philosophy podcast | The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

Episode 172: Mind, Self, and Affect with Guest Dr. Drew (Part Two)

September 25, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer Leave a Comment

Continuing with Drew Pinsky on “Attachment and Reflective Function: Their Role in Self-organization” by Peter Fonagy and two articles by Allan Schore.

Fonagy claims we gain the ability to emotionally self-regulate as a result of achieving secure attachment with a caregiver as infants. Schore claims that if this fails, we can end up fundamentally disengaged. So what are the philosophical implications?

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Episode 172: Mind, Self, and Affect with Guest Dr. Drew (Part One)

September 18, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 4 Comments

Radio legend Dr. Drew Pinsky talks with us about “Attachment and Reflective Function: Their Role in Self-organization” by Peter Fonagy and two articles by Allan Schore.

The focus is “theory of mind”; how do we develop the ability to impute thoughts and intentions to others? What in our upbringing can interfere with this development? We relate this back to previous episodes (Hegel, Buber, etc.) on recognition by others of the self.

Visit DrDrew.com. He interviews Wes!

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Episode 171: Buddhism vs. Evolution with Guest Robert Wright (Part Two)

September 11, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 6 Comments

Continuing on Why Buddhism Is True. We discuss the “no self” doctrine as articulated in Buddha’s Second Discourse and the modularity-of-mind theory that Bob claims supports it. What are the ethical implications, and do we really need meditation to achieve its alleged ethical benefits?

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End song: “Alphalpha Bhang” by Anton Barbeau, as interviewed on Nakedly Examined Music ep. 50.

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Episode 171: Buddhism vs. Evolution with Guest Robert Wright (Part One)

September 4, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 12 Comments

Bob joins the PEL four to discuss his new book Why Buddhism Is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment. Bob applies his expertise in evolutionary psychology to corroborate Buddhism’s claims that we are deluded: about our desires, emotions, the unity of our selves, and the “essences” we project on things and people. And he thinks meditation can instill in the diligent the ability to see things more clearly. But does it really?

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Episode 170 Second Opinions: Leftists on “Society of the Spectacle”

August 28, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 22 Comments

Mark and Seth ask Doug Lain (Zero Squared), Brett O’Shea (Revolutionary Left Radio), and C. Derick Varn (Symptomatic Redness) what they think of Debord and PEL’s treatment of the book on Ep #170.

End song: “Open Your Eyes (Wake Up)” from Tyler Hislop, interviewed on Nakedly Examined Music #24.

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Episode 170: Guy Debord’s “Society of the Spectacle” (Part Two)

August 21, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 10 Comments

More on the 1967 Situtationist book. Do we buy Debord’s critique? Is any merely partial critique (i.e., no revolution) just more spectacle? Is technology inherently dehumanizing? Don’t these passivity/anti-technology arguments even apply to books? Could Debord’s model of authenticity catch on in society as a whole?

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Episode 170: Guy Debord’s “Society of the Spectacle” (Part One)

August 14, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 22 Comments

What is culture? In modern capitalism, Debord’s 1967 book describes it as all about the economy. It’s not just our jobs that keep us trapped, but our life outside of working hours is also demanded by “the system” via our activity as consumers, and this commoditization infiltrates every corner of our lives. Debord wants us to WAKE UP, break our chains, and live lives of immediacy, vitality, and authenticity.

TEASER-Episode 169: Analyzing Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” (Part Two)

August 6, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer Leave a Comment

Some audio tidbits to hint at the analytic glories in the second half of our discussion, getting deeper into the psychoanalytic/existential interpretations of the film. Get the discussion at patreon.com/partiallyexaminedlife or with a PEL Citizenship.

Episode 169: Analyzing Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” (Part One)

July 31, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 6 Comments

On the 1958 film and articles including Laura Mulvey’s “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” (1975) and Robin Wood’s “Vertigo” (1965). What is love? Are we really just loving a built image while remaining isolated? And is it just an illusionary social construct that keeps us all from feeling fundamental vertigo? Lacan, existentialism, and more!

Part 2 is for supporters only! It won’t be on the public feed, so get the full discussion now at patreon.com/partiallyexaminedlife or through a PEL Citizenship.

