Psychedelic Regrets in "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (Part 5)
Wes & Erin continue their discussion of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." Thanks to our sponsor for this episode, HelloFresh. Go to HelloFresh.com/subtextapps for free appetizers for life.
46m Jun 15, 2024
46m
PEL Presents NEM#217: Richard Thompson's Moments in Time
Richard started as guitarist in the folk-rock staple Fairport Convention in 1967 but left in 1970 after five albums. He then recorded his debut solo album, six as Richard and Linda Thompson, and has since recorded 20 more solo albums of lyrically inventive, stylistically varied tunes that nearly always feature very skilled guitar work. We discuss "Freeze," the first single from his new album S...
1hr 16m Jun 14, 2024
1hr 16m
PEL Presents PvI#76: Hello, Larry w/ Lawrence Ware
The philosopher and entertainment journalist direct from Mark's Pretty Much Pop podcast (https://prettymuchpop.com/)  joins PvI for an hour of merriment. We talk parenthood, philosophy of race, the RULES of improv (or the singular answer to a philosophy question), old 9th graders, one black Peggy, using racy improv in a classroom setting, and more. Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.c...
59m Jun 09, 2024
59m
Ep. 343: Plotinus the Neo-Platonist (Part One)
On selections from the Enneads (270 C.E.), as presented by Elmer O'Brien as the first four essays in The Essential Plotinus: "Beauty," "The Intelligence, Ideas and Being," "The Descent of the Soul," and "The Good or The One." Featuring Mark, Wes, Dylan, Seth, and guest Chris Sunami (https://www.kitoba.com/) . Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Visit ht...
39m Jun 09, 2024
39m
Psychedelic Regrets in "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (Part 4)
Wes & Erin continue their discussion of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner."
43m Jun 08, 2024
43m
Ep. 342: Zhuangzi on Knowledge and Virtue (Part Two)
We're concluding our treatment of the Daoist sage, focusing on the relation between metaphysics and ethics. Is a "wu wei" (non-action) philosophy compatible with fighting for justice? Does it even necessitate kindness? Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Visit https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion...
43m Jun 03, 2024
43m
PEL Presents PMP#174: Fallout Plays Post-Apocalyptic
Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al discuss the new Amazon TV show based on on the video game series that launched in 1997. How does one best adapt a sandbox game? How dark is too dark for comedy? We talk world-building and exposition dumps, narrative structure and character revelation, and morality in a ruined world. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com (http://prettymuchpop.com/) . Hear bonus conte...
56m Jun 02, 2024
56m
Ep. 342: Zhuangzi on Knowledge and Virtue (Part One)
More on the Zhuangzi, books 1-6 and 17-19 with guest Theo Brooks. We discuss epistemology (Can we know the mind of someone else? How can virtue make truth more accessible?), metaphysics (Is the world constantly changing such that we can't actually refer to anything? Does each thing somehow contain its opposite in virtue of being defined by its contrast with all that it is not?), and ethics (Wh...
43m May 27, 2024
43m
PEL Presents NEM#216: Kim Richey Learns to Cherish Collaboration
Kim has recorded about ten meticulously recorded country-evolving-to Americana albums out of Nashville since 1995. We discuss "Joy Rider" (and listen at the end to "Floating on the Surface") from Every New Beginning (2024), "A Place Called Home" from Rise (2002), and "I’m Alright" from Bitter Sweet (1997), which is also the home of the intro, "Every River." More at kimrichey.com (https://kimric...
1hr 12m May 26, 2024
1hr 12m
Closereads: Zhuangzi, Ch. 19: "Fathoming Life" (aka PEL Ep. 341 Supplemental)
Mark and Wes read through and discuss the first couple of pages of ch. 19, "Fathoming Life," How does Daoism compare to Stoicism, Aristotelianism, and Existentialism? How can being a Daoist sage keep one from harm? How is a really effective cicada catcher such a sage? Get more on Zhuangzi at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Sign up for the new Closereads public...
1hr 5m May 19, 2024
1hr 5m
PEL Presents SUBTEXT - Psychedelic Regrets in "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (Part 1)
The ancient Mariner kills his Albatross with a carelessness that stands in stark contrast to his impulse for confession. For several days he and his shipmates feed the albatross, play with it, and treat it as if it were inhabited by a “Christian soul.” The mariner never tells the wedding guest why it is that he kills the bird, but the casual and seemingly unmotivated act is followed by a psyche...
