021 • 9min
PREMIUM-Ep. 274: Schelling on Self-Consciousness (Part Two)
Concluding on Schelling’s System of Transcendental Idealism (1800), Parts 1 and 2. What sort of self is created in the act of self-consciousness that according to Schelling grounds all knowledge? We further consider this primordial act. To hear the full second part, you'll need to go sign up at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.

Jul 22, 2021 • 2min
Philosophy vs. Improv: An Introductory Trailer
What is Philosophy vs. Improv? Hear about the new podcast by Mark Linsenmayer (The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast) and Bill Arnett (Chicago Improv Studio, The Complete Improviser author). Go listen to the show at philosophyimprov.com or subscribe via Apple, Audible, Stitcher, Spotify, or however you get your podcasts. Get more episodes than are now publicly available plus supporter-only content at patreon.com/philosophyimprov, or you can sign up for a premium subscription to the Mark Lintertainment channel on Apple Podcasts, which gets you bonus content and ad-free episodes for not only this new podcast, but also Mark's other efforts, Pretty Much Pop: A Culture Podcast and Nakedly Examined Music. Thanks to our announcer, Erica Spyres. Logo by Solomon Grundy.