November brought an eclectic mix across PEL. We covered ancient Egyptian literature, perused musical craftsmanship, returned to American pragmatism via Josiah Royce, and did some deep dives into film. Below is a full roundup of everything published across the network last month, listed in order of occurrence.
Ep. 378: Aquinas on God and Mind (Part Three)
Nov 2, 2025
How does reason motivate us and how free will exists under a broadly causal metaphysical order? Drawing on sections of Thomas Aquinas’ Selected Philosophical Writings, the exploration turns to human choice, intellect, and will intersect. Perhaps even within deterministic constraints, rational deliberation and the ability to reflect on the “good in general” can ground genuine freedom.
Closereads: Aquinas and Aristotle on Soul
Nov 6, 2025
This session compares Aristotle’s De Anima with later medieval elaborations by Thomas Aquinas, exploring their accounts of form, soul, intellect, and what it means for the soul to be (or not) separable from the body. The hosts unpack how these texts frame soul as the principle of life and thought, and debate whether this framework can ground a meaningful notion of personhood or immortality.
Closereads: Dispute Between a Man and His Ba
Nov 6, 2025
A look at a 1900 BCE Egyptian text, one of the oldest surviving philosophical works, in which a despairing man debates with his “ba” (soul/personality) about suffering, death, and the value of life. The discussion raises unsettling questions about existential despair, hope, and whether ancient wisdom literature can count as early philosophy.
Ep. 379: Egyptian Philosophy with Chike Jeffers (Part One)
Nov 10, 2025
An exploration of ancient Egyptian philosophical and ethical texts with guest Chike Jeffers. The focus is on early conceptions of maat (cosmic order, justice, right conduct) and how these pre-Greek traditions challenge familiar narratives about where philosophical reflection begins.
NEM #241: Humor in Music w/ Don Rauf, David Heatley & Dave Philpott
Nov 10, 2025
A wide-ranging conversation of humor in music: whether “funny” songs inherently compromise sincerity or emotional depth, and whether fictional/pastiche personas and ironic genre-reshuffling can be as expressive as “serious” music. The hosts (with guests) examine issues about authenticity, intention, and what musical expression is supposed to do.
Closereads: Hegel on Reason (Part One)
Nov 14, 2025
A close reading of Part C (“Reason”) from Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit, this episode wrestles with the question: Why is full recognition by another self-consciousness necessary for what counts as “Reason?” The hosts walk listeners through the text, emphasizing how intersubjective recognition underwrites rationality and what that implies for consciousness, freedom, and community.
Pretty Much Pop #209: Alien Franchised
Nov 14, 2025
In light of the new Alien Earth series, the hosts revisit the original Alien film franchise, going through all seven canonical films (excluding the non-canonical Alien vs. Predator spin-offs). They reflect on how each installment tries to avoid mere repetition by shifting genre (horror, sci-fi, action, even political thriller) and question whether later entries and the new show’s emphasis on synthetic humans succeed in sustaining narrative or emotional depth.
The Abuse of “Meaning is Use”
Nov 14, 2025
An essay taking aim at the overuse (or misuse) of the phrase “meaning is use.” The post argues that while the phrase has roots in sensible insights about language and practice, it’s often wielded as a kind of semantic bludgeon, denying stable meaning, normative authority, and shared semantic structures in a hasty fashion.
Philosophy vs. Improv #105: Friend-tor Debate Club w/ Scott Gelfand
Nov 14, 2025
A lively improv-philosophy crossover featuring Scott Gelfand, this episode turns the classic “debate club” format upside down by blending friendly sparring with philosophical riffs. The hosts and guest play with argumentative roles, absurdity, and genuine reflection.
(sub)TEXT: Bacchic Redemption in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975)
Nov 17, 2025
In this episode, the hosts read the 1975 film not just as a clash of personalities but as a dramatic showdown between order and the Dionysian. The discussion centers on what happens when the wild energy of freedom collides with the rigid “calm” imposed by institutional authority.
Ep. 379: Egyptian Philosophy with Chike Jeffers (Part Two)
Nov 17, 2025
Continuing their two-part series on ancient Egyptian thought, the hosts (with guest Chike Jeffers) move from wisdom literature into dialogues like “The Eloquent Peasant” and “The Dispute Between a Man and His Ba,” reflecting on early conceptions of moral order in pre-Greek philosophical tradition.
NEM #242: Marshall Crenshaw Subtracts
Nov 20, 2025
A spotlight on longtime power-pop veteran Marshall Crenshaw. The guys listen to and reflect on tracks like “Stranger and Stranger,” “Right On Time,” “Fantastic Planet of Love,” and “Our Town.” The episode highlights Crenshaw’s melodic craftsmanship, harmonic style, and the endurance of his songwriting across decades.
Ep. 380: Josiah Royce on Community (Part One)
Nov 23, 2025
The hosts begin their discussion of Josiah Royce’s account of community as developed in The Problem of Christianity. They explore Royce’s idea that a true community is held together by shared memory, loyalty, and the mutual interpretation of meaning. The episode introduces Royce’s “community of interpretation” as an alternative to both radical individualism and purely biological accounts of social life.
Pretty Much Pop #210: One Paul Thomas Anderson Film After Another
Nov 25, 2025
A sweeping review of Paul Thomas Anderson’s filmography, from the early-career crime film Hard Eight through sensations like Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and There Will Be Blood, to his more recent works (Licorice Pizza, etc.).
There’s more to come in December!
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