The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast podcast

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

The 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 links to the texts we discuss and other info, check out www.partiallyexaminedlife.com. We also feature episodes from other podcasts by our hosts to round out your partially examined life, including Pretty Much Pop (prettymuchpop.com, covering all media), Nakedly Examined Music (nakedlyexaminedmusic.com, deconstructing songs), Philosophy vs. Improv (philosophyimprov.com, fun with performance skills and philosophical ideas), and (sub)Text (subtextpodcast.com, looking deeply at lit and film). Learn about more network podcasts at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

The 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 links to the texts we discuss and other info, check out www.partiallyexaminedlife.com. We also feature episodes from other podcasts by our hosts to round out your partially examined life, including Pretty Much Pop (prettymuchpop.com, covering all media), Nakedly Examined Music (nakedlyexaminedmusic.com, deconstructing songs), Philosophy vs. Improv (philosophyimprov.com, fun with performance skills and philosophical ideas), and (sub)Text (subtextpodcast.com, looking deeply at lit and film). Learn about more network podcasts at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

 

#788

PEL Presents PMP#222: Lordlings of the Flies

In light of the new, well-acted and well-shot BBC/Netflix adaptation, we discuss William G... more

Yesterday

50 MINS

50:44

Yesterday


#787

Ep. 392: Early Hegel Elevates Reason (Part One)

On Faith and Knowledge (1802), Ch. 1 and 2. Famously, Kant critiqued Reason to effectively... more

25 May 2026

52 MINS

52:32

25 May 2026


#786

PREMIUM-Ep. 391: Habermas Defends Modernity (Part Three)

Your four hosts review the critiques of modernity, try to figure out where Kant fits in, a... more

24 May 2026

09 MINS

09:43

24 May 2026


#785

PEL Presents PvI#117: Mark and Mary in the Triboobal Aftermath

We are REELING from <a href= "https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-episode-157088790" targe... more

21 May 2026

51 MINS

51:55

21 May 2026


#784

Ep. 391: Habermas Defends Modernity (Part Two)

Continuing on on The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity, Ch. 1, 2, and 5 with guest John... more

18 May 2026

57 MINS

57:44

18 May 2026


#783

PEL Presents PMP#221: Streep Does Prada

We discuss the career of Meryl Streep in light of The Devil Wears Prada 2, insofar as we (... more

15 May 2026

51 MINS

51:17

15 May 2026


#782

Ep. 391: Habermas Defends Modernity (Part One)

On Jürgen Habermas' The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity (1985), featuring guest John ... more

11 May 2026

51 MINS

51:39

11 May 2026


#781

PEL Presents NEM#252: Folk Legend Tom Paxton

[Tom] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Paxton) was an integral member of the Greenwich V... more

09 May 2026

54 MINS

54:12

09 May 2026


#780

Ep. 390: Diderot Debates a Cynic (Part Two)

Continuing on Rameau's Nephew, getting further into Rameau's philosophy and practices and ... more

04 May 2026

51 MINS

51:07

04 May 2026


#779

Ep. 390: Diderot Debates a Cynic (Part One)

On Denis Diderot's Rameau's Nephew, a dialogue written in the 1760s. Is virtue necessary f... more

28 Apr 2026

49 MINS

49:45

28 Apr 2026


#778

PEL Presents PMP#220: Peaky Blinders: Gangs of Birmingham

We discuss Steven Knight's six-seasons-and-a-movie historical crime show Peaky Blinders, f... more

26 Apr 2026

54 MINS

54:19

26 Apr 2026


#777

PEL Presents NEM#251: Dr. Alan Williams (Birdsong at Morning)

Alan released two albums with folk-rock band Knots and Crosses in the early 90s, put out o... more

25 Apr 2026

1 HR 35 MINS

1:35:24

25 Apr 2026


#776

Ep. 389: Hegel on Wealth and Power (Part Two)

Concluding on "Culture and its Realm of Actuality," in Hegel's Phenomenology via sections ... more

20 Apr 2026

47 MINS

47:57

20 Apr 2026


#775

PEL Presents PvI#116: Full Bird Mode w/ BJ Lange

BJ is an LA improviser/actor/TV host (who teaches wounded warriors among others), and he c... more

18 Apr 2026

44 MINS

44:08

18 Apr 2026


#774

PEL Presents PMP#219: Weir-ed Sci Fi: Hail Mary and The Martian

We discuss the hard sci-fi film Project Hail Mary, which along with The Martian (2015) was... more

17 Apr 2026

52 MINS

52:13

17 Apr 2026


#773

Ep. 389: Hegel on Wealth and Power (Part One)

Continuing on Hegel's Phenomenology, "Spirit" chapter, now up to sections 511-526, which f... more

13 Apr 2026

51 MINS

51:23

13 Apr 2026


#772

PEL Presents NEM#250: Bill Pritchard the Tourist

[Bill] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Pritchard) is a singer/songwriter who recorded ... more

12 Apr 2026

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:02

12 Apr 2026


#771

PEL Presents Closereads: Kierkegaard on Subjective Knowledge

On an excerpt from Soren Kierkegaard's Concluding Unscientific Postscript (1846) that crit... more

10 Apr 2026

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:21

10 Apr 2026


#770

Ep. 388: Hegel on Culture (Part Two)

Continuing on the "Spirit" chapter (more specifically. "Culture and its realm of actuality... more

06 Apr 2026

56 MINS

56:01

06 Apr 2026


#769

PEL Presents PvI#115: Mary and Mark Astro-Logically

In this pitched, high-stakes battle, your hosts have it out about astrological biases, doi... more

05 Apr 2026

47 MINS

47:41

05 Apr 2026


#768

PEL Presents: PMP#218: All the "Scream"-ing

We talk about the Scream meta-slasher film franchise, from the original Wes Craven /Kevin ... more

03 Apr 2026

55 MINS

55:56

03 Apr 2026


#767

Ep. 388: Hegel on Culture (Part One)

Continuing on Hegel's Phenomenology, "Spirit" chapter, now up to sections 484-510, which i... more

30 Mar 2026

42 MINS

42:23

30 Mar 2026


#766

PEL Presents NEM#249: Kavus Torabi Now Leads Gong

Kavus began in dual-guitar London math-rock bands in the '90s, joined The Cardiacs for the... more

27 Mar 2026

1 HR 31 MINS

1:31:57

27 Mar 2026


#765

Ep. 387: Hegel on Law (Part Two)

Continuing on on sec. 469-483 of Hegel's Phenomenology, finishing the analysis of Antigone... more

23 Mar 2026

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:32

23 Mar 2026


#764

Ep. 387: Hegel on Law (Part One)

Continuing on Hegel's Phenomenology, "Spirit" chapter, now up to sections 464-483, which a... more

16 Mar 2026

47 MINS

47:08

16 Mar 2026


#763

PREMIUM-Ep. 386: Hegel on Society (Part Three)

On sec. 451-463 of Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit. We get into more detail on these passa... more

14 Mar 2026

09 MINS

09:34

14 Mar 2026


#762

Ep. 386: Hegel on Society (Part Two)

Continuing on the "Spirit" section of The Phenomenology of Spirit, giving a sort of social... more

09 Mar 2026

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:20

09 Mar 2026


#761

Ep. 386: Hegel on Society (Part One)

On. G.W.F. Hegel's The Phenomenology of Spirit (1807), sec. 438-463. What constitutes soci... more

02 Mar 2026

50 MINS

50:49

02 Mar 2026