Why Theory podcast

Why Theory

Why Theory brings continental philosophy and psychoanalytic theory together to examine cultural phenomena.

Why Theory brings continental philosophy and psychoanalytic theory together to examine cultural phenomena.

 

#162

Critique Of Pure Reason -- Introduction

Ryan and Todd continue their exploration of Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason with the Introduction. They discuss the importance of his critique of dogmatic metaphysics and the incredible discovery of the synthetic a priori judgment. ... Read more

16 Mar 2024

1 HR 18 MINS

1:18:51

16 Mar 2024


#161

Blue Velvet

Ryan and Todd interpret David Lynch's Blue Velvet by paying special attention to the Kantian dimension of the film. They consider the film in terms of the thing-in-itself and the sublime. ... Read more

03 Mar 2024

1 HR 19 MINS

1:19:10

03 Mar 2024


#160

Critique Of Pure Reason -- Preface

Ryan and Todd begin their analysis of Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason by working through the prefaces to the first and second edition of the work. They focus on the radicality of Kant's breakthrough and the role that the limit plays in his philosophy. ... Read more

18 Feb 2024

1 HR 20 MINS

1:20:04

18 Feb 2024


#159

Symbolic Castration

Ryan and Todd consider the concept of symbolic castration as it develops in psychoanalysis and as it bears on both politics and culture. They relate symbolic castration to some of the key concepts in psychoanalytic theory, including fetishistic disavowal and the phallus. ... Read more

05 Feb 2024

1 HR 31 MINS

1:31:50

05 Feb 2024


#158

Dialectical Reversal

Ryan and Todd explore the working of the dialectical reversal, how weaknesses can turn into strengths, how successes can turn into failures. They look at this through a variety of everyday examples and a few choice filmic ones. ... Read more

22 Jan 2024

1 HR 15 MINS

1:15:29

22 Jan 2024


#157

Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations

Ryan and Todd think through Ludwig Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations, focusing especially on the parallels with psychoanalysis and the work's political significance. They also address the ramifications of the private language argument that Wittgenstein formulates. ... Read more

08 Jan 2024

1 HR 10 MINS

1:10:57

08 Jan 2024


#156

Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus

Ryan and Todd discuss Ludwig Wittgenstein's project in the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. They begin by looking at this project on its own terms and taking stock of its grand ambitions. Then they examine its intersection with the concerns of psychoanalysis and dialectics. ... Read more

24 Dec 2023

1 HR 25 MINS

1:25:04

24 Dec 2023


#155

1980s Christmas

In their annual Christmas episode, Ryan and Todd look at the 1980s Christmas film, focusing on Christmas Story, Trading Places, Scrooged, Christmas Vacation, and Home Alone. They discuss the nostalgia that predominates this period of Christmas films and how this limits the political reach of these works. ... Read more

12 Dec 2023

1 HR 22 MINS

1:22:18

12 Dec 2023


#154

Discourse on Method

Ryan and Todd examine perhaps the founding text of modern Western philosophy--Rene Descartes' Discourse on the Method. They consider how Descartes articulates an egalitarian philosophy through his conception of radical doubt and examine the influence of this text of subsequent thinkers and on theory today. ... Read more

26 Nov 2023

1 HR 08 MINS

1:08:38

26 Nov 2023


#153

Envy

Ryan and Todd discuss the structure of envy, its relationship to jealousy, and its political implications. They make reference to Othello and Seven as landmark explorations of envy, while also noting its relationship with the other deadly sins. ... Read more

13 Nov 2023

1 HR 12 MINS

1:12:24

13 Nov 2023


#152

Science Fiction Cinema

Ryan and Todd discuss the generic development of science fiction cinema while also addressing its philosophical implications. They include a deeper analysis of Metropolis, The Thing From Another World, Forbidden Planet, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. See: Voyage to the Moon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLVChRVfZ74 Metropolis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_4no842TX8 Phantom Empire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qbf6KX8O98 ... Read more

02 Nov 2023

1 HR 35 MINS

1:35:51

02 Nov 2023


#151

Monadology

Ryan and Todd present the philosophy of Leibniz as articulated in his late work the Monadology. They link this text to the breakthroughs of later thinkers such as Kant and Hegel, as well as discussing how Leibniz anticipates the contemporary situation. ... Read more

