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
May 11, 2026 • 52min
Ep. 391: Habermas Defends Modernity (Part One)
John Ganz, author and commentator, brings historical and interpretive perspective on Habermas. They debate Habermas’ defense of Enlightenment reason and his turn to Hegel’s social insight. Conversation contrasts Habermas with critics like Adorno and Foucault. They explore communicative reason, performative contradiction, and where modernity stakes its claim.
May 9, 2026 • 54min
PEL Presents NEM#252: Folk Legend Tom Paxton
Tom was an integral member of the Greenwich Village early '60s folk scene (playing originals regularly before Bob Dylan did). His tunes have been covered by Dylan, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Harry Belafonte, and many others. He received a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2009. We talk about "Rebel Gal" from Together Again (2026) (a collaborative album with John McCutcheon), "If the Poor Don't Matter" from Redemption Road (2015), "Mr. Blue" from Morning Again (1968), and "The Death of Stephen Biko" (with Anne Hills and Bob Gibson) from Best of Friends (live in 1984, released in 2004; the song was originally recorded for Heroes, 1978). Intro: "I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound" from Rambin' Boy (1964). More at tompaxton.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic.
May 4, 2026 • 51min
Ep. 390: Diderot Debates a Cynic (Part Two)
A lively dive into Diderot's Rameau's Nephew discussing candid vice, theatrical genius, and the uneasy charm of a morally ambiguous anti-figure. They debate education versus natural talent, whether professions are predatory trades, and how music and pantomime reveal social roles. Hegelian recognition and the limits of extreme independence also come up.
Apr 28, 2026 • 50min
Ep. 390: Diderot Debates a Cynic (Part One)
A lively dive into Diderot’s Rameau’s Nephew and its provocative questions about virtue, vice, and survival. They probe hypocrisy, cynical truth-telling, and the performative voice of Rameau. Conversation ranges from genius and vanity to the social function of mediocrity and the risks of public truth.
Apr 26, 2026 • 54min
PEL Presents PMP#220: Peaky Blinders: Gangs of Birmingham
We discuss Steven Knight's six-seasons-and-a-movie historical crime show Peaky Blinders, featuring Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al. Does the show live up to its initial excellence? It's got a great emotional premise (post-WWI PTSD), and there's a ridiculous amount of gravitas among the cast, but do the heists undermine this heft? It's OK if you haven't seen the show; we hold off on spoilers for quite a while and warn you when we reach that point. Get more at prettymuchpop.com. Get an ad-free experience, plus bonus talking for nearly every episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop. Sponsor: Get started with Claude AI at claude.ai/pmp.
Apr 25, 2026 • 1h 35min
PEL Presents NEM#251: Dr. Alan Williams (Birdsong at Morning)
Alan Williams, musician, recording engineer, and ethnomusicologist who led Knots and Crosses and Birdsong at Morning, talks songwriting, tunings, and production. He recounts shifting from band work to academic studio life. He describes open E minor and Hawaiian-influenced tunings, odd meters, layering and doubling techniques, synth choices, and arranging decisions across his recent albums.
Apr 20, 2026 • 48min
Ep. 389: Hegel on Wealth and Power (Part Two)
They trace how monarchal largesse creates dependence and noble resentment. They explore arrogant giving, flattery, and how value gets fetishized. They connect Hegel’s lord–bondsman themes to cultural nihilism and witty, perverse consciousness. They contrast plain, earnest minds with clever, ironic spirits and preview faith versus insight as responses to worldly skepticism.
Apr 18, 2026 • 44min
PEL Presents PvI#116: Full Bird Mode w/ BJ Lange
BJ is an LA improviser/actor/TV host (who teaches wounded warriors among others), and he chats with Mark and Mary about migratory patterns, TV shows that date you, how to draw in students, the realness of birds, and playing unsafe characters. Scenes include a forced-Fargo college experience, improv class on the roof, spying on birds, and keyboard warriors. Plus Marge and Larry. Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast and listen ad-free at philosophyimprov.com/support.
Apr 17, 2026 • 52min
PEL Presents PMP#219: Weir-ed Sci Fi: Hail Mary and The Martian
A lively dive into two Andy Weir science thrillers and how they translate technical problem‑solving to screen. The conversation probes how realistic hard sci‑fi should be and Weir’s authorial voice. They contrast film directing choices, character minimalism, and the emotional pull of optimistic scientific cooperation.
15 snips
Apr 13, 2026 • 51min
Ep. 389: Hegel on Wealth and Power (Part One)
Discussion of how private wealth and public power fuse when a monarch centralizes authority. Exploration of language as recognition and how naming concentrates social selfhood. Examination of courtly flattery, nobles surrendering agency, and how dependence on royal largesse breeds gratitude that can flip into rebellion.
