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Artwork for The Examined Life

The Examined Life

Kenneth Primrose
Technology
Purpose
Education
Grief
Human Flourishing
Stress Management
Mortality
Mental Health Crisis
Children's Psychological Development
Autonomy
Self-Improvement
Philosophy
Mental Health
Palliative Care
Freedom In Childhood
Pain
Pleasure
Artificial Intelligence
Stockdale Paradox
Michaeleen Doucleffe

The Examined Life podcast explores the questions we should be asking ourselves with a range of leading thinkers. Each episode features a different interview, and appeals to those interested in wisdom, personal development, and what it might mean to live a good life. Topics vary from discussing the role of dopamine mining and status anxiety, to exploring the science of awe and attention.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes41Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PhilosophySociety & CultureReligion & Spirituality

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Artwork for The Examined Life

Latest Episodes

Gavin Francis is a GP in Edinburgh, and also one of the best writers I know of on what it means to be a body moving through a life. In this conversation we got into territory I didn't quite expect — how much of modern spiritual hunger ends up in the ... more

Stephen Cave is a philosopher, writer, and Director of the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence at the University of Cambridge. His work sits at the intersection of philosophy, religion, ethics, and technology, exploring humanity’s oldest... more

Mortality: Threat or Catalyst? A Conversation with Dr. Kathryn Mannix

In this episode of The Examined Life, Kenny Primrose is in conversation with writer, speaker, and retired palliative care physician Dr. Kathryn Mannix about whether mortality is e... more

BJ Miller on Loss, Meaning, and Learning to Feel

In this conversation, Kenny Primrose speaks with palliative care physician BJ Miller, co-founder of Mettle Health, about grief—not as an interruption to life, but as one of its central experiences.

R... more

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Recent Guests

Gavin Francis
Physician, author, and thinker on mind, medicine, and what it means to be human
Author of The Unfragile Mind
Episode: Gavin Francis - How should we live?
Stephen Cave
Philosopher, Director of the Institute for Technology and Humanity at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
Episode: Stephen Cave - How Long Should We Live?
Dr. Kathryn Mannix
Palliative care physician, author
Episode: Kathryn Mannix - Is mortality a threat or a catalyst?
BJ Miller
Palliative care physician, former hospice medical director at UC, co-founder of Mettle Health
Mettle Health / Zen Hospice Project
Episode: Dr BJ Miller - How are you grieving?
Dr. Lucy Hone
Psychologist and author
Independent researcher/author
Episode: Dr Lucy Hone - What has loss taught you?
Lucy Hone
Clinical psychologist and grief researcher
Episode: Season Trailer - Mortality & Meaning
Kenny Primrose
School leader, writer, and speaker featured in the interview
The Examined Life / Digital Detox Club interviewee
Episode: Flourishing in a Digital Age
Sir Terry Waite
Former hostage and humanitarian advocate
Independent / Former hostage
Episode: Surviving Hard Times: The Stockdale Paradox And Everyday Resilience - ft. Terry Waite and Lucy Hone
Victor Strecher
Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan, author, speaker, and innovator in the fields of purpose and well-being.
University of Michigan
Episode: Victor Strecher - Who am I?

Host

Kenny Primrose
Host of The Examined Life

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 74 ratings
  • Excellent, engaging, life- changing stuff!

    Wonderful guests- bringing deep, reflective and important wisdom in the journey through life. Kenny brings the space, humility and respect needed for guests to share these insights fully and brings his own valuable ideas and experience with gentleness and thoughtfulness into the podcast too. Definitely worth your time!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Meg Ruth P
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Dj

    This podcast has been well worth creating space to leave behind the need to know and open our minds to curiousity. I love how Kenny and his speakers don’t tell us what to think but skilfully and compassionately encourage us all to scratch a little deeper and not be afraid to stay a while in the tensions of life. The topics and conversations will leave you wondering for sure…

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Debie-Jo
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Insights for the good life