Episode 168: Darwin’s “Origin of Species” (Part Two)

July 24, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 13 Comments

More on Darwin’s famous book. Why does it matter for philosophy, beyond providing an alternative to intelligent design? Is it really anti-religious? How can well tell if it’s really a scientific theory? Talking about a species evolving trait X to enable survival sounds teleological; is it really, and is that bad? Why would the mind develop through natural selection?

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End song: “I Live” by Jason Falkner, as interviewed on Nakedly Examined Music #47.

Episode 168: Darwin’s “Origin of Species” (Part One)

July 17, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 8 Comments

On Charles Darwin’s 1859 book, ch. 1–4, 6, and 14. What are the philosophical ramifications of Darwin’s theory of evolution? We go through Darwin’s arguments, compare his views to other theories of evolution like Lamarck’s, and talk about how an evolutionary way of looking at things has influenced philosophers.

Episode 167: Hume on Intelligent Design (Part Two)

July 10, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 1 Comment

Continuing on David Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (1779), with guest Stephen West. We get further into what’s wrong with the design argument and why Hume thinks that it’s merely a verbal dispute whether we want to say that God designed the orderly universe or just say that the universe is orderly. Also, the problem of evil!

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End song: “Shittalkers” by Ken Stringfellow, as interviewed on Nakedly Examined Music ep. 39.

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Episode 167: Hume on Intelligent Design (Part One)

July 3, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 4 Comments

On David Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (1779). How should the scientifically minded argue for God’s existence? Is the order and complexity of nature enough to prove an infinite God of the traditional sort? With guest Stephen West.

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Hume on Religion: A Video Introduction to PEL Ep. 167

June 29, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 2 Comments

Watch a video introduction to David Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion where he considers the argument from design. Does experience ground the inference from the orderliness of nature to a divine creator?

Episode 166: Spinoza on Politics and Religion (Part Two)

June 26, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer Leave a Comment

Concluding on the Tractatus Theologico-Politicus (1670) and Tractatus Politicus (1677).

What’s the relationship between ethics, reason, and revelation? What could “faith” possibly mean to a hard-core rationalist like Spinoza? Is it possible to buy into the non-denominational “true religion” without believing any of the dogmas of traditional religion at all? And what kinds of limits on free speech is Spinoza committed to?

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Episode 166: Spinoza on Politics and Religion (Part One)

June 19, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 4 Comments

On Benedict de Spinoza’s Tractatus Theologico-Politicus (1670), ch. 12–20 and the Tractatus Politicus (1677).

What’s the relationship between ethics and political power? Given that religious factions tend to create strife, what’s the optimal role of the government in mitigating that damage? Is theocracy in any way a good idea?

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Episode 165: Spinoza on Biblical Criticism (Part Two)

June 12, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer Leave a Comment

Continuing on the Tractatus Theologico-Politicus (1670), ch. 1–11. We go more into natural laws vs. ordinances; does it make sense to say that God makes rules for people? Also, how does Spinoza deal with alleged miracles given that natural laws are absolute regularities?

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Episode 165: Spinoza on Biblical Criticism (Part One)

June 5, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 5 Comments

On Benedict de Spinoza’s Tractatus Theologico-Politicus (1670), ch. 1–11.

For Spinoza, the Bible was a political issue, and he was interested in a way to read it that didn’t lead to people fighting wars and persecuting each other. Spinoza argues that a respectful reading is one that looks for the central message and doesn’t paper over many places where the text was tailored to its original audience’s prejudices, or where for historical reasons we can’t now really know what it meant to them.

REISSUE-Ep. 24: Spinoza on God and Metaphysics

May 29, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer 7 Comments

Discussing Spinoza’s Ethics (1677), books 1 and 2. God is everything, therefore the world is God as apprehended through some particular attributes, namely insofar as one of his aspects is infinite space (extension, i.e. matter) and insofar as one of his aspects is mind (our minds being chunks or “modes” of the big God mind). A 2010 discussion with a new intro by Dylan and Mark.

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Episode 164: Dostoyevsky’s “The Idiot” on Perfection (Part Two)

May 22, 2017 by Mark Linsenmayer Leave a Comment

More on the novel with guest Corey Mohler, considering Dostoyevsky qua existentialist in terms of his analysis of the crisis of meaning and his consequent views on religion.

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