Philosophy vs. Improv

Watch this episode in its unedited video form. Chris has an act called “I Am the Show” where he improvises to a film that he hasn’t seen that’s playing silently, making up all the dialogue and sound effects. Here’s an example. Mark and Bill talk to Chris about being a spectator or critic of art: To understand a work, is it good or necessary to try to divine the artist’s intentions, or is meaning in art something that happens after a work becomes an objective thing, such that the artist’s intentions are not really relevant, and in fact the author might not have any better idea than you do of its meaning? This spurs us for some reason to enact some scenes initiated by pantomime, i.e. silence. Darts, anyone? Listen to the Partially Examined Life episode where we talk about “death of the author” and related concepts. The image, which for some reason came up when I searched for child’s drawings of monkeys, is from here. Audio editing by Tyler Hislop. Follow Chris @RidingontheWall and @00george. Read his blog. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content. Sponsor: Visit HelloFresh.Com/improv50 (code improv50) for 50% off (plus free shipping) of America’s #1 Meal Kit.

We are ALL this mess. Genevieve is a comedian, podcaster, and she was a philosophy major who’s studying for her doctorate in Divinity (in the Science of Mind/New Thought tradition). We talk about the idea that “we are all one” (and thus we are all God, if you want to call the sum of all things by that name) that’s in various traditions. Ralph Waldo Emerson called this the “oversoul.” Unique to this episode, we pretty much front-load the philosophy and spend our second half under the bleachers not making out, get bored at the Grand Canyon, get nervous before the big show, and consider everyone’s food allergies. For a more through take on Genevieve’s theology, watch this other interview that’s not interrupted with our nonsense. Listen to Genevieve and Mark on Pretty Much Pop talking about disgraced entertainers. Listen to Just Genevieve and Not Just Genevieve. The image is by Lily, ripped from this page. Audio editing as always by Tyler Hislop. Follow Genevieve @catfightj0y and @CAtFightJOy. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content, including the unedited video recording of most recent episodes (but not this one!). Sponsors: Get 16 free meals and free shipping via HelloFresh.Com/improv16 (code improv16). Check out the Skeptoid podcast at skeptoid.com.

Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff of the Brain in a Vat podcast join Bill and Mark L. (aka Alf) to talk about rationality, broadly construed, while not moving a couch and not giving each other Christmas presents. Does “reason” by itself tell us what to do and what to believe? Is trypophobia really just bigotry? (It is not.) What’s the rationale for making negative comments online about a podcast? Are bigots bigger than bigamists? Was Ayn Rand a cannibal? The image is from this site, and truly, you do not want to be there. Audio editing by Tyler Hislop, who is looking for more podcast editing clients, if you want to reach out to him. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content, including the unedited video recording of this episode. If you like our show, check out the Banned Camp comedy podcast.

Zach is an improvisor who’s written for MST3K, been a commentator for Resistance Pro Wrestling, and has been a recurring guest on Hello From the Magic Tavern. He joins Mark and Bill to discuss competitiveness in all its forms. Is strife part of utopia, or would all conflict be removed in an ideal political situation? Is the controlled competitiveness of sports or improv games fundamentally different than mere aggression? Also, we chase a dog. Follow Zach @PocketThunder. The image is by “Charlie,” and is on several websites that seem too unsavory to link to, but you can find it by searching on these keywords: child’s drawing wrestling dream house. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content, including the unedited video recording of this episode. Sponsors: Get 16 free meals and free shipping via HelloFresh.Com/improv16 (code improv16). Check out the Skeptoid podcast at skeptoid.com.

Tanner runs the popular daily podcast Practical Stoicism, so of course we brought him on to talk about on-board flight services and attitudes among retail service workers. Seriously, this is one of the most beefy philosophical discussions (about Stoicism and virtue, naturally) we’ve had on the show. Follow Tanner @stoicismtanner. Listen to PEL’s episodes on Stoicism (starting with Epictetus). The art is from here, by Anggiana. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content, including the unedited video recording of this episode. Sponsor: Listen to The Psychology Podcast with Scott Barry Kaufman.

This episode is here, so why not listen? Philosophy vs. Improv advances to a new level of improvisation (aka half-assery) as Mark and Bill engage in a wide-ranging discussion (with scenes, of course) through the categorization of things, paradigm components and essences of things, historical advertisements, what goes in a museum, irresponsible loans, using the tools of convenience, diner culture, obsolete storage media, undefined locations, self-serve oil change, and a surprise ending whereby you learn that we’ve been painting the fence all along! Image by Anthony, some years back. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content, including the unedited video recording of this episode.

Marla is an improviser from the Whirled News Tonight iO Theater show. We talk about obeying proper forms of behavior and drawing improv inspiration from outside sources. Plus, a thruple blind date and BBQ chain of custody. And introducing a new character, Lil’ Confucius. Image from here.  Follow Marla @MarlaCaceres and @marlacaceres. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content, including the unedited video recording of this episode.

We talk transcendental idealism and Schopenhauer with Cole, who teaches philosophy at the College of Southern Nevada. How does the idea that everything is ideas actually affect behavior? What if you think that reality is a swirling mass of chaos? What are you gonna do then? Huh? Also, the least effective confidential informant! Hear Mark talk about Schopenhauer on The Partially Examined Life. Follow Cole @super_coleider. Hear more of her on YouTube. Why did Google serve up the image I’ve featured here when I searched “ferret child’s drawing”? You decide! Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content, including the unedited video recording of this episode.

Mark and Bill act out a couple of scenes of a person trying to convince a stubborn person of something. But there’s a twist in the characterization! Also, before you were born, the world did not exist. Part of this came out of some comments in The Partially Examined Life’s second Wittgenstein On Certainty episode and anticipates our upcoming treatment of Daoism. Mark also brings up up Rawls’ liberalism. And the meaning of the phrase “partially examined life” is revealed! Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content, including the unedited video recording of this episode. Check out the Self Esteem Party podcast on TheSonarNetwork.com.

Rachael was a mentor of Bill’s and works with him at the newly reopened iO Theater. So it’s like we have TWO improv instructors here. We run some  scenes, talk a bit too much about chili, and touch on functionalism, idealism, napism, and other isms. Jump into the marzipan! Brucie and Frucie are waiting for you! Rachael has been a guest on many improv podcasts. Hear more PvI. Support the podcast! You’ll get all of our post-game discussions and other exclusive bonus content, including the unedited video recording of this very episode. Sponsor: Check out the History Cache Podcast.