The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

(sub)Text #1: Shakespeare's "The Tempest": Poesis as Revenge Forsaken Jun 08, 2019

Show notes

At last, the full, public release of this discussion between Wes Alwan and Bill Youmans covering Shakespeare's 1611 play about revenge, forgiveness, and authorship. Or maybe it's about exploitation, or how we react to changes in status, or perhaps how a liberal education can give you magical powers! Listen and decide for yourself!

Episode 217: Discussing Calderón's "Life Is a Dream" Jun 03, 2019

Show notes

On the 1636 comedy by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, considering destiny (Christian vs. Ancient Greek), skepticism, meta-theater, and the ethic of honor. Listen to our performance first. With guests Bill Youmans and Erica Spyres.

End song: "Pulling Apart" by Jonathan Segel. Hear him on Nakedly Examined Music #38.

Glimpse: Machiavellian Politics (for Partially Examined Life #14) Jun 02, 2019

Show notes

Does politics have to be Machiavellian? Do you have to be ruthless to succeed?

Given our treatment of Game of Thrones and Life Is a Dream, and the way in which end-justifying-the-means logic plays endlessly in our real-life political situation, it's time we looked back on our episode 14 on Machiavelli. Mark Linsenmayer reviewed that episode and recorded a little essay about practicing Machiavellian politics to get you back in this spirit.

PEL Audioplayers: "Life Is a Dream" by Pedro Calderón de la Barca May 27, 2019

Show notes

Your hosts are joined by real actors to do an unrehearsed read of Calderón's 1636 comedy La Vida Es Sueño, using Stanley Appelbaum's 2002 translation. Ep. 217 will cover the philosophical issues the play raises.

Recorded in NYC on 4/7: Talene Monahon (Rosaura), David Epstein (Segismundo), Bill Youmans (Clotaldo), Erica Spyres (Estrella), Chris Martin (Basilio), Mark Linsenmayer (Clarín), Seth Paskin (Astolfo), Dylan Casey (soldier 1 and servant 1), and Wes Alwan (soldier 2 and servant 2).

Music by Jonathan Segel, as interviewed on Nakedly Examined Music #38.

Please help us to do more audioplays by supporting PEL.

PREMIUM-Ep 216 Game of Thrones' Fantasy Politics (Part Two) May 23, 2019

Show notes

Get teased re. Mark and Wes's post-finale, spoiler-filled continuation of the discussion of the show.

How does its conclusion affect its overall political message? Does it make sense to be performing feminist critiques on a show based on the premise of people murdering each other for power?

To hear the full discussion, become a PEL Citizen or $5 Patreon supporter. For more about these options see partiallyexaminedlife.com/support. Listen to our part one first, of course.

Episode 216: Game of Thrones' Fantasy Politics May 20, 2019

Show notes

Discussing the TV show (2011-2019) based on the books by George R.R. Martin.

What's the role of a mass-consumed fantasy series in today's society? Is it our "fantasy" to have all these horrible things happen to us? Is this an edifying prompt to engage in public moral thinking, or a spectacular distraction of the kind that those Marxist theorists keep warning us about?

We get into the function of fantasy and how a more "realistic" show plays with that, the extent to which we're supposed to identify with the characters, depiction of moral complexity, low art vs. high art, identity issues, and more. With guest Sabrina Weiss.

End song: "Fire and Blood" by Sacrifice Feat. Mark Lint; hear the interview on Nakedly Examined Music #24.

Don't miss the Citizen-only spoiler-filled follow-up discussion between Mark and Wes.

Episode 215: Brave New World: PEL Live 10th Anniversary Show May 13, 2019

Show notes

On Aldous Huxley's 1932 dystopian novel, recorded at Manhattan's Caveat on 4/6/19, with audience participation.

If we harness the power of society to employ available technologies to really focus on making people happy, what would the result be? This is Huxley's thought experiment, but is it in all respects a dystopia, and is it a fair test of the ideal of social improvement or merely of a flawed view of human nature? You can watch this episode instead.

End song: "Brave New World" by Mark Lint. Read about it.

Get the commemorative T-shirt, and save $10 with the coupon code revealed at the beginning of the Citizen Edition of this episode. Please support PEL! Contact us to share your PEL stories.

Episode 214: More Nietzsche's Zarathustra (Part Two) May 06, 2019

Show notes

Concluding Friedrich Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1885).

What's the wise way to live? We start in earnest into part three, treating the "spirit of gravity" where socially-imposed values cover over your uniqueness, omni-satisfaction vs. being choosy, "Old and New Tablets" where Nietzsche explores various ethical and meta-ethical issues (e.g. is self-overcoming a matter of one-time self-actualization or is it continual?), and more on the Overman and eternal recurrence.

Listen to part one first, or get the ad-free, unbroken Citizen Edition. Please support PEL!

End song: "Upright Man" by Rachel Taylor Brown, as interviewed on Nakedly Examined Music #91.

Episode 214: More Nietzsche's Zarathustra (Part One) Apr 29, 2019

Show notes

On the remainder of Friedrich Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1885).

How can we keep our spirits up and avoid nihilism? We consider Nietzsche's "solution" of eternal recurrence, why he uses a poetic, allegoric style, and more.

Please support PEL!

Glimpse: Nietzsche's Last Man (for Partially Examined Life #213) Apr 22, 2019

Show notes

Is technology making us complacent? Are we in danger of becoming Nietzsche's famed "last men" who are no longer capable of creativity and independent thought?

Mark Linsenmayer from the Partially Examined Life philosophy podcast lays out Nietzsche's idea and argues that on the contrary, having our basic needs met by technology can free us up to pursue the creative endeavors that Nietzsche saw as the pinnacle of human achievement

This is but a Glimpse. To hear the full Partial Examination of this book, visit partiallyexaminedlife.com.

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