Podcast Episodes

PEL Presents NEM#240: Jonathan Rundman, Multi-Branded

Singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Jonathan (currently based in Minneapolis) has been putting out indie rock solo albums since 1992, but has also ventured into traditional Finnish folk music and…

Published on 3 weeks, 2 days ago

Ep. 378: Aquinas on God and Mind (Part One)

On selections from Thomas Aquinas: Selected Philosophical Writings, mostly taken from the Summa Theologica (1268).

Given our flawed, finite human nature, how do we fit into the universe? In particula…

Published on 4 weeks ago

PEL Presents PvI#103: Post-COVID Mary and Mark

How does your body talk to you? Your favorite hosts-of-a-philosophy-and-improv-comedy show Mark Linsenmayer and Merry Mary Hynes re-connect after both being sick to get a bit Halloweeny so as to talk…

Published on 4 weeks, 2 days ago

Ep. 377: Emil Cioran's Pessimism (Part Two)

Continuing on "Directions for Decomposition" from A Short History of Decay (1949). What is it that humans are inevitably trying to avoid that seems so bad to us? It's our existential separation from …

Published on 1 month ago

PEL Presents PMP#207: Spinal Tap and Other Fake Bands

Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al watched Spinal Tap and its new sequel, and we throw these into a mix with K-Pop Demon Hunters and other films and shows involving made-for-TV (and film) bands, includ…

Published on 1 month ago

PEL Presents NEM#239: Adrian Sherwood's Dub Productions

Adrian has applied his distinctive, spacey dub mixing techniques to numerous recordings since 1978 including Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Sinéad O'Connor, and Spoon and has release…

Published on 1 month ago

Ep. 377: Emil Cioran's Pessimism (Part One)

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, mou…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

PEL Presents PvI#102: Pit of Despair w/ Seth Paskin

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, ac…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

Ep. 376: Plato's "Laws" (Part Two)

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…

Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago

PEL Presents PMP#206: Abbott Elementary w/o Emmys

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 h…

Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago