Ep. 282: Alain Badiou: What Is Philosophy? (Part One)
On Conditions (1992), Ch. 1 "The (Re)turn of Philosophy Itself." Against post-structuralists who deny Truth, Badiou argues that truths are generated by the truth conditions (politics, art, love, and science/math) which philosophy then thinks into a unified vision. Part two of this episode is only going to be available to you if you sign up at https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support or via A...
55m Nov 22, 2021
55m
PEL Presents PMP#109: Dueling in Film
In light of the release of The Last Duel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Duel_(2021_film)) , we talk about the trope of the honor-resolving duel in movies and TV. Mark and guest co-host Dylan Casey from PEL are joined by Clif Mark, host of the Good in Theory podcast (https://goodintheorypod.com/) . We touch on The Duelists, A Knight's Tale, The Duelist and The Duel (two 2016 films), Du...
57m Nov 20, 2021
57m
PEL Presents (SUB)TEXT: Mad as Hell in "Network" (1976)
Diana Christensen is a television executive in search of an angry show—something that articulates the rage of the average viewer. In Howard Beale, failed newscaster turned mad-as-hell prophet, she seems to get exactly what she’s looking for. Yet in doing so, she reduces political and social discontent to a form of entertainment focused on generating audience excitement and television ratings. W...
55m Nov 19, 2021
55m
PREMIUM-Ep. 281: Paul Feyerabend's Anarchist Philosophy of Science (Part Two)
Continuing on Against Method (1975) about the non-rational progress of science. Given that according to F., epistemological conformity can't proceed by an appeal to reason, how does it proceed? Through indoctrination, propaganda, and coercion, even when our goal is to encourage freedom and rationality. If you're not hearing the full version of this part of the discussion (https://partiallyexa...
13m Nov 15, 2021
13m
PEL Presents NEM#159: Steve Bartek (Oingo Boingo) Is a Writer, Not Just an Arranger
Steve is best known as guitarist/arranger for Oingo Boingo through their eight albums from 1981-1995 and for following its leader Danny Elfman into a life creating movie soundtracks. However, his activity as composer goes all the way back to the late '60s. We discuss "Tango" by jackiO from their self-titled album (https://amzn.to/3CRMrtF) (2019), "The Wake" and "Checking Out/Streets of Managu"...
1hr 1m Nov 13, 2021
1hr 1m
Ep. 281: Paul Feyerabend's Anarchist Philosophy of Science (Part One)
On Against Method (1975). In dialogue with Lakatos (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2021/10/23/ep280-1-lakatos-scientific-progress-citizen/) , Feyerabend claimed that scientific progress can not be explained rationally, so how does it progress? Is F. just arguing against the possibility of any philosophy of science? Part two of this episode is only going to be available to you if you sign up...
56m Nov 08, 2021
56m
PEL Presents PMP/NEM: The Music of Your Youth w/ Jon Lamoreaux
To what degree to our childhood favorites persist into adulthood? Are we doomed to love the songs of our generation best? What causes the generation gap in musical tastes? Your host Mark Linsenmayer, plus Pretty Much Pop regulars Erica Spyres and Brian Hirt, and Jon, the host of The Hustle Podcast, (https://thehustle.podbean.com/) share their nostalgia and discuss "guilty pleasures," the diffe...
56m Nov 07, 2021
56m
PEL Presents PvI#17: The Imitation Game (with Toaster)
Riffing on resemblance. Eventually invoking the spirit of a toaster. Mark is wrong: the God Emperor of Dune can't drink water at all, just dried food. Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com (https://chicagoimprovstudio.com/) . Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv (http://philosophyimprov.com/)...
47m Nov 06, 2021
47m
PEL Presents (SUB)TEXT: Autonomy and Incest in Sophocles’s “Oedipus Rex”
His first claim to fame was the solution to  a riddle that earned him a kingdom by sheer force of intellect. His second was a doomed attempt to escape the particularly gruesome fates of patricide and incest. With his first act, Oedipus saved the city of Thebes from the sphinx; with his second, he afflicted it with a plague. In his retelling of this myth, Sophocles reflects on the competing clai...
1hr 6m Nov 05, 2021
1hr 6m
PREMIUM-Ep. 280: Imre Lakatos on Scientific Progress (Part Two)
Continuing on "Falsification and the Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes" (1970). We distinguish various kinds of falsificationism and give more details about Lakatos' concept of a scientific research program. If you're not hearing the full version of this part of the discussion (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2021/10/23/ep280-2-lakatos-scientific-progress-citizen/) , sign up via...
10m Nov 01, 2021
10m
PEL Presents PMP#108: Board Game Ideology
As board games are becoming increasingly popular with adults, we ask: What's the relationship between a board game's mechanics and its narrative? Does the "message" of a board game matter? Mark is joined by game designer Tommy Maranges (https://www.tommymaranges.com/) , educator Michelle Parrinello-Cason (https://courses.seahomeschoolers.com/dr-michelle-parrinello-cason/) , and ex-philosopher ...
57m Oct 28, 2021
57m
Ep. 280: Imre Lakatos on Scientific Progress (Part One)
On "Falsification and the Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes" (1970). In what way is scientific progress rational? Lakatos splits the difference between Popper and Kuhn to argue that some scientific research programs are more progressive than others, meaning that they make dramatic, unexpected predictions. Part two of this episode is only going to be available to you if you sign up...
59m Oct 25, 2021
59m
PEL Presents PvI#16: The Legend of Kermit's Gold w/ Tim Sniffen
Do you believe in miracles? If doctors believed in miracles, would they just let surgeries finish themselves? Do assumptions of a logical universe make it not just unjustified by psychologically impossible for us to really believe in miracles? Read about our VERY FIRST guest, Tim Sniffen at timsniffen.com (https://www.timsniffen.com/) . Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https:/...
50m Oct 24, 2021
50m
PEL Presents (Sub)Text: Gender Opera in "Tootsie"
How do you become the many you truly are? Try becoming the woman you aren’t. While Michael Dorsey can take the blame for his desperate transformation into Dorothy Michaels, it’s she who gets the credit for making him a better man. How are gender dynamics reflected in our relationships to ourselves? When are we staying true to ourselves, and when are we just acting out a role for others? Wes & E...
59m Oct 21, 2021
59m
PREMIUM-Ep. 279: Aristotle's "Categories" of Being (Part Two)
Continuing on the Categories, considering artifacts, social construction in cutting up the world, different kinds of properties, and more. If you're not hearing the full version of this part of the discussion (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2021/10/09/ep279-2-aristotle-categories-citizen/) , sign up via one of the options described at https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.
10m Oct 18, 2021
10m
PEL Presents PMP#107: Cult Bands and Cultish Fans
Mark Linsenmayer is joined by Tim Quirk (http://tbquirk.com/) of Too Much Joy, Aaron David Gleason (https://www.aarondavidgleason.com/) , and Chris Sunami (http://popculturephilosopher.com/) to talk about what makes a cult band. We touch on artists like Tom Waits, Velvet Underground, Big Star, XTC, and The Cure. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com (http://prettymuchpop.com/) . Hear bonus content...
54m Oct 18, 2021
54m
PEL Presents NEM#158: Dar Williams: Songs as Thought Processes
Dar has released 11 albums on labels since 1993 of highly literate, introspective folk-pop songs. We discuss "Berkeley" (and listen to "Today and Everyday") from I'll Meet You Here (https://amzn.to/3aOrsLU) (2021), "Empty Plane" from Emerald (https://amzn.to/2YUvBeE) (2015), and " Are You Out There" from End of the Summer (https://amzn.to/3FTxTvv) (1997). Intro: "As Cool As I Am" from Mortal Ci...
1hr 8m Oct 17, 2021
1hr 8m
NEM#157: DEVO’s Gerald V. Casale: Guises of Social Critique
Jerry is DEVO's co-frontman and chief philosopher. They've released nine albums since 1978. His solo career has been sporadic, with a release as Jihad Jerry & the Evildoers in 2006 and a few singles. We discuss his new song and video (https://youtu.be/m-tz-Ra6Rt0) "I'm Gonna Pay U Back (https://www.geraldvcasale.com/products/7-inch-metallic-gold-vinyl-single?variant=40796353527995) ," and one o...
1hr 3m Oct 17, 2021
1hr 3m
Ep. 279: Aristotle's "Categories" of Being (Part One)
On the Categories (ca. 350 BCE), which purports to describe all the types of entities that exist. We mostly talk about substances, as A's presentation raises interesting questions about, e.g. the status of the species of substance, and the rest of the categories (e.g. quality, quantity, relative) rely on substances existing. So how exactly do these other categories relate to substances, and why...
