Podcast Episodes

Ep. 294: Quine on Science vs. Epistemology (Part One)

On W.V.O. Quine's "Epistemology Naturalized" (1969). What justifies scientific theory?

Not theory-free observations, as Quine shows us by considering…

4 years, 4 months ago

Philosophy vs. Improv #32: "On the Standard of [Bad] Taste" w/ Babette Babich

Babette teaches at Fordham and recently edited the collection "Reading David Hume's 'On The Standard of Taste,'" which Mark made use of for PEL#289. …

4 years, 4 months ago

PREMIUM-Ep. 293: Donna Haraway on Feminist Science (Part Two)

Continuing on "Situated Knowledges" and other essays with guest Lynda Olman. We try to get at the practical import of Olman's scheme and get further …

4 years, 5 months ago

Ep. 293: Donna Haraway on Feminist Science (Part One)

On "Situated Knowledge" (1988), "A Cyborg Manifesto" (1985), etc. featuring guest Lynda Olman.

What is scientific objectivity? Haraway rejects both r…

4 years, 5 months ago

PREMIUM-Ep. 292: Langer on Symbolic Music (Part Two)

Concluding on Susanne Langer's Philosophy in a New Key (ch. 8-10). We continue discussing whether and how music is symbolic. Sing along with us!

If y…

4 years, 5 months ago

Ep. 292: Langer on Symbolic Music (Part One)

On Susanne Langer's Philosophy in a New Key (1942), ch. 8-10. Is music (the supposedly non-representational artform) a language? If it's "expressive,…

4 years, 5 months ago

PREMIUM-Ep. 291: Cassirer and Langer on Myth and Ritual (Part Two)

Continuing our discussion on the symbolic value of religion and its antecedents, primary at this point discussing Susanne Langer's Philosophy in a Ne…

4 years, 5 months ago

Ep. 291: Cassirer and Langer on Myth and Ritual (Part One)

On Ernst Cassirer's An Essay on Man (1944), ch. 6-7, and Susanne Langer's Philosophy in a New Key (1942), ch. 6-7. Why do people produce ritual, myth…

4 years, 6 months ago

NEM#170: Bob Mould From Hüsker Dü to Sugar to Now

Bob has released 20+ albums since the early '80s. We discuss  "Forecast of Rain" from Blue Hearts (2020), "I Don't Know You Anymore" from Beauty & Ru…

4 years, 6 months ago

PREMIUM-Ep. 290: Susanne Langer on Our Symbol-Making Nature (Part Two)

Continuing on Philosophy in a New Key (1942), ch. 1-5. Is symbolism the software running on the hardware of our senses, or are symbols baked even int…

4 years, 6 months ago