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Current PEL Episode

Ep. 398: Donald Davidson on Mind vs. Body (Part One)

Subscribe to get parts 1 and 2 of this now, ad-free, plus tons of bonus content.

On “Mental Events” (1970) and “Actions, Reasons, and Causes” (1963), w/ guest Chris Heath.

When we talk about mental events (e.g. desires) causing physical occurrences (an action to obtain what is desired), are we giving a causal picture in the scientific sense, which would rule out free will? Or are reason-giving and causality just different language games?

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Learn about Mark’s fall philosophy of mind class at partiallyexaminedlife.com/class.

Plus: Ep. 191: Conceptual Schemes: Donald Davidson & Rudolf Carnap (Part One)
Featuring: Episode 126: Saul Kripke on Possibilities, Language & Science

Pretty Much Pop

Pretty Much Pop #227: The Odyssey: Epic Film

August 5, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

We discuss the already over-discussed Christopher Nolan adaptation of Homer's classic poem. Mark,  Continue Reading …

Nakedly Examined Music

NEM#258: Dan Montgomery: Direct Communication

August 9, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

Dan was Ben Vaughn's sound-man and released his first solo album of Americana rock in 2004. We  Continue Reading …

Philosophy vs. Improv

PvI#122: Hello from Iran w/ AmirAli Maleki

August 6, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

AmirAli is a philosophy researcher in Iran who tries to make Islamic philosophy speak to and with  Continue Reading …

Closereads

Closereads: Galen Strawson on Panpsychism (Part One)

July 27, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

Sign up for Closereads at patreon.com/closereadsphilosophy to get previous and future installments  Continue Reading …

(sub)Text

(sub)TEXT: Curses and Colonizers in “The Mummy” (1999)

July 29, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

As a cinematic monster, the mummy seems less an embodiment of revenge against colonial forces than a  Continue Reading …

PEL Supporter Content

PEL Nightcap

PEL Summer of Fear Nightcap 2026

June 28, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

Recorded 6/9/26. Mark, Wes, and Dylan sign relief in being done with Hegel and talk phobias,  Continue Reading …

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Ep. 398: Donald Davidson on Mind vs. Body (Part Two for Supporters)

August 15, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

We finish up "Mental Events" (1970) and move on to "Actions, Reasons, and Causes" (1963), still with guest Chris Heath.  Continue Reading …

Exclusive Content

Ep. 391: Habermas Defends Modernity (Part Three for Supporters)

May 17, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer 

Concluding our treatment of Habermas’ The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity, lectures 1, 2, and 5, now without our  Continue Reading …

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On Nightcap, listen to the guys respond to listener email and chat more casually about their lives, the making of the show, current events and politics, and anything else that happens to come up.

Why Are We Here?

The Partially Examined Life is a philosophy 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 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.

Recent Comments

  • Ian K on Ep. 397: Federalist Papers LIVE (Part One)
  • jacak on Pretty Much Pop #227: The Odyssey: Epic Film
  • HBunger on Episode 109: Jaspers’s Existentialism with Paul Provenza (Citizen Edition)
  • Conner on NEM#257: Josh Joplin Doesn’t Look Back… Until Now
  • HBunger on Episode 91: Transhumanism (Plus More on Brin)

About The Partially Examined Life

The Partially Examined Life is a philosophy 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 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

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