54m Oct 11, 2021
54m
PEL Presents PvI#14: Action Idealism!
Are so-called "material objects" really just a scam? These two cut-ups (Bill and Mark) cut up the world in various ways, showing you how to teach, how to act, and how to haggle. Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com (https://chicagoimprovstudio.com/) . Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv (ht...
43m Oct 07, 2021
43m
(sub)Text: Our Name is Subtext, Podcast of Podcasts. Hear our “Ozymandias” Discussion, Ye Listeners, and Despair!
The land is not just ancient but “antique,” and while many of its artifacts end up as the possessions of distant museums, they may yet be capable of overpowering their audiences. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Ozymandias” is traditionally taken as an exploration of hubris, and of the obliviating effect of time on power and its pretensions. But the poem also speaks to the power of art to preserve, and ...
58m Oct 06, 2021
58m
PREMIUM-Ep. 278: Derrick Bell on the Dynamics of Racism (Part Two)
Continuing on Faces At the Bottom of the Well (1992), with guest Lawrence Ware. We discuss "The Racial Preference Licensing Act" (ch. 3). If you're not hearing the full version of this part of the discussion (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2021/09/27/ep278-2-derrick-bell-racism/) , sign up via one of the options described at https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.
11m Oct 04, 2021
11m
PEL Presents PMP#106: Stand-Up Comedy in the Internet Age
Mark discusses how Internet culture has changed stand-up with three comedians: past guests Rodney Ramsey (https://prettymuchpop.com/2019/11/13/pmp19-racial-viewing/) and Daniel Lobell (https://prettymuchpop.com/2019/10/29/pmp17-comedy-as-philosophy/) , plus Dena Jackson (https://www.denajackson.ca/) . How have YouTube, social media, and virtual spaces changed the way comedians work? We talk ab...
50m Oct 01, 2021
50m
Ep. 278: Derrick Bell on the Dynamics of Racism (Part One)
On Faces At the Bottom of the Well: The Permanence of Racism (1992), a foundational text in critical race theory that presents thought experiments in the philosophy of law, including "The Space Traders." With guest Lawrence Ware (https://lawrence-ware.com/) . Part two of this episode is only going to be available to you if you sign up at https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support or via Apple P...
47m Sep 27, 2021
47m
PEL Presents NEM#156: Emma-Jean Thackray's Modern Mix of Jazz, R&B, and More
Emma-Jean is a trumpeter, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and techie who runs her own label. She's had five releases since 2016. We discuss "Say Something" (and listen at the end to "Spectre"  from Yellow (https://amzn.to/3u2dcbv) (2021), "Open - Remix feat. Blu" (a 2020 single (https://amzn.to/3CleK2V) ), and "Um" from Um Yang (https://amzn.to/3ErjHsY) (2020). Intro: "Baro Bop" from Walrus (htt...
1hr 16m Sep 27, 2021
1hr 16m
PEL Presents (sub)Text: Sex and Tech in "Alien" by Ridley Scott
The Nostromo is a labyrinthine spaceship, a hulking ore refinery run on a sophisticated computer operating system and manned by a crew of seven. But somehow it’s not the most impressive piece of technology in Ridley Scott’s 1979 film Alien. That distinction belongs to the title character, an organism with blood of acid and two sets of jaws, highly-evolved, adaptable to any climate. Its scientif...
1hr 14m Sep 27, 2021
1hr 14m
PEL Presents PMP#105: The Death of Soap Operas (Is Greatly Exaggerated)
Mark is joined by novelist Sarahlyn Bruck (https://sarahlynbruck.com/) and playwright Kayla Dryesse (https://prettymuchpop.com/2021/02/24/pmp83-disabled-representation/) to discuss the conventions, evolution, and influence of daytime soaps. Are they actually terrible, or is critical dismissal of them largely sexist? Are prestige TV shows like Downton Abbey and White Orchid really just soaps in ...
56m Sep 26, 2021
56m
REISSUE-Ep 36: Hegel on the Social Dimension of Self-Consciousness
For our final 2021 installment on G.W.F. Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit, we give you a second episode originally posted in 2011, where Mark and Seth continue from ep. 35 (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2021/09/13/reissue-ep35-hegel-self-consciousness/) with guest Tom McDonald to cover the rest of chapter 4, focusing on sections 178-230. We cover the famous "master and slave" parable, plus ...
