The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

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Episode 209: Francis Fukuyama on Identity Politics (Part Two: Discussion)

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Continuing on Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment (2018).

Fukuyama recommends a “creedal national identity” as a solution for tribalism; does this work? Is this “demand for recognition” that he describes foundational for the act of making an ethical claim? For self-consciousness itself? How does ideology prejudice the sort of theorizing that Fukuyama engages in?

Listen to part one first, or get the unbroken, ad-free Citizen Edition. Please support PEL!

End song: “Cornerstone” by Richard X. Heyman, as discussed on Nakedly Examined Music #61.

Sponsors: Visit thegreatcoursesplus.com/PEL for a free trial of The Great Courses Plus Video Learning Service. Visit the St. John’s College Graduate Institute: partiallyexaminedlife.com/sjcgi.

See PEL Live in NYC on April 6.

Episode 209: Guest Francis Fukuyama on Identity Politics (Part One)

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Talking with the author about Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment (2018).

What motivates people? Frank points to thymos, the demand for recognition, as at the root of both the “end of history” (i.e., democracy as demand for equal recognition) and our current tribalist stalemates, involving desires to be seen—in virtue of group membership—as superior. Thymos may in fact be central to self-consciousness, ethics, and the origins of political association.

See PEL Live in NYC on April 6. Get your 2019 PEL Wall Calendar with free domestic shipping!

Sponsor: Visit thegreatcoursesplus.com/PEL for a one-month free trial of The Great Courses Plus Video Learning Service.

Episode 209: Guest Francis Fukuyama on Identity Politics (Citizen Edition)

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An interview and discussion on Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment (2018).

What motivates people? Frank points to thymos, the demand for recognition, as at the root of both the “end of history” (i.e., democracy as demand for equal recognition) and our current tribalist stalemates, involving desires to be seen—in virtue of group membership—as superior. Thymos may in fact be central to self-consciousness, ethics, and the origins of political association.

End song: “Cornerstone” by Richard X. Heyman, as discussed on Nakedly Examined Music #61.

See PEL Live in NYC on April 6.

NEM#91: Rachel Taylor Brown’s Decorated Aphorisms

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Portland-based singer-songwriter Rachel has released 10 albums of off-kilter, usually piano-based, lyric-heavy indie rock since the mid ’00s.

We discuss “Maker” and “God” (plus the intro “Gyre”) from Run Tiny Human (2018), “Taxidermy” from World so Sweet (2011), and “Ormolu” from Ormolu (2006), and also listen to “We’ll Have A” from Falimy (2014). For more, see racheltaylorbrown.com.

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon. Check out Mark’s new album.

Episode 208: Epicurus on Seeking Pleasure (Part Two)

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More on the ethics-related fragments of Epicurus and accounts by Martha Nussbaum and Tim O’Keefe.

What would a purely therapeutic philosophy consist of? Does philosophy as pursuit of pleasure mean that you eschew political action or other substantial goals? Mark, Wes, and Dylan try to figure out which of our desires are vain and whether society is compatible with human happiness.

Listen to part one first or get the unbroken, ad-free Citizen Edition. Tickets are now available for PEL Live: See partiallyexaminedlife.com/pel-live.

End song: “The Language of the Body” by Ant-Bee as discussed on Nakedly Examined Music #68.

Sponsors: Take back your Internet privacy with 3 months free at EXPRESSVPN.com/PEL. Visit the St. John’s College Graduate Institute: partiallyexaminedlife.com/sjcgi.

Episode 208: Epicurus on Seeking Pleasure (Part One)

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On the extant fragments of Epicurus (341–270 BCE) dealing with ethics, including his “Letter to Menoceus,” “The Principal Doctrines,” and “The Vatican Collection of Epicurean Sayings.” Plus Tim O’Keefe’s Epicureanism (2010) and Martha Nussabum’s The Therapy of Desire (1994).

How are we supposed to act once we understand nature as atoms bouncing and swerving around in the void, temporarily producing order through fortuitous collisions? Ruling out demanding gods means ethics is dictated by human nature: we avoid pain and pursue pleasure. However, we’re very bad at this, and Epicurus wants to fix all of us!

