The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 277: Hegel on Our Understanding of Physics (Part One) Aug 30, 2021

Show notes

On The Phenomenology of Spirit, ch. 3, "Force and the Understanding."

What is "force" as physics describes it? And scientific law? Do these terms denote objects in the world, or models for how we describe the world?

Part two of this episode is only going to be available to you if you sign up at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support or via Apple Podcasts. Get it now or listen to a preview.

PEL Special: Nightcap Early September 2021 Aug 29, 2021

Show notes

A little political ranting precedes a consideration of what we might read in aesthetics, philosophy of science, and philosophy of sport. What do we remember about emotions? Finally, Seth's morbid interests and Devo.

If you enjoy this kind of free-form discussion, you can get it on the reg by becoming a PEL Citizen via one of the methods identified at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.

PREMIUM-Ep. 276: Hegel on Perception (Part Two) Aug 23, 2021

Show notes

Focusing on The Phenomenology of Spirit (1807), ch. 2 "Perception."

Hegel's critique of the adequacy of perceptual knowledge has metaphysical aspects: The relation of substance to properties, properties to each other, and things to other things and to the perceiver all create difficulties that call for more active participation by the mind.

If you're not hearing the full version of this part of the discussion, sign up via one of the options described at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.

Ep. 276: Hegel on Perception (Part One) Aug 16, 2021

Show notes

On The Phenomenology of Spirit (1807), ch. 1 "Sense Certainty" and ch. 2 "Perception."

We walk through the first step in considering Hegel's dialectical analysis of theories of knowledge. Sense-certainty claims that we have direct access to sensory particulars which can act as foundational. But can we really refer or point to a particular thing without bringing some universal concepts to bear, like "this" (which can refer to any number of things), as well as "here", "now" and even "I"?

Part two of this episode is only going to be available to you if you sign up at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support or via Apple Podcasts. Get it now or listen to a preview.

PEL Presents Philosophy vs. Improv #7: Meritocracy Now! Aug 15, 2021

Show notes

Does it make sense to try to have everyone get what they "deserve"? Your hosts Mark Linsenmayer and Bill Arnett (Chicago Improv Studio) act out the desert machine but yet get no predictable cake.

Hear more PvI at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get bonus stuff and good karma!

PREMIUM-Ep. 275: Hegel's Project in the "Phenomenology of Spirit" (Part Two) Aug 09, 2021

Show notes

Continuing on the Introduction, we get into more detail on Hegel's goal and his tricky terminology.

If you're not hearing the full version of this part of the discussion, sign up via one of the options described at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.

Ep. 275: Hegel's Project in the "Phenomenology of Spirit" (Part One) Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

On G.W.F. Hegel's 1807 opus: A series of treatments of various theories in epistemology (among other things), seeing how they're internally incoherent, which then moves us to more sophisticated theories.

Part two of this episode is only going to be available to you if you sign up at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support or via Apple Podcasts. Get it now or listen to a preview.

Don't miss Mark's new podcast Philosophy vs. Improv.

PREMIUM-Ep. 274: Schelling on Self-Consciousness (Part Two) Jul 26, 2021

Show notes

Concluding on Schelling's System of Transcendental Idealism (1800), Parts 1 and 2.

What sort of self is created in the act of self-consciousness that according to Schelling grounds all knowledge? We further consider this primordial act.

To hear the full second part, you'll need to go sign up at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.

Philosophy vs. Improv: An Introductory Trailer Jul 22, 2021

Show notes

What is Philosophy vs. Improv? Hear about the new podcast by Mark Linsenmayer (The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast) and Bill Arnett (Chicago Improv Studio, The Complete Improviser author).

Go listen to the show at philosophyimprov.com or subscribe via Apple, Audible, Stitcher, Spotify, or however you get your podcasts.

Get more episodes than are now publicly available plus supporter-only content at patreon.com/philosophyimprov, or you can sign up for a premium subscription to the Mark Lintertainment channel on Apple Podcasts, which gets you bonus content and ad-free episodes for not only this new podcast, but also Mark's other efforts, Pretty Much Pop: A Culture Podcast and Nakedly Examined Music.

Thanks to our announcer, Erica Spyres. Logo by Solomon Grundy.