The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

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, mourning, death, disease, suicide, revolt, freedom, Buddhism, Daoism, and the role of the philosopher. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com [https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/]. Visit partiallyexaminedlife.com/support [https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support] to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion. Sponsor: Visit functionhealth.com/PEL [https://functionhealth.com/PEL] to get the data you need to take action for your health.

Mark's Partially Examined Life [https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/] 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, act out couples' therapy and monster beauty parlor, and open up a few philosophical cans of worms: Is truth relative? (Hint: no!) Does outer beauty reflect inner beauty? Hear more at philosophyimprov.com [http://philosophyimprov.com/]. Support the podcast and listen ad-free at philosophyimprov.com/support [https://philosophyimprov.com/support].

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? We talk about marriage laws, the nocturnal council, how the law is argued for that everyone has to believe in gods, and more. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com [https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/]. Visit partiallyexaminedlife.com/support [https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/support] to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion. Sponsor: Visit functionhealth.com/PEL [https://functionhealth.com/PEL] to get the data you need to take action for your health.

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 has won in the past. Mark, Lawrence, Al and West-Philly-resident Sarahlyn discuss the show's Philly-ness and how it integrates cringe humor with realistic depiction of how messed up it is for schools to be so underfunded. Is this a "black show"? Get an ad-free experience, plus bonus talking for this and nearly every episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop [https://www.patreon.com/prettymuchpop] for only the tiniest per-month financial pledge, or you can sign up directly with Apple Podcasts for a subscription for ad-free and bonus material for three of Mark's podcasts together on the Mark Lintertainment Podcasts Channel [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/mark-lintertainment/id6442569583?id=6442569583]. Sponsors: Get 50% off Claude AI Pro at Claude.ai/pmp [https://claude.ai/pmp]. Try the Stuck in the '80s podcast at sit80s.com [http://sit80s.com/].

Eric was a major figure in the 1960s NYC folk scene, and his early tunes have been covered by Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, and many others. He's released 22 solo albums plus several live albums and two albums with The Band's Rick Danko as Danko/Fjeld/Andersen. We discuss "Don't It Make You Wanna Sing the Blues" from Dance of Love and Death (2025), "Rain Falls Down in Amsterdam" from Memory of the Future (1998), and "Six Senses of Darkness" from Ghosts Upon the Road (1989). End song: "Time Run Like a Freight Train" from Stages: The Lost Album (recorded 1973). Intro: "Violets of Dawn" from 'Bout Changes and Things (1966). More at ericandersen.com [https://www.ericandersen.com/]. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music [http://nakedlyexaminedmusic.com]. Support us on Patreon [http://patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic]. Sponsor: Visit square.com/go/nem [https://square.com/go/nem] to learn about how Square helps local businesses.