Best Seth Paskin Podcasts (2024)

1
Ep. 350: Rorty on Justification and Essentialism (Part Two) 52:18

19m ago52:18

52:18

Concluding on "Universality and Truth" from Richard Rorty's Pragmatism As Anti-Authoritarianism. It it coherent to simply not have a theory of truth? Rorty claims that he's not a relativist; he's just avoiding some useless parts of philosophy that just cause problems, including inculcating the respect for a non-human absolute, and this attitude und…

1
PEL Presents PvI#82: LIVE in Personability w/ James Whittington 52:57

1d ago52:57

52:57

Chicago's iO Theater was graced on August 21 by Mark, Bill, and special guest theater educator James Whittington, who spoke about embodiment (see Maurice Merleau-Ponty), the possible disconnect between meaning and tone, and being in the physical presence of greatness. They acted out scenes (while still sitting!) about an unsuccessful party and Expe…

1
Ep. 350: Rorty on Justification and Essentialism (Part One) 51:16

37m ago51:16

51:16

On "Universality and Truth" and "Pan-Relationalism," which are lectures 3-5 in Richard Rorty's Pragmatism As Anti-Authoritarianism. How do we justify democracy? Rorty says we don't have to refer to transcendent Truth or Good to do this. He also denies the disinction between essential and accidental properties, and in fact between substance and prop…

1
PEL Presents PMP#181: M. Night Shyamalan's Films Are a Trap 56:24

5d ago56:24

56:24

In light of the new film Trap, we look at this writer/director's oeuvre. Was he a bright light (The Sixth Sense) that at one point went out (certainly by The Happening), and has that light gone back on as he's regained full control in his most recent films (Knock at the Cabin, The Visit, et al.)? Is he a genius, overrated, or somehow both? Mark, La…

1
PEL Presents NEM#222: Amy Rigby's Nostalgic Simplicity 1:14:33

3d ago1:14:33

1:14:33

Amy started out as an NYC punk fan, was in the "cow punk" band Last Roundup with her brother, and then in a vocal trio called The Shams that released an album and an EP around 1993. She finally emerged as a full front-person as a solo artist in 1997; she's since released nine solo albums plus three more with her husband Wreckless Eric, who now serv…

1
Ep. 349: Rorty's Pluralistic Pragmatism (Part Two) 51:01

4d ago51:01

51:01

Continuing on Richard Rorty's Pragmatism As Anti-Authoritarianism, ch. 1, "Pragmatism and Religion" and 2, "Pragmatism as Romantic Polytheism." Rorty evaluates past pragmatists' approaches to religion, arguing contra James that it can't be "privatized," that democratic social goals involve shared rationality, which means that all of our beliefs are…

1
PREMIUM-Closereads: Merleau-Ponty on the Body 15:19

13d ago15:19

15:19

We begin a long series on Maurice Merleau-Ponty's "Phenomenology of Perception" (1945), focusing on Part I, "The Body": "Experience and Objective Thought." To get the whole recording, you can become a PEL Citizen, or simply go subscribe to the Closereads: Philosophy with Mark and Wes podcast at closereadsphilosophy.com. You can also watch the proce…

1
Ep. 349: Rorty's Pluralistic Pragmatism (Part One) 46:45

11d ago46:45

46:45

On Richard Rorty's Pragmatism As Anti-Authoritarianism (1997), ch. 1-2 about religion. Should democracy be defended on absolutist grounds, e.g. by reference to God-given or natural rights, the nature of Man, or the dictates of Reason? Rorty says no! Democracy, ethics, and even truth itself are a matter for societies to decide for themselves. Monoth…

1
PEL Presents PMP#180: Season Four Wrap: Nostalgia 41:42

13d ago41:42

41:42

As Pretty Much Pop ends its 5th year of podcasting, Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al break from our usual format to talk in a more free-form way about the thin line between the "new" media we talk about on the show and the classics of yesteryear. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com. Hear bonus content at patreon.com/prettymuchpop or by subscribing via…

1
Ep. 348: Tim Williamson's Knowledge-First Epistemology (Part Two) 51:12

25d ago51:12

51:12

Continuing on "Knowledge First Epistemology" (2011), "Justifications, Excuses, and Sceptical Scenarios" (2015), and "Morally Loaded Cases in Philosophy" (2019). How does knowledge-first epistemology relate to reliabilism? What are its moral implications? Does W. have a good argument against relativism and skepticism? Get more at partiallyexaminedli…