Don’t wait for part two; get the full, ad-free Citizen Edition now.

Come see us live in NYC on Apr. 6. Read more at partiallyexaminedlife.com/pel-live.

Don’t forget your 2019 Wall Calendar with free domestic shipping: partiallyexaminedlife.com/calendar.

Sponsors: Visit thegreatcoursesplus.com/PEL and EXPRESSVPN.com/PEL.

Episode 208: Epicurus on Seeking Pleasure (Citizen Edition)

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On the extant fragments of Epicurus (341–270 BCE) dealing with ethics, including his “Letter to Menoceus,” “The Principal Doctrines,” and “The Vatican Collection of Epicurean Sayings.” Plus Tim O’Keefe’s Epicureanism (2010) and Martha Nussabum’s The Therapy of Desire (1994).

How are we supposed to act once we understand nature as atoms bouncing and swerving around in the void, temporarily producing order through fortuitous collisions? Ruling out demanding gods means ethics is dictated by human nature: we avoid pain and pursue pleasure. However, we’re very bad at this, and Epicurus wants to fix all of us!

End song: “The Language of the Body” by Ant-Bee as discussed on Nakedly Examined Music #68.

Come see us live in NYC on Apr. 6. Read more at partiallyexaminedlife.com/pel-live.

Don’t forget your 2019 Wall Calendar with free domestic shipping: partiallyexaminedlife.com/calendar.

NEM#90: Sam Phillips Brings Intuition Out of Dreams

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Sam has released sixteen albums of catchy, textured pop music since 1983.

We discuss “I Want to Be You” and “Tears in the Ground” from World on Sticks (2018), “How to Dream” from Fan Dance (2001), and conclude by listening to “When I’m Alone” from Push Any Button (2013). Intro: “Baby I Can’t Please You” from Martinis and Bikinis (1994). For more, visit samphillips.com.

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon. Check out Mark’s new album.

Episode 207: Herder on Art Appreciation (Part Two)

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Continuing on Johann Gottfried von Herder’s “The Causes of Sunken Taste among the Different Peoples in Whom It Once Blossomed” (1775), then moving to “On the Influence of the Belles Lettres on the Higher Sciences” (1781), “Does Painting or Music Have a Greater Effect? A Divine Colloquy” (1785), and and some of Critical Forests: Fourth Grove (written 1769). With guest rock god John “Jughead” Pierson.

What grounds good taste in society? Can an aesthetic education ground abstract thought? What would such an education consist of? Which is more affecting, music or painting?

Start with part 1, or get the Citizen Edition. Please support PEL!

Sponsor: Get two months free of a vibrant online learning community at skillshare.com/PEL.

Don’t forget your 2019 PEL Wall Calendar, now with free domestic shipping!

Episode 207: Herder on Art Appreciation (Part One)

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On Johann Gottfried von Herder’s “The Causes of Sunken Taste among the Different Peoples in Whom It Once Blossomed” (1775), “On the Influence of the Belles Lettres on the Higher Sciences” (1781), “Does Painting or Music Have a Greater Effect? A Divine Colloquy” (1785), and some of Critical Forests: Fourth Grove (written 1769). With guest rock god John “Jughead” Pierson.

What is aesthetic taste, and why do some societies (e.g., ancient Greece) seem rife with genius while others are not? Herder has some definite ideas about aesthetic, sensual education as grounding for abstract thinking, rages against attempts to copy another culture’s art forms, and likes melody over harmony. Plus he coined the term “zeitgeist”!

Don’t wait for part two! Get the full, unbroken, ad-free Citizen Edition now! Please support PEL!

Don’t forget your 2019 PEL Wall Calendar, now with free domestic shipping!

Sponsor: Visit thegreatcoursesplus.com/PEL for a one-month free trial of The Great Courses Plus Video Learning Service.

Episode 207: Herder on Art Appreciation (Citizen Edition)

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On Johann Gottfried von Herder’s “The Causes of Sunken Taste among the Different Peoples in Whom It Once Blossomed” (1775), “On the Influence of the Belles Lettres on the Higher Sciences” (1781), “Does Painting or Music Have a Greater Effect? A Divine Colloquy” (1785), and some of Critical Forests: Fourth Grove (written 1769). With guest rock god John “Jughead” Pierson.