53m May 19, 2024
53m
Pretty Much Pop #173: Cowboy Beyoncé? (Cross-Genre Music)
Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al look at pop music and the idea of genre. Beyoncé is beloved enough that she can do whatever she wants to musically, but the response to her Cowboy Carter album among country music listeners has been pretty critical. Is it real country, and what is it to even ask that question? Is gate-keeping about your favorite genre always stupid? For more, visit prettymuchpo...
1hr 5m May 18, 2024
1hr 5m
Ep. 341: Guest Karyn Lai on Daoism in the Zhuangzi
Mark, Dylan, Seth, and Theo Brooks discuss the Zhuangzi (ca. 325 BCE) UNSW Sydney prof. Karyn (https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/karyn-lai) , co-author of the History of Philosophy Podcast Chinese series. We talk through Daoist advice about virtue, political action, perspectivism, and more. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Visit https://partiallyexamine...
58m May 13, 2024
58m
PEL Presents PvI#75: The Alien Literally Has Two Faces w/ Bran Peacock
The Hitchhikers and Appetizers (https://improvinaction.com/projects/hitchhikers-and-appetizers/)  co-host joins Mark and Bill to talk about cultural relativism. We talk about foreign-ness, what parts of ethics seem to apply to all cultures, the Museum of Soup, pushing back tactfully in a scene, and more. In my culture, listening to this episode while in a work meeting is polite. Mark philosoph...
1hr 9m May 11, 2024
1hr 9m
Ep. 340: Brian Ellis on the Implications of Essentialism (Part Two)
Concluding on The Philosophy of Nature: A Guide to the New Essentialism (2002) with guest Chris Heath. Are we OK with the metaphysical necessity of natural laws? How do Ellis' mind-independent fundamental objects in the world relate to higher level things, whether biological species or human nature or even things like colors? Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlif...
47m May 06, 2024
47m
PEL Presents NEM#215: Lynn Drury's New Orleans Emotionality
Singer-songwriter Lynn has released 10 albums since 2001. We discuss the title track (and listen at the end to "I Waited Too Long") from High Tide (2024), "11:11" from Rise of the Fall (2017), and "Drugstore" from Crossing Frequencies (2001). Intro: "City Life" from Sugar on the Floor (2011). Hear more at lynndrury.com (https://lynndrury.com/) . Hear more Nakedly Examined Music (http://nakedly...
1hr 7m May 04, 2024
1hr 7m
Ep. 340: Brian Ellis on the Implications of Essentialism (Part One)
Continuing on The Philosophy of Nature: A Guide to the New Essentialism. Ellis' essentialism about physics and chemistry says that, for example, atoms of various elements are truly and unambiguously different and behave in ways that make them what they are. What does this entail? Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Visit https://partiallyexaminedlife.c...
42m Apr 29, 2024
42m
PEL Presents PMP#172: Curb Larry David's Shtick
The incredible post-Seinfeld improvised sit-com Curb Your Enthusiasm has had its finale, and so Mark, Lawrence, Sarah and Al reflect on its format, its characters, its way of exploring puzzles of modern manners, its treatment of race and gender, and more. Was it too repetitive? Did it get too contrived? For more, visit prettymuchpop.com (http://prettymuchpop.com/) . Hear bonus content at https...
55m Apr 27, 2024
55m
PEL 15th Anniversary and Book Release
Your four hosts plus book editor Chris Sunami reflect on doing the podcast for 15 years and making the new book, which you should order on April 25. Plus, the three rules, future ambitions, and more. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Visit https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion. Sponsor: Get a ...
56m Apr 22, 2024
56m
NEM#214: Head vs. Gut Songwriting w/ Roger Joseph Manning Jr., David Christian, Rachel Taylor Brown
It's a new, discussion-only format, just for this episode (and perhaps some rare ones in the future)! When we write, how much is planned vs. improvised? How much is inspirational vs. double-or-triple checked? How does this factor weigh into how much music we release, how eclectic our sound is, and how well we improvise with others? This discussion features three returning guests: Roger Joseph...
1hr 11m Apr 18, 2024
1hr 11m
PMP-NEM Crossover: Head vs. Gut Songwriting w/ Roger Joseph Manning Jr., David Christian, Rachel Taylor Brown
When we write, how much is planned vs. improvised? How much is inspirational vs. double-or-triple checked? How does this factor weigh into how much music we release, how eclectic our sound is, and how well we improvise with others? This discussion features three returning guests: Roger Joseph Manning Jr. was the keyboardist/singer for Jellyfish and Imperial Drag, and more recently as a solo a...
