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
Nov 5, 2018 • 47min
Episode 202: Julia Kristeva on Disgust, Fear and the Self (Part One)
On Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection (1980), ch. 1 and 2. Kristeva writes about "abjection," where we violently reject things like corpses, bodily wastes and other fluids, and the Lovecraftian unnameable that lurks at the edge of our awareness. Her book is also all about the self, suggesting modifications to Freud's Oedipal complex and Lacan's mirror-stage story. With guest Kelley Citrin. Continue on part 2, or get the unbroken, ad-free Citizen Edition, as well as Mark's Close Reading, which we've made available to Patreon supporters at the $1 level. Please support PEL!
Nov 5, 2018 • 14min
PREMIUM-Ep 201 Marcus Aurelius's "Meditations" (Part Three)
Mark and Seth get further into the specifics of Marcus's metaphysics and how this is supposed to relate to behavior. Can his directives really come solely "from reason" as he claims? How does this interact with the behaviors that we pursue "by nature," i.e., without conscious deliberation required? Seth is concerned with how individualistic the philosophy is. Mark is concerned that if you discard the metaphysics (as modern skeptics largely do), why should you expect the rest of the philosophy to be coherent? Become a supporter to get the full discussion.
Oct 29, 2018 • 60min
Episode 201: Marcus Aurelius's Stoicism with Ryan Holiday (Part Two)
More on The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (ca. 180 CE) plus Ryan's The Daily Stoic (2016). We talk Stoicism as "pre-mourning," love of fate, the divine plan, political ethics, ethical models, and overwriting your brain with the Stoic operating system. Hear part 1 first, or get the full, unbroken Citizen Edition, as well as the follow-up discussion. Please support PEL! End song: "Any Way the Wind Blows" by MIR; listen to Mark talk with Asif Illyas on Nakedly Examined Music #33.
Oct 22, 2018 • 57min
Episode 201: Marcus Aurelius's Stoicism with Ryan Holiday (Part One)
On The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (ca. 180 C.E.) plus Ryan's The Daily Stoic (2016). What does Stoicism look like in practice, in both ancient and modern contexts? You might think that eschewing the shallow, out-of-our-control trappings of fame and wealth in favor of personal cultivation would make one unambitious, but Ryan uses Marcus as a prime example of how to be a Stoic while trying to accomplish great things. Continue on part 2, or get the full, ad-free Citizen Edition now along with the Citizen-only follow-up discussion getting more into the text of Marcus. Please support PEL!
37 snips
Oct 15, 2018 • 1h 6min
Episode 200: Kant/Mendelssohn/Foucault on Enlightenment (Part Two)
Dive into the philosophical revelations about enlightenment, featuring Kant's emphasis on courage in knowledge, Mendelssohn's views on personal cultivation versus societal enlightenment, and Foucault's unique critique of modernity. The discussion navigates the delicate balance between individual freedom and social responsibility, reflecting on how personal insights shape a broader societal ethos. The importance of self-creation in the modern age and the ongoing process of self-critique is also explored, offering a thought-provoking journey into enlightenment's role today.
23 snips
Oct 8, 2018 • 45min
Episode 200: Kant/Mendelssohn/Foucault on Enlightenment (Part One)
Explore the fascinating evolution of Enlightenment ideas through the works of Kant, Mendelssohn, and Foucault. Hear reflections on the journey to 200 recordings, mixed with lighthearted banter. The discussion dives into the modern relevancy of Enlightenment values like freedom of speech, touching on the challenges posed by censorship and societal norms. Ethical implications of independent thinking and governance are also examined, sparking debates about authority and individual autonomy in today’s world.
Oct 8, 2018 • 36min
Bonus: (sub)Text#4: Freud's "Mourning and Melancholia" (Part One)
Wes Alwan is joined by Tracy Morgan and Louis Scuderi to discuss Freud's classic 1917 essay. Note: Part two will NOT be appearing on this feed. Become a PEL Citizen to get the full discussion. Visit partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to learn how. Listen to more (sub)Text.
Oct 1, 2018 • 1h 5min
Episode 199: Elizabeth Anderson on Equality (Part Three: Discussion)
Mark, Wes, Seth, and Dylan continue to discuss "What Is the Point of Equality?" (1999) and how it lays foundations for Private Government (2017). What is democratic equality, and can a Rawlsian/liberal/neutral-with-regard-to-defining-the-good state consistently advocate for this ideal? Our interview starts in Part One. You can get all three parts together, and more with a PEL Citizenship or $5 Patreon pledge. Please support PEL! End song: "Straight Job" by Rod Picott. Hear him on Nakedly Examined Music #80.
Sep 24, 2018 • 1h 1min
Episode 199: Guest Elizabeth Anderson on Private Government (Part Two)
Continuing on Private Government: How Employers Rule Our Lives (2017) and "What Is the Point of Equality?" (1999). Should the amount of respect that a worker gets be proportional to his or her market value? Our guest tells us more about how all citizens have the right to have their interests considered and what this means for how the relationship between employers and employees might change. We talk health care, income inequality, Tyler Cowen, libertarianism, and more. Start with part one. We'll do some post-guest discussion in part 3, but you needn't wait: Get the unbroken, ad-free Citizen Edition now. Please support PEL. If you enjoyed Mark's music on our episodes 1–149, please contribute to the new album through patreon.com/marklint.
Sep 17, 2018 • 53min
Episode 199: Guest Elizabeth Anderson on Private Government (Part One)
The U. of Michigan prof joins us to discuss Private Government: How Employers Rule Our Lives (and Why We Don't Talk about It) (2017) and "What Is the Point of Equality?" (1999). What is a government? Liz argues that this includes companies, and that we should thus apply political science concepts in evaluating their power. Her egalitarianism involves everyone retaining a minimum level of inalienable autonomy, and we should resist encroachments on this not just by the state but from employers as well. Continue on parts two and three, or get them together via the ad-free Citizen Edition. Please support PEL!
