The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

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Ep. 250: Simone Weil on Human Needs (Part One)

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On “The Needs of the Soul” from The Need for Roots (1943) and “Meditation on Obedience and Liberty” (1937).

What are our needs that should then drive what kind of society would be best for us? Weil says we need liberty yet obedience, equality yet hierarchy, security yet risk… and none of these words mean quite what you’d think. And to start off, why do the many obey the few?

Don’t wait for Part Two; get the full, ad-free Citizen Edition now. Please support PEL! Support for this discussion came from listener Charles, who dedicates it to Temple Grandin. 

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Ep. 250: Simone Weil on Human Needs (Citizen Edition)

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On “The Needs of the Soul” from The Need for Roots (1943) and “Meditation on Obedience and Liberty” (1937).

What are our needs that should then drive what kind of society would be best for us? Weil says we need liberty yet obedience, equality yet hierarchy, security yet risk… and none of these words mean quite what you’d think. And to start off, why do the many obey the few?

End song: “Even Though the Darkest Clouds” by liar, flower. Mark interviewed singer KatieJane Garside on Nakedly Examined Music #127.

NEM#128: Roger Joseph Manning Jr.’s Crazy Fun with Arrangements

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Roger rose to fame as keyboardist/songwriter for Jellyfish in the early ’90s, then formed Imperial Drag, The Moog Cookbook, TV Eyes, backed Beck, and finally released two albums under his own name starting in 2006. He’s recently released a solo EP and one with The Likerish Quartet that reunites him with some other members of Jellyfish.

We discuss “Lighthouse Spaceship” by The Lickerish Quartet from Threesome, Vol. 1 (2020), “The Turnstile at Heaven’s Gate” from Catnip Dynamite (2008), “Time to Time” by Malibu (a solo techno project) from Robo-Sapiens (2007), and listen to “Operator” from his solo Glamping EP (2018). Intro: “The King is Half-Undressed” by Jellyfish from Bellybutton (1990). For more, see thelickerishquartet.com and rogerarranging.com.

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Ep. 249: Dewey on Education and Thought (Part Two)

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Continuing on John Dewey’s Democracy and Education (1916) ch. 1, 2, 4, and 24 with guest Jonathan Haber.

How is education different than mere conditioning, and how does it relate to habits and growth? We discuss how much of what Dewey recommends lines up with liberal education and multiculturalism. Also, can education change taste?

Start with part one, or get the full, ad-free Citizen Edition, which will also get you our PEL Nightcaps.

End song: “Too Far to Turn Around” by The Ides of March; Jim Peterik appears on Nakedly Examined Music #126.

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PEL Nightcap Early August 2020 (Citizens Only)

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Our supporter exposure continues! This time we talk about whether we should do more non-Western philosophy, and if not, does that make us racist? Also, maybe more episodes on communications and rhetoric? Or finally personal identity? Also, outreach to supporters re. PEL Live Remote 2020 and ongoing topic suggestions.

Ep. 249: Dewey on Education and Thought (Part One)

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On John Dewey’s How We Think (1910) ch. 1 and Democracy and Education (1916) ch. 1, 2, 4, and 24.

What model of human nature should serve as the basis for education policy? Dewey sees learning as growth, and the point of education as to enable indefinite growth. With guest Jonathan Haber.

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

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Ep. 249: Dewey on Education and Thought (Citizen Edition)

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On John Dewey’s How We Think (1910) ch. 1 and Democracy and Education (1916) ch. 1, 2, 4, and 24.

What model of human nature should serve as the basis for education policy? Dewey sees learning as growth, and the point of education as to enable indefinite growth. With guest Jonathan Haber.

End song: “Too Far to Turn Around” by The Ides of March, whose leader Jim Peterik appears on Nakedly Examined Music #126.

NEM#127: KatieJane Garside Is an Impulse of Chance

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KatieJane gained fame fronting British grunge band Daisy Chainsaw, left after their first full album but resumed the project under the name Queenadreena for four albums in the ’00s, then partnered with Chris Whittingham in 2007 to live on a boat and play as the stripped-down Ruby Throat for four albums. That band has now become loud again and been re-christened Liar, Flower.

We discuss “My Brain is Lit Like an Airport” and hear the title track from Geiger Counter (2020), then look back to “Hu’u” by Ruby Throat from Baby Darling Taporo (2017) and “Lesions In The Brain” by Lalleshwari (a one-off solo moniker) from Lullabies in a Glass Wilderness (2007). Intro: “Love Your Money” from Daisy Chainsaw from Eleventeen (1992). For more, see katiejanegarside.com.

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Pretty Much Pop #53: The Hamilton Phenomenon w/ Sam Simahk

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Erica, Mark, and Brian are joined by Broadway actor Sam to discuss this unique convergence of musical theater, rap, and historical drama.