1hr 28m Sep 20, 2021
1hr 28m
PEL Presents PvI#11: The Trolley Opportunity
Bill gets to have the power of live and death, with a bit of moral luck. Is he enthused? Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com (https://chicagoimprovstudio.com/) . Hear more PvI (http://philosophyimprov.com/) . Support the podcast (https://philosophyimprov.com/support) to get our post-ga...
36m Sep 19, 2021
36m
REISSUE-Ep 35: Hegel on Self-Consciousness (w/ New Intro)
We re-introduce an episode from ten years ago that's long been behind our paywall on G.F.W. Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit, Ch. 4A, "Self-Consciousness," which features guest Tom McDonald. We've removed the "review" section of the old episode (the first half), because it's duplicative of our recent three-episode run (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2021/08/01/ep275-1-hegel-phenomenology-of-...
1hr 17m Sep 13, 2021
1hr 17m
PEL Presents NEM#155: Melvin Gibbs Protests w/ Bass, Jazz Composition, Production, Sound Design
Melvin has played bass on over 200 albums since 1980 in the worlds of jazz, rock, and hip-hop, and has numerous songwriting credits, playing with Defunkt, Arto Lindsay, Henry Rollins, Bernie Worrell, Vernon Reid, etc. We discuss his solo tune featuring Kokayi "Get Some" from 4+1 Equals 5 for May 25 (https://amzn.to/3BQ6ZCb) (2021), the title track from The Terror End Of Beauty (https://amzn.to...
1hr 11m Sep 13, 2021
1hr 11m
PEL Presents (sub)Text: Dead Wall Reveries in "Bartleby, the Scrivener" by Herman Melville
Melville’s “Bartleby the Scrivener” is subtitled a “Story of Wall St.,” yet there is almost nothing in it of the bustle of city life, and entirely nothing in it of the hustle of the trading floor. The story’s walls block out the streets, serving on the one hand as a container for a colorful assortment of human Xerox machines, on the other as a blank projection screen for the reveries of a man w...
57m Sep 11, 2021
57m
PEL Presents PMP#104: King Arthur Reigns O'er Pop Culture
With the recent theatrical release of The Green Knight, Mark and Brian along with Den of Geek's David Crow (https://www.denofgeek.com/author/david-crow/) and the very British Al Baker (https://prettymuchpop.com/2020/06/23/pmp49-conspiracy-theories/) consider the range of cinematic Arthuriana, including Excalibur (1981), Camelot (1967), King Arthur (2004), King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)...
59m Sep 09, 2021
59m
PEL Special: Nightcap Early September 2021
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 https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.
30m Sep 06, 2021
30m
PREMIUM-Ep. 277: Hegel on Our Understanding of Physics (Part Two)
Continuing on The Phenomenology of Spirit, ch. 3, "Force and the Understanding." We start off by considering the players in force: the thing exerting the force and the thing receiving. By arguing that these are not so different, Hegel moves to arguing that knowledge and the world are likewise not sharply distinguished. If you're not hearing the full version of this part of the discussion (htt...
12m Sep 06, 2021
12m
Ep. 277: Hegel on Our Understanding of Physics (Part One)
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 https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support or via Apple Podcasts (http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/th...
57m Aug 30, 2021
57m
PEL Presents PMP#103: Queering Video Games w/ Naomi Clark
"Queering" doesn't just mean adding LGBTQ+ representation to games; it's disruption of norms through added player freedom. Mark and guest co-host Tyler engage game designer Naomi Clark (https://gamecenter.nyu.edu/faculty/naomi-clark/) on sandbox games, character creation, how games train us, glitches, speed runs, and more, touching on The Sims, The Last of Us, Cyberbpunk, Mass Effect, and her ...
59m Aug 30, 2021
59m
PEL Presents (sub)Text: Cursed Kids or Psych-Au Pair? "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James
The story begins and ends with two variations on the meaning of the title. On the one hand, to give another turn of the screw is to ratchet up the horror of a good ghost story, in this case by involving children in it. On the other, it’s to treat the cause of that horror as if it were just another of life’s many obstacles, to be overcome both by screwing one’s courage to the sticking place, and...
1hr 27m Aug 28, 2021
1hr 27m
PREMIUM-Ep. 276: Hegel on Perception (Part Two)
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 ...