12 Oct 2023

1 HR 18 MINS

1:18:44

12 Oct 2023


#150

The Prince

Ryan and Todd analyze Machiavelli's The Prince by tracing its influence on later political thinkers, including Hegel, Gramsci, and Althusser. They discuss Machiavelli's novelty and his limitations as a thinker of the political act. ... Read more

01 Oct 2023

1 HR 14 MINS

1:14:29

01 Oct 2023


#149

Surplus Enjoyment

Ryan and Todd explore the idea of surplus enjoyment as the basis for a theory of capitalism. They consider the psychic hold that capitalism has in terms of the surplus enjoyment that it both promises and provides. ... Read more

16 Sep 2023

1 HR 16 MINS

1:16:53

16 Sep 2023


#148

Surplus Value

Ryan and Todd unpack Marx's concept of surplus value and explore its fundamental role in the interpretation of capitalist society. They discuss the relationship between surplus value and profit, while considering how we should think about the drive to amass surplus value. ... Read more

02 Sep 2023

1 HR 18 MINS

1:18:58

02 Sep 2023


#147

Oppenheimer

Ryan and Todd offer their interpretation of Christopher Nolan's most recent film Oppenheimer. They focus on the relationship between the form of the film and its content, while considering the political implications of its depiction of the hero. They think about the film in relationship to the rest of Nolan's filmography. ... Read more

19 Aug 2023

1 HR 21 MINS

1:21:28

19 Aug 2023


#146

Barbie

Ryan and Todd interpret the film Barbie while responding to both leftist and rightist critiques of the film. They discuss the film's exploration of fantasy, its highlighting of contradiction, and its emphasis on the role of desire in politics. ... Read more

05 Aug 2023

1 HR 30 MINS

1:30:00

05 Aug 2023


#145

Creative Writers & Daydreaming

Ryan and Todd analyze Freud's essay "Creative Writings and Daydreaming." They look first at the theory of fantasy that Freud develops in this essay and then turn to his conception of what generates the work of art, discussing it in terms of the current strike in Hollywood. In their concluding remarks, they deal with problems that Freud runs into in his theorizing here. ... Read more

22 Jul 2023

1 HR 19 MINS

1:19:21

22 Jul 2023


#144

Uncanny

Ryan and Todd analyze Freud's essay "The Uncanny" and the broader implications of this concept. They discuss the importance of the uncanny for understanding the horror film and focus on the difference between a psychoanalytic approach to the concept and the notion of the uncanny valley. Links from the episode: Žižek & So On podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6S0mig3K8TiuJoXHOG5VnT?si=6a55de55c2f24b22 Shibui (minimal groove quartet): https://shibuimusic.bandcamp.com/ Joseph Aisenberg’s Brian De Palma’s Carrie: Studies in the Horror Film: https://www.amazon.com/Brian-Palmas-Carrie-Studies-Horror/dp/B09NH3BCCP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3PCVQVVCQ49BW&keywords=joseph+aisenberg&qid=1689001285&sprefix=joseph+aisenber%2Caps%2C205&sr=8-1 ... Read more

10 Jul 2023

1 HR 14 MINS

1:14:53

10 Jul 2023


#143

Poststructuralism

Ryan and Todd attempt to show why the term "poststructuralism" is inapt for describing any of the thinkers that it usually is thought to indicate. They go through the major theorists known under this moniker and reveal why poststructuralism doesn't exist. ... Read more

24 Jun 2023

1 HR 17 MINS

1:17:59

24 Jun 2023


#142

Tribute to Mari Ruti

Ryan and Todd devote this episode to the memory of Mari Ruti, who died on June 8, 2023. They discuss her core theoretical ideas and work through her major works. In addition, they include a few memories of Mari's singular life. ... Read more

12 Jun 2023

1 HR 11 MINS

1:11:35

12 Jun 2023


#141

Succession

Ryan and Todd analyze the recently concluded television series Succession. They discuss it in terms of capitalist subjectivity, tragedy, the death drive, and the ideology of the family. There are spoilers at every point in this discussion. ... Read more

29 May 2023

1 HR 24 MINS

1:24:39

29 May 2023