Does Hamilton deserve its accolades? We cover the re-emergence of stage music as pop music, live vs. filmed vs. film-adapted musicals, creators starring in their shows, race-inclusive casting, and the politics surrounding the show.

For more, visit prettymuchpop.com. Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.

Ep. 248: Racism and Policing (Al-Saji, Merleau-Ponty, et al) (Part Two)

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Continuing on Alia Al-Saji’s “A Phenomenology of Hesitation” (2014) and other things with guest Phil Hopkins. 

Can we restructure our (and the police’s) reactions and live with each other? We further explore the psychology of habit and Al-Saji’s notion of hesitation. How does it compare to other types of heistation recommended by philosophies and religions?

Start with part one, or get the full, ad-free Citizen Edition. Includes a preview of our Citizen Hang.

End song: “Every Man’s Burden” by Dusty Wright, as interviewed on Nakedly Examined Music #89.

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Pretty Much Pop #52: The Twilight Zone from Serling to Peele

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Something’s strange… Is it a dream? If it’s a morality tale with a twist ending, you’re probably in the Twilight Zone.

Brian, Erica, Mark, and guest Ken Gerber are in it this week, discussing the thrice revived TV series. Does the 1959-1963 show hold up? What makes for a good TZ episode, and does Jordan Peele’s latest iteration capture the spirit? We talk about episodes new and old, the 1983 film, plus comparisons to Black Mirror and David Lynch.

For more, visit prettymuchpop.com. Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.

Ep. 248: Racism and Policing (Al-Saji, Merleau-Ponty, et al) (Part One)

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On Alia Al-Saji’s “A Phenomenology of Hesitation” (2014), bits of Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s Phenomenology of Perception (1945) and Linda Martín Alcoff’s Visible Identities (2006), plus Alex Vitale’s The End of Policing (2017).

Is there subconscious racism, and how might we root it out and fix our policing problems? Ex-cop Phil Hopkins joins to look at how phenomenology can help.

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

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

Ep. 248: Racism and Policing (Al-Saji, Merleau-Ponty, et al) (Citizen Edition)

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On Alia Al-Saji’s “A Phenomenology of Hesitation” (2014) bits of Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s Phenomenology of Perception (1945) and Linda Martín Alcoff’s Visible Identities (2006), plus Alex Vitale’s The End of Policing (2017).

Is there subconscious racism, and how might we root it out and fix our policing problems? Ex-cop Phil Hopkins joins to look at how phenomenology can help.

End song: “Every Man’s Burden” by Dusty Wright, who appears on Nakedly Examined Music #89.

NEM#126: Jim Peterik Eyes Much More Than the Tiger

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Jim has released 30+ albums since 1964 with Ides of March, Survivor, Pride of Lions, et al. Intro: His biggest hits, the title tracks of Vehicle (1970) and The Eye of the Tiger (1983).

We discuss his new solo single “Empty Arena” and two Ides of March tunes, “Friends Like You” from Play On (2019) feat. Mindi Abair and “L.A. Goodbye,” recorded in 1992 but originally from Common Bond (1971). End song: “The Spirit of Chicago,” a 1992 recording released on Ideology: Version 11.0. For more, see jimpeterik.com.

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

Visit masterclass.com/EXAMINED for 15% off a MasterClass All-Access Pass and use code NEM15 at BuyRaycon.com/nem for 15% off wireless earbuds.

Pretty Much Pop #51: Pictures Telling Stories w/ Joseph Watson

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https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/partiallyexaminedlife/PMP_051_6-27-20.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:10 — 38.1MB) Is it really true that “every picture tells a story”? Storytelling is part of Joseph’s method, whether he’s creating city scenes or public sculpture or children’s illustrations. So how does the story an author may have in mind affect the viewer, and is this different for different types of art? Joseph, who works in Continue Reading …

Ep. 247: Aristotle on Rhetoric and Emotions (Part Two)

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Continuing on the Rhetoric (ca. 335 BCE) book 1, ch. 1-6 and book 2, ch. 1-5, 18-24.

We finish up with enthymemes (rhetorical arguments), maxims, and signs. We then move to emotions, where we chiefly talk about anger: Is it always a matter of status injury, or is frustration equally (or more) foundational?

Begin with part one, or get the unbroken, ad-free Citizen Edition now. Please support PEL!

End song: “Reason with the Beast” by Shriekback, whose leader Barry Andrews was interviewed on Nakedly Examined Music #107.

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PMP#50: MJ’s Last Dance w/ Seth Paskin

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Brian, Erica, Mark, and Seth from The Partially Examined Life interrogate the 10-part ESPN documentary on Michael Jordan’s Bulls’ six championships.

Was it worth ten hours? Does its time-jumping structure work? Is it really hagiography, or is the vision of ultra-competitiveness repulsive? Why are sports amenable to creating cultural icons? Does the doc’s success mean many more?

For more, visit prettymuchpop.com. Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.

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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