1
PREMIUM-PEL End-of-Summer Nightcap 2024 9:18

19d ago9:18

9:18

Mark, Wes, and Dylan again talk politics, including conspiracy theorist psychology, whether post-modernism is responsible for current "post-truth" discourse on the Right (see the PvI David Shields episode), our previous guest John Ganz who now has a bestselling book, and finally the relief at actually having some Presidential choice that is not pas…

1
Ep. 348: Tim Williamson's Knowledge-First Epistemology (Part One) 48:29

25d ago48:29

48:29

On "Knowledge First Epistemology" (2011), "Justifications, Excuses, and Sceptical Scenarios" (2015), and "Morally Loaded Cases in Philosophy" (2019). Is knowledge basic, or is it dissolvable into more basic ingredients such as justification, truth, and belief? Williamson argues that these latter things should instead be defined in terms of knowledg…

1
PEL Presents PMP#179: Deadpool Gets Meta 52:23

27d ago52:23

52:23

We discuss the Deadpool films in light of the new Deadpool & Wolverine, which leaves the fourth wall thoroughly smashed. Is the new film just a meta-text about the existence of other Marvel films? Is this just a particularly irreverent phase in superhero films (contra Christopher Nolan Batman seriousness)? Featuring Mark, Sarah, Al, Lawrence, and A…

1
PEL Presents NEM#221: David Nagler Goes Brazilian 1:23:20

1M ago1:23:20

1:23:20

The New York-based singer/keyboardist/guitarist had several releases with Nova Social from '98-'14 while also serving as music director for Wesley Stace's Cabinet of Wonders variety show. After four solo releases, he's formed a new project setting his droll lyrics in a '60s Brazilian setting called As For the Future. We discuss "Koan for the Music …

1
Ep. 347: Nyaya Sutra Against Buddhist Skeptics (Part Two) 37:57

1M ago37:57

37:57

Mark, Seth, and Dylan now turn to ch. 4 of Dasti/Phillips' Nyaya Sutra: Selections with Early Commentaries about the self. Buddhism famously claims that there is no self, and the Nyaya philosophers respond with both common-sensical arguments (e.g. psychological properties must be possessed by something) and religious (without a soul, what persists …

1
PEL Presents PvI#80: Brief, Alternative Facts with David Shields 47:02

1M ago47:02

47:02

Internationally best-selling author David wrote a book (and made a film) called How We Got Here, which traces the gradual path in the history of ideas from the ancients through various forms of perspectivism, relativism, and post-modernism to the post-truth discourse that authoritarians and wanna-be authoritarians engage in. Some improv scenes are …

1
Ep. 347: Nyaya Sutra Against Buddhist Skeptics (Part One) 52:26

1M ago52:26

52:26

We're continuing to explore Nyaya epistemology, in this part focusing on ch. 3, "In Defense of the Real," in Nyaya Sutra: Selections with Early Commentaries (2017). Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com. Visit partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion. Sponsors: Apply for convenient term life insurance f…

1
PEL Presents NEM#220: Jah Wobble's Bass Worship 1:17:14

1M ago1:17:14

1:17:14

John Wardle (named Jah Wobble by Sid Vicious) started playing bass in John Lydon's post Sex Pistols band Public Image Ltd. in 1978, left after two albums, and has since recorded 50+ solo and collaborative albums, largely led by the bass, but spanning many genres including some particularly famous work in the world-music area. We discuss "Last Exit"…

1
Ep. 346: Nyaya Sutra on Knowledge (Part Two) 53:16

2M ago53:16

53:16

Continuing on ch. 1, "Knowledge Sources," of the Matthew Dasti/Stephen Phillips presentation of the Nyaya-Sutra: Selections with Early Commentaries. We finish up perception and then talk about inference and testimony. Are these all independent sources, or do they, e.g. all reduce ultimately to perception as Western empiricists claim? Get more at pa…

1
Ep. 346: Nyaya Sutra on Knowledge (Part One) 45:52

2M ago45:52

45:52

On The Nyaya Sutra: Selections with Early Commentaries, originally by Gautama (ca. 150 CE), plus explanations by Vatsyayana (450 CE), Uddyotakara (550), and Vācaspatimiśra (900), and the editors Matthew Dasti and Stephen Phillips (2017). We discuss "knowledge sources," mostly in this part the various kinds of perception, which is supposed to be ine…

1
Ep. 345: William James on Religious Experience (Part Two) 51:34

2M ago51:34

51:34

Continuing on The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902). Does James' claim that science and culture shouldn't ignore the subjective point of view really mean that the religious objects that motivate people are metaphysically real? Is the "unseen realm" part of our common world? Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com. Visit partiallyexaminedlife.c…

