Philosophy vs. Improv

Chicago’s iO Theater was graced on August 21 by Mark, Bill, and special guest theater educator James Whittington, who spoke about embodiment (see Maurice Merleau-Ponty), the possible disconnect between meaning and tone, and being in the physical presence of greatness. They acted out scenes (while still sitting!) about an unsuccessful party and Experiences-R-Us. Both audience members eventually chime in with their contributions, though their mic was apparently not working for the purposes of the recording, so extreme measures were required to communicate their thoughts to you. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! Sponsor: Get 10% off your first month of online therapy at betterhelp.com/improv. You may choose to watch the proceedings live on stage.

Our long lost episode. Consider it a mystery box. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content. You can choose to watch this on YouTube.

Important announcement for Chicago-area listeners: On Wed. 8/21, Mark and Bill will record a live episode of PvI at iO Theater (1501 N Kingsbury St.). Our show runs from 6-7 pm followed by a Bill-hosted regular improv event called The Green Room. Admission is free, parking is plentiful, no reservations required. Come meet us! Internationally best-selling author David wrote a book (and made a film) called How We Got Here, which traces the gradual path in the history of ideas from the ancients through various forms of perspectivism, relativism, and post-modernism to the post-truth discourse that authoritarians and wanna-be authoritarians engage in. Sponsor: Try online therapy at betterhelp.com/improv and get 10% off your first month. David’s book is in a very terse style, in line with his overall career emphasis on brevity, so we talk about this choice and how it means in most cases not actually explaining any of the ideas involved much less arguing for his interpretation of them. Instead, a series of quotations and short explanations prompt readers to see the lines of influence themselves. This is not a dismissal of post-modernism due to its deleterious consequences, as he sees the current liberal absolutist reaction (there IS objective truth and morality and Trump and his ilk are ignoring) as foolishly antiquated. We read some passages and discuss some of the many figures that come up, including Allan Bloom, Levi-Strauss, Vladislav Surkov, plus the various philosophers like Nietzsche that inspired David’s aphoristic style. We don’t actually get into evaluating the idea that truth is relative (or subjective, or unknowable such that for practical purposes we can treat it as relative), though this has been covered a number of times in past Partially Examined Life episodes, and we’re currently recording a two-episode run on Richard Rorty, who gives among the more comprehensible defenses of this counter-intuitive thesis. Through some brief improv scenes that David was possibly unaware were happening, Mark and Bill explore whether the denial of the objectivity of truth would be a good campaign strategy, and also what life David’s concise book might leave now that it has separated from his mind and source materials and become autonomous. The image is from Pinterest. It’s a shield. You’ll have to trace yourself the historical evolution between our guest David Shields and actual shields and images of shields drawn by children. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content. You can choose to watch this on YouTube.

Danny was in a sketch troupe called Maximum Party Zone back in the day with your improv host Bill, and they’ve now revived that trio to create the MPZ Listening Party podcast, which workshops sketch ideas in real time as a fun form of conversation. So we try out some of their tricks, such as combining two properties (in this case nominally The Apprentice and Argyle to create a pretentious reality show) and brainstorming about serial killer branding and palliative quantum leaping. Plus, intent vs. impact, your legacy, auditioning for a mystery reality show, fake Roman names, you would be just as bad as Biden at debating, and infinitely more. Sponsor: Try online therapy at betterhelp.com/improv. What did the artist who drew this picture intend to draw, and what does he think pointing at it is supposed to indicate? YOU DECIDE! Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content. You can choose to watch this unedited on YouTube.

Tamler Sommers, a philosophy professor at The University of Houston and host of Very Bad Wizards, dives into intriguing discussions about personal identity and the essence of the self. He explores whether identity is tied to the body and reflects on meditation's role in self-awareness. The light-hearted conversation merges philosophy with improv, tackling metaphysics, dreams, and the intertwining of characters in performance. With a humorous take on concepts like time travel and legacy, Tamler challenges listeners to rethink their perceptions of self and reality.

The actor/writer/comedian joins us to talk about the philosophy of fashion, from the ancients to the present: Is clothing a mode of self-expression or something more (or less)? What does retro fashion say about the current state of culture? Should you wear clothes that you have to be sewn into? If you only had one little piece of cloth to wear, where would you put it? Are philosophers anti-fashion, and is that sexist? What color wedding dress is best for an arranged marriage? Are improv scenes like tissues? Follow Sheri at @SheriFlanders and @sheriflanders. For a more elaborate treatment of this topic, see Partially Examined Life #245. The image here is swiped from this Pinterest page. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content. You can choose to watch the proceedings unedited on video:

The philosopher and entertainment journalist direct from Mark’s Pretty Much Pop podcast joins PvI for an hour of merriment. We talk parenthood, philosophy of race, the RULES of improv (or the singular answer to a philosophy question), old 9th graders, one black Peggy, using racy improv in a classroom setting, and more. Here’s an excerpt from the essay Lawrence refers to by philosophy George Yancy on the film White Chicks. The image was swiped from here. Is it a spiritual representation of Lawrence? You decide! Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content. You can choose to watch the proceedings unedited on YouTube.

The Hitchhikers and Appetizers co-host joins Mark and Bill to talk about cultural relativism. We talk about foreign-ness, what parts of ethics seem to apply to all cultures, the Museum of Soup, pushing back tactfully in a scene, and more. In my culture, listening to this episode while in a work meeting is polite. Everything you want to know about the torturer droid. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content. You can also choose to watch this as video.

David Peña-Guzmán, co-host of the popular Overthink podcast, explores the intriguing effects of drugs on our sense of self. He humorously navigates the concept of ''natural'' substances and their potential role in workplace settings. The discussion delves into how psychedelics can lead to profound shifts in identity and creativity, especially among young people. With personal anecdotes, David also critiques societal norms around drug classification and consumerism, all while advocating for a more authentic self-perception.

The co-host of the Those Who Aunt podcast joins Mark and Bill to joke about the family as the fundamental political unit and its special place in ethics. On the flip side, what questions should you ask yourself about your character at the start of a scene? Plus, Jan. 6, Platonic eugenics, transcending physical desire, a story that doesn’t quite get started, a military upbringing, and the real Cheff. Papa will give you all the same name and make you listen to every episode of this podcast, because he loves you. Follow Colleen @AnyangHello. You can choose to watch this on video: Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content.