1hr 13m Apr 18, 2024
1hr 13m
Philosophy vs. Improv #74: A Psychedelic Embrace with David Peña-Guzmán (Overthink)
David is co-host of the excellent Overthink podcast (https://overthinkpodcast.com/) , popular among the young people today, and so we have him monologue to children as an anti (?) drug speaker. How can drugs change us, our sense of self, and the ways we see the world? Can some drugs be considered "natural"? Also, legally defensible drug use at work, and Nancy Reagan the Heel. Mark philosophize...
1hr 5m Apr 18, 2024
1hr 5m
Ep. 339: Brian Ellis on the Metaphysics of Science (Part Two)
Continuing on The Philosophy of Nature: A Guide to the New Essentialism (2002) with guest Chris Heath. We get further into the text about metaphysical realism, criteria for a natural kind, properties vs. predicates, and much more. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Visit https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to get ad-free episodes and tons of bon...
46m Apr 15, 2024
46m
Ep. 339: Brian Ellis on the Metaphysics of Science (Part One)
On The Philosophy of Nature: A Guide to the New Essentialism (2002). What kind of metaphysics underlies chemistry and physics? Ellis argues that items such as chemical elements and physical particles have essences, and that these essential properties determine their behavior, which is characterized by scientific laws. Thus, these laws are necessary; they apply in all possible worlds. Get more ...
52m Apr 08, 2024
52m
Pretty Much Pop #171: The Traitors - A Multi-National Reality Game Show Phenom
Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al discuss the American version, and to a lesser extent the British and Australian versions, of this reality game show that originated in 2021 in the Netherlands, based on the party game Mafia (aka Werewolf), plus Survivor-like challenges and a gothic tone. How does such a simple (stupid?) concept end up creating compelling TV? Are we cruel for liking this show? I...
58m Apr 06, 2024
58m
Ep. 338: Aristotle on Potential vs. Actual and the Unmoved Mover (Part Two)
To conclude our discussion of Aristotle's Metaphysics, we finish discussing potency by talking about the potential to learn (the Meno problem), the metaphysical priority of the actual over the merely potential, and how the Unmoved Mover motivates all primary beings to strive toward their full actualization. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Visit http...
43m Apr 01, 2024
43m
PEL Presents NEM#213: Paul Chastain (Velvet Crush): Flavors of Brightness
Illinois singer/bassist Paul had his first release in 1985 and joined with drummer Ric Menck to form a band eventually called Velvet Crush, which released six albums from 1991-2004. He has since played in Matthew Sweet's band and has released two albums under the name The Small Square. We discuss "Can't Let Go (Oh, Tommy)" by The Small Square from Ours & Others (2023), "California Incline" by ...
1hr 5m Mar 30, 2024
1hr 5m
Ep. 338: Aristotle on Potential vs. Actual and the Unmoved Mover (Part One)
We read portions of books 9 (Theta) and 12 (Lambda) of Aristotle's Metaphysics, first on "being-at-work" (actuality) vs. mere potency, then on Aristotle's famous argument for the existence of God. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Visit https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion. Sponsors: Get a $1/...
48m Mar 25, 2024
48m
PEL Presents PvI #73: Family Whêtspät w/ Colleen Doyle
The co-host of the Those Who Aunt podcast (https://www.thosewhoaunt.com/) joins Mark and Bill to joke about the family as the fundamental political unit and its special place in ethics. On the flip side, what questions should you ask yourself about your character at the start of a scene? Plus, Jan. 6, Platonic eugenics, transcending physical desire, a story that doesn't quite get started, a mil...
54m Mar 24, 2024
54m
PREMIUM-PEL Nightcap w/ Chris Sunami (March 2024)
Mark, Seth, and Dylan are joined by the editor of our new book (see https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/book) to talk a bit about his background, meeting celebrities (or being met qua celebrity) and more generally how a writer or performer's real personality relates to their work, various things we're reading and watching, scientists' attitudes towards philosophy, and the usual musings about futu...
