Podcast Episodes

PEL Presents PMP#205: Fantastical Foursome

What do we expect out of a superhero film? Does it need overqualified dramatic actors? Does it even need a real budget?

Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al discuss the various films modeled after Marve…

Published on 3 months ago

Ep. 375: Luce Irigaray's Feminism (Part One)

On The Sex Which Is Not One (1977) and other Irigaray selections from the French Feminism Reader (2000), featuring guest Jenny Hansen (who wrote the introduction to the book chapter).

What role shou…

Published on 3 months, 1 week ago

PEL Presents PvI#100: Maximizing Turtle Revenue w/ Tim Sniffen and Anthony LeBlanc

It's our season finale, and the end of Bill's regular participation on the show. You may wish to weep, but let your tears be of joy as well as reminiscence.

We are re-joined by two of our favorite i…

Published on 3 months, 1 week ago

Ep. 374: Discussing Liberalism (Lincoln, et al) with Walter Sterling (Part Two)

Continuing our discussion of the dangers to and weak points of liberal democracy, including consideration of Patrick Deneen's Why Liberalism Failed (2018) Francis Fukuyama's "Liberalism and Its Disco…

Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago

PEL Presents PMP#204: Naked Gun Rapid Firing

What is the state of the stream-of-gags formula that used to stand tall in the films of the Zucker Brothers (mainly Airplane) and Mel Brooks? A new generation attempts to revive that with a new Naked…

Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago

PEL Presents NEM#237: Maia Sharp's Homey Subversion

Maia has released ten lush, Americana-influenced singer-songwriter albums since 1997 and has collaborated with artists like Art Garfunkel, Bonnie Raitt, and Trisha Yearwood, and been covered by Cher,…

Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago

Ep. 374: Discussing Liberalism (Lincoln, et al) with Walter Sterling (Part One)

What's the crisis of liberal democracy? Dylan, Wes and Seth are joined by St. John's College President J. Walter Sterling to discuss Abraham Lincoln's "On the Perpetuation of Our Political Institutio…

Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago

PEL Presents Closereads: Peter Railton's "Moral Realism" (Wrap Up)

We are concluding our treatment of Peter Railton's "Moral Realism" (1984), and given that you likely haven't listened to the seven preceding parts, this discussion can serve as a standalone summary o…

Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago

PEL Presents PvI#99: Philosophy of Humor w/ Nessa Voss

Nessa teaches philosophy at Lone Star Community College and writes on the philosophy of humor. We thought we should get this topic out before we wrap our season (and Bill's regular participation) and…

Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago

Announcement: Mark's "Foundational Political Philosophy Texts" Fall 2025 Class

I bet you’d like to have an excuse to read some Aristotle, and Locke, Rousseau, Simone Weil, and other fun texts. Well, go read about this opportunity at partiallyexaminedlife.com/class, and then fol…

Published on 3 months, 4 weeks ago