11m Aug 23, 2021
11m
PEL Presents NEM#154: Chris Connelly (ex-Revolting Cocks/Ministry): From Apocalyptic Industrials to Poets in Love
Chris started in the Scottish electronic band Finitribe in the early '80s and then moved to Chicago in 1988, doing stints in Revolting Cocks, Ministry, Pigface, et al, before embarking on a 23-album solo career. We discuss "A Phantom Marriage" from The Birthday Poems (https://amzn.to/2W6RQga) (2021) feat. Monica Queen, the title track from Bloodhounds (https://amzn.to/37X9zct) (2018), "De Test...
1hr 18m Aug 20, 2021
1hr 18m
PEL Presents PMP#102: What the Pop? Season 1 Wrap-Up
After 101 episodes and a bit over two years, Mark, Erica, and Brian reflect on what we've learned and set a course for the future. What have we determined about how and why we consume? What's the relation between consumption and creativity? For more, visit prettymuchpop.com (http://prettymuchpop.com/) . Hear bonus content for this episode at https://www.patreon.com/prettymuchpop. Sponsor: Get...
54m Aug 19, 2021
54m
PEL Presents Philosophy vs. Improv #7: Meritocracy Now!
Does it make sense to try to have everyone get what they "deserve"? Your hosts Mark Linsenmayer and Bill Arnett (Chicago Improv Studio (https://chicagoimprovstudio.com/) ) act out the desert machine but yet get no predictable cake. Hear more PvI at philosophyimprov.com (http://philosophyimprov.com/) . Support the podcast (http://philosophyimprov.com/support) to get bonus stuff and good karma!
39m Aug 16, 2021
39m
Ep. 276: Hegel on Perception (Part One)
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,...
1hr 3m Aug 16, 2021
1hr 3m
PEL Presents (sub)Text: Gentility and Injustice in "Gone with the Wind" (1939)
Gone with the Wind— adjusted for inflation, the highest-grossing film in American history— has undergone several critical reappraisals in the 82 years since its production and release. Certainly the film romanticizes the Antebellum South and the Confederacy while glossing over the evils of slavery and stereotyping many of its black characters. Yet it may also provide a sharp critique or even sa...
1hr 15m Aug 15, 2021
1hr 15m
PEL Presents NEM#153: Steve Kilbey (The Church) Reveals the Secrets to Being Prolific
Steve has written over 1000 songs across 17 Church albums starting in 1980, 13 solo albums and numerous collaborations. His style is theatrical and psychedelic, and his lyrics aim for "maximum ambiguity." We discuss "Love Song Yet to Be Named" from The Hall of Counterfeits (https://amzn.to/2VyRD5o) (2021) and some tunes by The Church: "Another Century" from man woman life death infinity (https...
1hr 28m Aug 13, 2021
1hr 28m
PREMIUM-Ep. 275: Hegel's Project in the "Phenomenology of Spirit" (Part Two)
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 (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2021/07/30/ep-275-2-hegel-phenomenology-of-spirit-citizen/) , sign up via one of the options described at https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.
12m Aug 09, 2021
12m
Philosophy vs. Improv #5: What Is Bread? Are You Bread?
Two scenes reveal our underlying definitions. How will we overcome the lag between our words? How many beats in an heirloom beet if an heirloom hair-looms beets? Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com (https://chicagoimprovstudio.com/) . Hear more PvI (http://philosophyimprov.com/) . Supp...
45m Aug 05, 2021
45m
Ep. 275: Hegel's Project in the "Phenomenology of Spirit" (Part One)
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 https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support or via Apple Podcasts (http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/the-partially-e...
1hr 1m Aug 02, 2021
1hr 1m
PEL Presents PMP#101: The "Conjuring" Retroverse
Mark, Erica, and Brian delve into this 8-film horror franchise started by James Wan in 2013 through The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Do their demons scare us, and do their Catholic defenses provide a convincing antidote? Is it OK to valorize the Warrens, the supernatural detectives who were most likely hucksters in real life? For more, visit prettymuchpop.com (http://prettymuchpop.com/)...
47m Aug 01, 2021
47m
PEL Presents (sub)Text: Realism as Cruelty in "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1951) by Tennessee Williams
In the transition from stage to screen, A Streetcar Named Desire retained its long-running Broadway cast with a single exception: the role of Blanche Dubois, which passed from Jessica Tandy to Vivien Leigh. Like Blanche, Leigh was the odd woman out. A symbol of the glories of the studio system, married to the symbol of English stage acting, her classical training ran contrary to that of her Met...
1hr 33m Jul 30, 2021
1hr 33m