10m Mar 22, 2024
10m
Ep. 337: Aristotle on Primary Being (Part Two)
Continuing on Aristotle's Metaphysics, Book 7 (Zeta), on essences and what sorts of things have them. Contrasting with Plato, Aristotle believes that some changing, visible things have forms. How do they get them? Well, they're received from some previous thing that has a comparable form, e.g. a child from its parents, or perhaps a form could come from a creator's mind. Get more at partiallye...
46m Mar 18, 2024
46m
PEL Presents PMP#170: Poor Things and Other Yorgos
We discuss the 4-Oscar-winning film Poor Things as well as the other creations of writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos, including most notably The Lobster, Dogtooth, and The Killing of a Sacred Deer. These films mix high concepts, purposively stilted line-readings, and increasingly rich cinematography with horror and gross sex. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com (http://prettymuchpop.com/) . Hear b...
53m Mar 17, 2024
53m
PvI#72: Spock Fever w/ Cole Nasrallah and Chris Rathjen
It's another TEAM PLAY episode, with our returning champions, star of improv stages and podcasts Chris (https://philosophyimprov.com/pvi35-observation-chris-rathjen/) and College of Southern Nevada philosophy prof Cole (https://philosophyimprov.com/pvi49-ferrets-in-uniform-with-cole-nasrallah/) receiving NOT THE INFORMATION THEY EXPECT and gettin' all rational and such when consoling a friend a...
1hr 4m Mar 12, 2024
1hr 4m
Ep. 337: Aristotle on Primary Being (Part One)
Continuing for our third session on Aristotle's Metaphysics, now covering Book 7 (Zeta). What exactly is the type of being that is the chief reason why we call anything being? Aristotle says its the substantial form present in an individual animal or plant. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Visit https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to get ad-fr...
47m Mar 11, 2024
47m
PEL Presents PMP#169: Doctor Who? (When?)
Do you Who? Did you Who back in the day, or just from the point of the 2005 revival? Did you Who through Tennant, Smith, Capaldi... Were you still on board for Whittaker, and now as Disney+ and revival creator Russell T. Davies attempt to make this more readily accessible in all ways with the transition to Ncuti Gatwa? Mark, Al, and Lawrence are joined by our special guest, improv comedian Chr...
1hr 1m Mar 10, 2024
1hr 1m
Ep. 336: Aristotle on Being and Non-Contradiction (Part Two)
Continuing on Book 4 (Gamma) of the Metaphysics. We discuss further the relations between the logical and metaphysical versions of the principle of non-contradiction and how Aristotle characterizes relativists like Protagoras who he claims violate non-contradiction. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Visit https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to g...
53m Mar 04, 2024
53m
PEL Presents NEM#212: Graham Parker's Hard Graft
Graham has released 25+ studio albums of soul-infused British singer-songwriter goodness since 1976, first with the Rumour, but often in the second half of his career playing live entirely solo. We discuss "Lost Track of Time" by Graham Parker and the Goldtops from Last Chance to Do the Twist (2023), "Going There" by Graham Parker & The Rumour from Mystery Glue (2015), "She Wants So Many Thing...
1hr 28m Mar 02, 2024
1hr 28m
Ep. 336: Aristotle on Being and Non-Contradiction (Part One)
On Aristotle's Metaphysics, book 4 (aka Gamma) (ca. 340 BCE). What does studying "being" entail? It involves claiming that all beings are distinct individuals, as opposed to, for instance, an undifferentiated flux. They're thus subject to the law of non-contradiction, which Aristotle defends against objectors. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Visit h...
52m Feb 26, 2024
52m
PEL Presents PMP#168: Writing Women's Fiction w/ Kathryn Leigh Scott
To celebrate the publication of the latest novel by one of our hosts, Sarahlyn Bruck, we bring back acclaimed actor/author Kathryn Leigh Scott to join Mark and Al. We discuss women's fiction as a marketing category, its relation to genres like romance and literary fiction, and the writing process. The books that we read for this are Sarahlyn's Light of the Fire (https://sarahlynbruck.com/light...
49m Feb 25, 2024
49m
Ep. 335: Aristotle on Fundamental Explanations (Part Two)
Continuing on Aristotle's Metaphysics, book 1. We get seriously into Aristotle's four types of causation and how previous philosophers in leaving out one or most of these made a mistake. This includes a critique of Platonic forms, which as eternal, unchanging patterns can't actually explain why change occurs in the world. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com...
