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Current PEL Episode

Ep. 403: Are LLMs Actually Intelligent? (Part Two)

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

Continuing on Raphaël Millière and Cameron Buckner’s “A Philosophical Introduction to Language Models, Part I: Continuity With Classic Debates.”

We go through the various arguably important features for intelligence, including particular ways of learning and comprehending language, being able to generalize from the data set, and to use a world model to navigate problems. Can something have intelligence without having intentions, and do programmed goals count as intentions?

Sponsor: Go to Quince.com or download the Quince app for free shipping on high-quality, affordable clothes and more. Let them know you heard about them from The Partially Examined Life.

Plus: Ep. 221: Functionalist Theories of Mind (Putnam, Armstrong) (Part One)
Featuring: PREVIEW-Episode 21: What Is the Mind? (Turing, et al)

Explore the Archive

Pretty Much Pop

PMP#233: Not-Scary Carrie

October 27, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

We discuss the new Mike Flanagan series adaptation of Stephen King's 1974 novel in comparison to the  Continue Reading …

Nakedly Examined Music

NEM#263: Dan Cuddy (Hypnolovewheel, The Special Pillow)

November 1, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

Dan was the bass player and one of four lead singers in the NYC band Hypnolovewheel, which released  Continue Reading …

Philosophy vs. Improv

PvI#126: Waiting for Cluckman w/ Anthony LeBlanc

October 22, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

Mark, Mary, and Jenny are joined by improviser Anthony to restore us to a 2 X 2 Team Play balance,  Continue Reading …

Closereads

Closereads: David Lewis on Mind-Brain Identity (Part One)

November 3, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

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

(sub)Text

(sub)TEXT: Civilizational Discontents in “Planet of the Apes” (1968)

November 1, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

Taylor has left Earth behind because, as he tells a crewmate, “somewhere in the universe there has  Continue Reading …

PEL Supporter Content

PEL Nightcap

PEL Sunami Nightcap August 2026

August 22, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

Recorded 8/18/26. Chris Sunami, the editor of the PEL book, joins Mark, Wes and Seth as part of the  Continue Reading …

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Ep. 403: Are LLMs Actually Intelligent? (Part Two for Supporters)

October 25, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer

Continuing from part one on Raphaël Millière and Cameron Buckner's "A Philosophical Introduction to Language Models,  Continue Reading …

Exclusive Content

Ep. 401: Mind/Brain Identity Theory (J.J.C. Smart) (Part Three for Supporters)

October 3, 2026 By Mark Linsenmayer 

Mark and Wes further explore J.J.C. Smart's "Sensations and Brain Processes" (1959). Place had established that it's not  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

  • Mark Linsenmayer on PvI#125: Mrs. Nussbaum’s Credit Card (Season 6 Premiere)
  • Peter on PvI#125: Mrs. Nussbaum’s Credit Card (Season 6 Premiere)
  • Saleh on PREVIEW-Episode 50: Pirsig’s “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”
  • Evan Hadkins on Ep. 402: Plato Talks Homer: Hippias Minor and Ion (Part One for Supporters)
  • Preface to Foucault’s Philosophy | Foucault's Philosophy (and lots more) on Foucault’s Madman and His Reply to Derrida

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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Curtain Times

Boston listeners: Check out Curtain Times, a calendar built by Wes of Boston theatre, classical, talks and readings.

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