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 6, 2017 • 44min
Episode 176: Situationism in Psych: Milgram & Stanford Prison Experiments (Very Bad Wizards Crossover) (Part One)
On Stanley Milgram's "Behavioral Study of Obedience" (1963), Philip Zimbardo's "Interpersonal Dynamics in a Simulated Prison" (1973), and John Doris's "Persons, Situations, and Virtue Ethics" (1998). Do difficult situations make good people act badly? Are there really "good" and "bad" people, or are we all about the same, but put in different situations? With guest David Pizarro from the Very Bad Wizards podcast. Please support PEL!
Nov 6, 2017 • 3min
PREMIUM-Episode 175: Blade Runner (Part Two)
Dive into a deep discussion on the philosophical implications of Blade Runner and its themes. Explore the controversial debate on slave labor and its societal effects. Listen to an engaging comparison of bounty hunting to the myth of Sisyphus and its connection to meaning in life. Marvel at the insights on ritual through a pet squirrel. Finally, they tackle the complexities of sexual empathy versus sentimentality, questioning our biases in attraction. It's a thought-provoking journey through a sci-fi lens!
16 snips
Oct 30, 2017 • 46min
Episode 175: Blade Runner: Androids and Humanity (Part One)
Dive into the exploration of humanity through the lens of androids in Philip K. Dick’s work. The hosts debate what truly makes us human, contrasting the emotional portrayals in the films with the empathy challenges in the novel. They delve into the Voigt-Kampff test, memory implants, and the role of servitude in shaping replicant identities. Additionally, they discuss deeper themes like Mercerism and the dynamics of affect and emotion, making you question the boundaries of personhood and empathy in both fiction and reality.
Oct 22, 2017 • 1h 5min
Episode 174: Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations" (Part Two)
Continuing on the foundational text of economics. We talk "invisible hand," "greed is good," tariffs, unproductive labor, city vs. country, and the education racket. Listen to part 1 first or get the ad-free Citizen Edition. Please support PEL! End song: "With My Looks and Your Brains" by The Mr. T Experience. Hear about the singer/songwriter on Nakedly Examined Music #56.
Oct 16, 2017 • 54min
Episode 174: Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations" (Part One)
On the foundational, 1776 text of modern economics. How does the division of labor and our instinct to exchange lead to the growth of wealth? Is the economy sufficiently machine-like to enable us to manipulate its output, or at least to tell us how not to screw it up? Please support PEL!
Oct 9, 2017 • 60min
Episode 173: Relating to American Indian Philosophy (Part Two)
We go further into "Philosophy of Native Science" by Gregory Cajete and "What Coyote and Thales Can Teach Us: An Outline of American Indian Epistemology" by Brian Yazzie Burkhart, plus process philosophy, propositional vs. procedural knowledge, and what we owe to nature. With guest Jim Marunich. Listen to part 1 first or get the ad-free Citizen Edition. Please support PEL! End song: "Circle's Gotta Go" by Kim Rancourt, as interviewed on Nakedly Examined Music #52.
Oct 2, 2017 • 49min
Episode 173: Relating to American Indian Philosophy (Part One)
What is wisdom? We discuss articles by Brian Burkhart, Gregory Cajete, and Anne Waters, plus Black Elk Speaks by John Neihardt (1932) and some traditional stories. With guest Jim Marunich; we read his master's thesis, "Process Metaphysics in the Far West: American Indian Ontologies." Please support PEL!
Sep 25, 2017 • 58min
Episode 172: Mind, Self, and Affect with Guest Dr. Drew (Part Two)
Continuing with Drew Pinsky on "Attachment and Reflective Function: Their Role in Self-organization" by Peter Fonagy and two articles by Allan Schore. Fonagy claims we gain the ability to emotionally self-regulate as a result of achieving secure attachment with a caregiver as infants. Schore claims that if this fails, we can end up fundamentally disengaged. So what are the philosophical implications? Listen to part 1 first, or get the ad-free Citizen Edition. Please support PEL! End song: "Anything but Love" by Steve Hackett, as featured on Nakedly Examined Music #45.
Sep 18, 2017 • 42min
Episode 172: Mind, Self, and Affect with Guest Dr. Drew (Part One)
Radio legend Dr. Drew Pinsky talks with us about "Attachment and Reflective Function: Their Role in Self-Organization" by Peter Fonagy and two articles by Allan Schore. The focus is "theory of mind"; how do we develop the ability to impute thoughts and intentions to others? What in our upbringing can interfere with this development? We relate this back to previous episodes (Hegel, Buber, etc.) on recognition by others of the self. Listen to more Dr. Drew at DrDrew.com, especially his interview of Wes! Please support PEL!
Sep 11, 2017 • 1h 5min
Episode 171: Buddhism vs. Evolution with Guest Robert Wright (Part Two)
Continuing on Why Buddhism Is True. We discuss the "no self" doctrine as articulated in Buddha's Second Discourse and the modularity-of-mind theory that Bob claims supports it. What are the ethical implications, and do we really need meditation to achieve its alleged ethical benefits? Continued from part 1, or get the ad-free Citizen Edition. Please support PEL! End song: "Alphalpha Bhang" by Anton Barbeau, as interviewed on Nakedly Examined Music ep. 50.