44m Feb 19, 2024
44m
PEL Presents PvI #71: The Cranio-Fascism Exchange
If people would be uniquely healed by your blood, how much would you charge for it? Would it make a difference if they were wealthy vampires? Bill entices Mark to join a cult. Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com (https://chicagoimprovstudio.com/) . Hear more at philosophyimprov.com (htt...
52m Feb 18, 2024
52m
PEL Presents NEM#211: Louis Michot (Lost Bayou Ramblers) Evolves Cajun Music
Coming from a family who played traditional cajun music in Louisiana, violinist Louis and his accordion-playing brother Andre have released none albums (plus some live releases and EPs since 2001), winning two Grammy awards, plus Louis has had a couple of releases under the name Michot's Melody Makers, and he just released his first solo album. We discuss the title track (and listen at the end...
1hr 19m Feb 16, 2024
1hr 19m
Ep. 335: Aristotle on Fundamental Explanations (Part One)
On Aristotle's Metaphysics, book 1 (aka Alpha) (ca. 340 BCE). What constitutes a basic explanation of the universe? We talk about how mere practical knowledge of how things in fact work is not enough; there's greater wisdom in knowing the theoretical underpinnings. Various philosophers before Aristotle had given different kinds of explanations of what the universe is at bottom, but for a compl...
48m Feb 12, 2024
48m
PEL Presents PMP#167: "May December" and Other Docudramas
When we've already heard about someone's personal scandal in the news, do we need to also see it dramatized with A-list actors? We discuss Todd Haynes' 2023 film fictionalizing the long-aftermath of the Mary Kay Letourneau story. We also touch on Joe vs. Carole, Inventing Anna, Dirty John, The Act, The Shrink Next Door, and The Thing About Pam, etc. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com (http://p...
53m Feb 07, 2024
53m
REISSUE-Ep. 29: Kierkegaard on the Self
What is the self? For K. we are a tension between opposites: necessity and possibility, the finite and the infinite, soul and body. He thinks we're all in despair, whether we know it or not, because we wrongly think we're something we're not, or we reject what we are, or we just don't pay attention to this dynamic at all: we just go along with the crowd. So we need to keep self-examining and (h...
1hr 56m Feb 05, 2024
1hr 56m
PEL Presents PvI#70: Paramilitary Existentialism w/ Jonny Thomson
Jonny taught philosophy at Oxford, wrote the international bestseller Mini Philosophy (https://www.porchlightbooks.com/product/mini-philosophy-a-small-book-of-big-ideas--jonny-thomson) , and now writes for Big Think (https://bigthink.com/people/jonnythomson/) . We talk Kierkegaard and act out some scenes about scouting and military recruitment. Do we have to live within labels? Does one have t...
57m Feb 04, 2024
57m
PREMIUM-PEL Long Winter's Nightcap (Jan-Feb 2024)
We anticipate our upcoming series on Aristotle's Metaphysics by talking through some preliminary issues about the text including what translations we're reading. Is this book really "timeless," or is it like old, outdated science? Also, what kind of person becomes an ancient philosophy student? Plus (in the full discussion), we talk more about Mounk, Presidential disqualification, and more. I...
11m Feb 03, 2024
11m
PEL Presents NEM#210: Matt Piucci (Rain Parade) Retires BACK to Music
After Matt's "paisley underground" band Rain Parade recorded two albums and an EP from '83-'85, he was a member of Crazy Horse (taking the Neil Young guitar role in Neil's absence), and released a few albums intermittently as he worked in law enforcement. Now that he has retired, he's back devoting all his time to music, and Rain Parade has been touring and released its first album of the mille...
1hr 5m Feb 01, 2024
1hr 5m
Ep. 334: Gabriel Marcel's Christian Existentialism (Part Two)
Continuing on "On the Ontological Mystery" (1933), we talk more about problems vs. mysteries: The latter implicate OURSELVES; we are not merely witnesses, but our involvement complicates things. Also, what makes Marcel an existentialist? Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com (https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/) . Visit https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to get ad-free episodes and bonus...
54m Jan 29, 2024
54m
PEL Presents PMP#166: Miyazaki's Anime Dreamscapes
In light of the new, acclaimed film, The Boy and the Heron, Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al reflect on the Studio Ghibli films that Hayao Miyazaki has directed since the '80s. Does the visionary design make up for the languorous pacing? We talk about the anime style, subtitles vs. dubbed, using this style for children's vs. adult entertainment, the relation of these films to fairy tales, and ...
58m Jan 25, 2024
58m