    Episodes are highly insightful, probing what it is to live the good life without falling into the typical ruts of feel good platitudes or simplistic religion. The interviewer engages with each guest in such a refreshing and genuine manner that it is contagious and you’ll often find yourself enthralled and opening up to a new way of thinking or being or living that was previously out of purview.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Aaron Moore Art
    Australia4 months ago
  • Great host, great guests

    This podcast is sort of Tim Ferriss Show meets the Scottish enlightenment. The host’s lilting Scottish accent and some some amazing guests (some you've heard of and some you haven't), and some genuinely uplifting, insightful, affecting conversations. Definitely recommend if you enjoy conversations about the big questions!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Beanioooo
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Amazing guests, and thought provoking conversations

    This podcast is genuinely brilliant. Kenny leads fascinating, thought-provoking conversations with phenomenal guests, without ever feeling heavy He’s rapidly becoming a thought leader in his own right, combining impressive cognitive agility with admirable sincerity. Well worth tuning in.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    isporter
    United Kingdom4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Thoughtful hosts and guests who dive into big questions with warmth and clarity.
Listeners consistently praise high-quality guests and thoughtful discourse.
Excellent conversations with stimulating ideas and a calm, insightful interviewing style.
The show invites curiosity without being prescriptive, fostering deep reflection.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Gavin Francis - How should we live?
Q: What would you say are the features of a flourishing life or a life well lived that we should be deliberate about?
He outlines a distilled framework including humility, compassion, reverence, awe, hope, and flow, alongside practical actions like learning, building relationships, contributing to community, and creating something meaningful.
Gavin Francis - How should we live?
Q: Do you see a mental health crisis or a crisis in labeling? Or have the two converged? We're labeling more, but you're also seeing more problems come through the door.
He attributes rising diagnoses to lowered thresholds for diagnosing, de-stigmatization, and easier access to information, while noting that labeling can both help and hinder, depending on context; emphasizes cautious, individualized use of labels.
Gavin Francis - How should we live?
Q: Thank you. That's a beautifully rich question. And when you say, kind of, how should we live, are you thinking in order to thrive, that we flourish, that we enjoy life, or that we are kind to one another?
The guest clarifies that flourishing involves both personal well-being and social compassion, drawing on eudaimonia as a richer form of well-being than simple happiness, and emphasizing the role of empathy, community, and purposeful actions.
Stephen Cave - How Long Should We Live?
Q: What practices help people cope with the fear of death in a constructive way?
Practices like gratitude, mindfulness, focusing on present moments, and serving others—cultivating a sense of purpose beyond the self—can reduce anxiety and create a meaningful life in the here and now.
Stephen Cave - How Long Should We Live?
Q: Why is immortality not necessarily desirable even if it were possible?
Immortality could undermine meaning, identity, and our motivation to live well because indefinite time makes goals less consequential and could erode the structures that give life purpose; transformation of life into a different form of existence is also suggested rather than a simple continuation of current life.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Examined Life

What is The Examined Life about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Thoughtful interviews exploring big questions about mortality, meaning, and how to live well in a tech-saturated world. Across episodes, conversations blend philosophy, psychology, and practical strategies, often with guests who are leading thinkers in resilience, death literacy, and human flourishing. The show tends to favor nuanced, humane takes on difficult topics, with an emphasis on applying ideas to everyday life and relationships. A notable strength is the willingness to cross disciplines—philosophers, clinicians, technologists, and writers share frameworks for living purposefully in imperfect times, with a calm, compassionate hosting style that invites careful reflection. Potential listeners should expect deep curiosity, balanced in... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with The Examined Life:

1. Wild with Sarah Wilson
2. Therapy Works
3. The Sacred
4. Planet: Critical
5. The Book Club Review

How many episodes of The Examined Life are there?

The Examined Life launched 3 years ago and published 41 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Examined Life?

Recent guests on The Examined Life include:

1. Gavin Francis
2. Stephen Cave
3. Dr. Kathryn Mannix
4. BJ Miller
5. Dr. Lucy Hone
6. Lucy Hone
7. Kenny Primrose
8. Sir Terry Waite

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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