Discussing Fundamental Principles (aka Groundwork) of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785).
PEL Merch
The Partially Examined Life now offers a fine selection of overpriced T-shirts and a mug. Who will be cooler than you when you are sporting one or all of these on your person? Who? Tell me, please, as I’m honestly curious as to your no doubt mistaken apprehension on this topic. You having failed to give a satisfactory answer, I Continue Reading …
Partially Examined Film Review: “Stupidity”
We are exuberant fellows and have long discussed using this blog as a BLOG and not just as a podcast accompaniment, so I’m going to initiate an idea I’ve been wanting to try out, sort of… You see, I’ve wanted to go beyond the bounds of the podcast and tell folks about the philosophy books I’ve stumbled over of late, Continue Reading …
Episode 9: Utilitarian Ethics: What Should We Do?
Discussing Jeremy Bentham’s An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation chapters 1-5, John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism, and modern utilitarian Peter Singer’s “Famine, Affluence, and Morality.”)
End song: “So Whaddaya Think?” by Mark Lint and the Fake (2000).
Episode 9: Utilitarian Ethics: What Should We Do?
Discussing Jeremy Bentham’s An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation chapters 1-5, John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism, and Peter Singer’s “Famine, Affluence, and Morality.”
Episode 8: Wittgenstein’s Tractatus (and Carnap): What Can We Legitimately Talk About?
Continuing last ep’s discussion of Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus with some Rudolph Carnap from his 1935 book Philosophy and Logical Syntax.
End song: “The Last Time,” by Mark Lint and the Fake from the 2000 album So Whaddaya Think?
Episode 8: Wittgenstein’s Tractatus (and Carnap): What Can We Legitimately Talk About?
Continuing last ep’s discussion of Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus with some Rudolph Carnap from his 1935 book Philosophy and Logical Syntax.
Episode 7: Wittgenstein’s Tractatus: What Is There and Can We Talk About It?
Discussing the beginning (through around 3.1) of Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. Mr. W. wrote that the world is made up of facts (as opposed to things) and that these facts can be analyzed into atomic facts, but then refused to give even one example to help us understand what the hell he’s talking about, and so Wes and Mark argue about it per usual while Seth corrects our German pronunciation. The first 3/4 of this episode was recorded off-site from our regular equipment, making the audio quality relatively sucky. Enjoy!
End song: “Facts for a Moment (What You Are to Me),” recorded in 1992 and released on the Mark Linsenmayer album Spanish Armada, Songs of Love and Related Neuroses.
Episode 7: Wittgenstein’s Tractatus: What Is There and Can We Talk About It?
Discussing the beginning (through around 3.1) of Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus.
Episode 6: Leibniz’s Monadology: What Is There?
Discussing Leibniz’s Monodology. Have some tasty metaphysics, in mono!
Leibniz thinks that the world is ultimately made up of monads, which are like atoms except nothing at all like atoms, because they’re alive, and mindful, and eternal, and windowless, placed in the best kind of harmony at the beginning of time by God. Is there a concept album in all of this?
Plus, does reading philosophy make you a better conversationalist, or just get you ostracized?
End song: The soothing “Healthy Song” by The MayTricks, from the 1994 album Happy Songs Will Bring You Down.
Episode 6: Leibniz’s Monadology: What Is There?
Discussing Liebniz’s Monadology.
Episode 5: Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics
Discussing Books 1 and 2 of the Nicomachean Ethics.
What is virtue, and how can I eat it? Do not enjoy this episode too much, or too little, but just the right amount. Apparently, if you haven’t already have been brought up with the right habits, you may as well give up. Plus, is Michael Jackson the Aristotelian ideal?
End song: A newly recorded cover of Billie Jean by Mark Lint and the TransAmerikanishers.
Episode 5: Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics
Discussing Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Books I and II.
PEL written up in Madison’s Isthmus magazine
The big weekly entertainment magazine in Madison, WI included a writeup of the podcast in this article: http://www.thedailypage.com/isthmus/article.php?article=26356&sid=f8b220e5953615e25217a596b717e6fd We’re mentioned at the end of the first section, then have a couple of paragraphs under “Talk Talk” near the end, plus the “Gallery” includes the excellent caricature that Ken Gerber did for us. (Incidentally, you should check out Ken’s blog at Continue Reading …
A new place for discussion: urbanphilosophy.net
In addition to our Facebook page, we now have dedicated forum/discussion space on UrbanPhilosophy.net: http://urbanphilosophy.net/pel/. Participating there requires registering for an account, but it’s a simple and quick procedure that doesn’t cost anything or require to enter any more personal information than your e-mail. Also, Seth has posted an article there on Judaism, if you’re interested in that.
Episode 4: Camus and the Absurd
Discussing Camus’s “An Absurd Reasoning” and “The Myth of Sisyphus” (1942).
Does our eventual death mean that life has no meaning and we might as well end it all? Camus starts to address this question, then gets distracted and talks about a bunch of phenomenologists until he dies unreconciled. Also, let’s all push a rock up a hill and like it, okay? Plus, the fellas dwell on genius and throw down re. the Beatles, the beloved Robert C. Solomon and Malcom Gladwell’s Outliers.
End song: “My Friends” by Mark Lint and the Simulacra (2000).
Updated FAQ/bio pages
If you’re new to the podcast/blog or just wanted to know a bit more about who we are and why we’re doing this, check out the expanded “about the podcast” and the new “about the podcasters” pages. (Wes took a while to get his biography text to me, so I had exerpts from Hitler’s biography up there as a placeholder Continue Reading …
Episode 4: Camus and the Absurd
Discussing Camus’s “An Absurd Reasoning” and “The Myth of Sisyphus” (1942).
Episode 3: Hobbes’s Leviathan: The Social Contract
Discussing Hobbes’s Leviathan, Chapters 13-15. Have we implicitly signed a social contract whereby our native right to punch other people in the face is given to the President? Hobbes does things that eventually result in the U.S. Constitution and makes Wes nauseous. Plus: Star Trek and the Bible!
End song: “The Villa” by Mark Lint and the Fake Johnson Trio (1998).
Episode 3: Hobbes’s Leviathan: The Social Contract
Discussing Hobbes’s Leviathan, Chapters 13-15.