What is aesthetic taste, and why do some societies (e.g., ancient Greece) seem rife with genius while others are not? Herder has some definite ideas about aesthetic, sensual education as grounding for abstract thinking, rages against attempts to copy another culture’s art forms, and likes melody over harmony. Plus he coined the term “zeitgeist”!

End song: “Dear Resonance” by John’s band Even In Blackouts. Hear him interviewed about his music on Nakedly Examined Music #58.

Don’t forget your 2019 PEL Wall Calendar, now with free domestic shipping!

Episode 206: Lucretius’s Epicurean Physics (Part Two)

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More on Lucretius’s poem about Epicurean science: On the Nature of Things from the first century BCE.

We talk more about how macroscopic phenomena are supposed to come out of the interaction of atoms, including mind and its processes of knowledge and illusion, including the illusion of love. One conclusion: life after death is not possible. Can the properties of the atoms themselves be explained?

Listen to part one first or get the unbroken, ad-free Citizen Edition; this will also get you the follow-up discussion (coming soon). Please support PEL, and don’t forget your 2019 PEL Wall Calendar!

End song: “Came Round” by Mark Lint. Read about it and get the new album.

Sponsor: Take back your Internet privacy with 3 months free at EXPRESSVPN.com/PEL.

NEM#89: Dusty Wright’s Metaphysical Americana

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After starting in the ’80s with the Trolls and the Bastards of Execution, Dusty has released six albums as a solo artist since 1997.

We discuss a new, unreleased song “Pardon My Love,” then “Man in the Mirror” from Gliding Toward Oblivion (2018) and “High Flyin’ Bird” by GIANTfingers from around 2003. We conclude by listening to “(Art at) the Speed of Life” by the Dusty Diamonds from 1994. Intro/outro: “Karma” from dust! (2000).

For more, see dustywright.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

Episode 206: Lucretius’s Epicurean Physics (Part One)

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On Lucretius’s poem about Epicurean science: On the Nature of Things aka De Rerum Natura from the first century BCE.

How does the world work? Lucretius presents a system that is surprisingly modern, and raises philosophical issues that are still on point today: What are the basic building blocks of the universe? How could these give rise to minds? What ethical views does a mechanistic worldview imply?

Continued on part two, or get the full, ad-free Citizen Edition now, as well as the Citizen-only follow-up discussion.

Sponsors: Get two months free of a vibrant online learning community at skillshare.com/PEL. Explore Peter Singer’s The Life You Can Save at thelifeyoucansave.org/pel.

Please support PEL and check the PEL Store for our 2019 Wall Calendar, tutoring and more.

Episode 206: Lucretius’s Epicurean Physics (Citizen Edition)

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On Lucretius’s poem about Epicurean science: On the Nature of Things aka De Rerum Natura from the first century BCE.

How does the world work? Lucretius presents a system that is surprisingly modern, and raises philosophical issues that are still on point today: What are the basic building blocks of the universe? How could these give rise to minds? What ethical views does a mechanistic worldview imply?

End song: “Came Round” by Mark Lint. Read about it and get the new album.

Keep an eye out for the follow-up discussion where Mark and Wes go into more details from the text.

Episode 205: Suicide with Dr. Drew (Durkheim et al) (Part Two)

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More on philosophical and psychological interpretations of and judgments about suicide with guest Drew Pinsky.

Is suicide an epidemic or a choice? Could it be both? Socrates didn’t fear death and inspired Stoics and others to see suicide in some circumstances as brave. Or is it always cowardly? Does meaninglessness motivate suicide?

Listen to part one first or get the Citizen Edition, which will also get you access to the follow-up discussion. Get the 2019 Wall Calendar, Mark’s new album, tutoring, T-shirts, and more at our store. 

End song: “Disappear” by Chris Cacavas as heard on Nakedly Examined Music #87. Please support PEL!

Explore Peter Singer’s The Life You Can Save at thelifeyoucansave.org/pel.

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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