1
Ep. 345: William James on Religious Experience (Part One) 46:34

3M ago46:34

46:34

On The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902), focusing on lectures 1-3 and 20. What is religion and how should philosophers study it? James describes it as a sincere, full-life reaction to the world, more emotional than intellectual, and conveys the experiences of the extreme "religious geniuses" that are merely received second or third hand by …

1
PEL Presents PvI#78: We Essence Merge with Tamler Sommers (Very Bad Wizards) 1:01:39

3M ago1:01:39

1:01:39

Tamler teaches philosophy at The University of Houston and hosts the Very Bad Wizards podcast. He joins Mark and Bill to talk about personal identity and whether the "self" is necessarily co-extensive with a particular body. Plus: meditation, Daniel Day Improv's method acting, All of Me vs. Regarding Henry, what does "metaphysics" mean to YOU, drea…

1
PREMIUM-PEL Mid-Summer Nightcap 2024 12:01

3M ago12:01

12:01

Mark, Wes, and Seth talk about worries about the utility of various subgenres or explanation types in philosophy, Dr. Drew's recent interview with Seth and Seth's writing project about non-linguistic communication, accuracy in historical or scientific details in philosophy, and our current political moment (our candidate choices, the debate, etc.).…

1
Ep. 344: Gettier and Goldman on Justified True Belief (Part Two) 51:13

3M ago51:13

51:13

On "What Is Justified Belief?" (1979) by Alvin Goldman, where he tries to come up with a "function" for justification: If a belief has such-and-such non-epistemic properties, then it counts as justified. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com. Visit partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion. Sponsor: Get …

1
Ep. 344: Gettier and Goldman on Justified True Belief (Part One) 42:29

3M ago42:29

42:29

On "Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?" (1963) by Edmund Gettier, "What Is Justified Belief?" (1979) by Alvin Goldman, and "The Inescapability of Gettier Problems" (1994) by Linda Zagzebski. What is knowledge? Even if a belief is true and justified, does that make it knowledge? Gettier came up with exceptions, and other philosophers tried to figur…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Seth Paskin Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, Dylan Casey

1
Ep. 350: Rorty on Justification and Essentialism (Part Two) 52:18

1
PEL Presents PvI#82: LIVE in Personability w/ James Whittington 52:57

1
Ep. 350: Rorty on Justification and Essentialism (Part One) 51:16

1
PEL Presents PMP#181: M. Night Shyamalan's Films Are a Trap 56:24

1
PEL Presents NEM#222: Amy Rigby's Nostalgic Simplicity 1:14:33

1
Ep. 349: Rorty's Pluralistic Pragmatism (Part Two) 51:01

1
PREMIUM-Closereads: Merleau-Ponty on the Body 15:19

1
Ep. 349: Rorty's Pluralistic Pragmatism (Part One) 46:45

1
PEL Presents PMP#180: Season Four Wrap: Nostalgia 41:42

1
Ep. 348: Tim Williamson's Knowledge-First Epistemology (Part Two) 51:12

1
PREMIUM-PEL End-of-Summer Nightcap 2024 9:18

1
Ep. 348: Tim Williamson's Knowledge-First Epistemology (Part One) 48:29

1
PEL Presents PMP#179: Deadpool Gets Meta 52:23

1
PEL Presents NEM#221: David Nagler Goes Brazilian 1:23:20

1
Ep. 347: Nyaya Sutra Against Buddhist Skeptics (Part Two) 37:57

1
PEL Presents PvI#80: Brief, Alternative Facts with David Shields 47:02

1
Ep. 347: Nyaya Sutra Against Buddhist Skeptics (Part One) 52:26

1
PEL Presents NEM#220: Jah Wobble's Bass Worship 1:17:14

1
Ep. 346: Nyaya Sutra on Knowledge (Part Two) 53:16

1
Ep. 346: Nyaya Sutra on Knowledge (Part One) 45:52

1
Ep. 345: William James on Religious Experience (Part Two) 51:34

1
Ep. 345: William James on Religious Experience (Part One) 46:34

1
PEL Presents PvI#78: We Essence Merge with Tamler Sommers (Very Bad Wizards) 1:01:39

1
PREMIUM-PEL Mid-Summer Nightcap 2024 12:01

1
Ep. 344: Gettier and Goldman on Justified True Belief (Part Two) 51:13

1
Ep. 344: Gettier and Goldman on Justified True Belief (Part One) 42:29

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