The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, Dylan CaseyThe Partially Examined Life is a 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 short 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. For link... more
| Publishes | Daily | Episodes | 826 | Founded | 16 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | PhilosophySociety & Culture | |||
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Latest Episodes
On A Short History of Decay (1949), a pessimist/existentialist somewhat text from the most famous Romanian philosopher.
Cioran's short essays touch on art, humor, God, salvation, time, nostalgia, mourning, death, disease, suicide, revolt, freedom, ... more
Mark's Partially Examined Life co-host Seth joins us (i.e. Mark and Mary) to introduce Seth to improv and continue introducing philosophy to Mary.
We discuss Seth's attraction to depressing texts, act out couples' therapy and monster beauty parlor,... more
Continuing on selections from this late Platonic dialogue. Starting in Book 4, Plato's characters are discussing how to create a new state ("Magnesia") from scratch. What sorts of laws should it have?
We talk about marriage laws, the nocturnal coun... more
For our Emmys/back-to-school episode, we cover the pinnacle of the current network sitcom landscape: The six-time 2025 Emmy nominated 4-year-old sitcom Abbott Elementary. Yes, it lost this year but has won in the past.
Mark, Lawrence, Al and West-P... more
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- Examine this entirely
This podcast restarted my engagement with philosophy, and has had a significant impact in my professional and personal life. The dialogue between the hosts has been a model for how I engage with others and discuss complex matters, whether it is with family, friends or my students. I always find their discussion insightful and enlightening, including episodes that cover topics I’m not that interested in. The recent shift to long series taking a deep dive into philosophical movements has been inte... more
Apple Podcasts5Heath Adams
Australiaa month ago - Best philosophy podcast in town!
Smart, erudite, informative!
Apple Podcasts5ShampooMacTavish
Norwaya month ago - Their take on Israel is pretty ignorant
Listening to their episode on “Just Wars” in which they falsely claim that Palestine seeks to obliterate Israel, which they therefore say means Palestine has no claims to statehood. It is completely unfounded and erroneous. The militancy of Hamas arose as a response to the militancy, occupation, and apartheid of Israel. This podcast just proves that western philosophers will do anything to draw false moral equivalences when it serves their own interests and blind spots. They need to do much more... more
Apple Podcasts1irritatedfilmmaker
Canada2 months ago I used to like this. I don't know if it's changed or I changed but I just listened to 3, quite different episodes, and none were good. They really lost me when they did the one on game theory and did a horrible job explaining the prisoner's dilemma, perhaps because they don't understand it themselves.
Podcast Addict22 months agocurmudgeon- Snarky/unserious
The hosts tend to provide snarky and unserious analysis with a generally shallow understanding of the source material. There are much better podcasts and resources out there than this podcast.
Apple Podcasts2Jdkdns is
United States3 months ago
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Apple Podcasts | #18 | United States/Society & Culture/Philosophy |
Apple Podcasts | #24 |  United Kingdom/Society & Culture/Philosophy |
Apple Podcasts | #24 | Canada/Society & Culture/Philosophy |
Apple Podcasts | #37 | Australia/Society & Culture/Philosophy |
Apple Podcasts | #38 |  Germany/Society & Culture/Philosophy |
Apple Podcasts | #115 |  France/Society & Culture/Philosophy |
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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast
What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?
The content primarily explores philosophical texts and concepts, aiming for an engaging dialogue that balances scholarly insight with a lighthearted approach. Episodes often analyze classic and contemporary philosophical works, ranging from the implications of liberalism, the philosophy of humor, to deep dives into moral realism and ethics as articulated by figures like Kant. Notably, the hosts emphasize accessibility, inviting even those unfamiliar with philosophy to join the conversation, thus expanding the reach and relevance of philosophical thought in everyday discussions. Listeners can also expect unique thematic discussions that often intertwine philosophy with popular culture, making it a distinct blend of academic exploration and p... more
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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?
These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:
1. Philosophy For Our Times
2. Philosophize This!
3. Theory & Philosophy
4. Philosophy Bites
5. Acid Horizon
How many episodes of this podcast are there?
this podcast launched 16 years ago and published 826 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 this podcast?
Recent guests on this podcast include:
1. Seth Paskin
2. Jenny Hansen
3. Anthony LeBlanc
4. Tim Sniffen
5. Walter Sterling
6. Nessa Voss
7. Tee Templeton
8. Willie Nile
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