PEL Presents Closereads: Husserl on Perceiving Minds
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
Release Date: 03/31/2025
Ep. 371: Christine Korsgaard on Normativity (Part One)
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
On lectures 3 and 4 of The Sources of Normativity (1996), where we get Korsgaard's positive view on how morality becomes obligatory for an individual, which has to do with identity, reason-giving, and our fundamentally social nature. And yet, her view is an interpretation of Kant! Get more at . Visit to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion. Sponsors: Don't wait until the next bite—protect your home with Bzigo. Go to to save 10%. Visit to get the data you need to take action for your health. Learn about Mark's online political philosophy class at .
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PEL Presents PvI#96: We Allege Humor w/ Mark Schiff & Daniel Lobell
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
Mark Schiff is a legendary stand-up who currently podcasts with and , Daniel Lobell as . These gents join Mark and Bill to talk about stand-up vs. improv, comedy LPs, waterless urinals, bad press, the path to enlightenment, and how to get rid of syphilis. We run a scene on hiring entertainment for the company party, and engage in some riffs that can only be called improv. . . Sponsor: Go to or use code IMPROV at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!
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Ep. 370: Christine Korsgaard on the History of Ethics (Part Two)
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
We dive further into the text of lectures 1 and 2 of The Sources of Normativity (1996). We give Korsgaard's account of the idea of reflective endorsement through Hume and Bernard Williams to get to her own view. When you come to know the origins of your moral sentiments, do you still stand behind them? Get more at . Visit to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion. Learn more about Mark's fall online political philosophy class at . Sponsor: Visit to get the data you need to take action for your health.
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PEL Presents PMP#200: Hollywood Studio Antics (feat. The Studio and Erica Spyres)
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
In immediate reaction to the Apple TV+ Seth Rogan show The Studio, we talk about Hollywood's obsession with itself and how studio dynamics interfere with what exactly we all get to see. Also, what's with the fascination with old Hollywood? What's the appeal of Hollywood gossip? Erica our first-season co-host returns to join Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al. For more, visit . Hear this ad-free with bonus content at or by subscribing via Apple Podcasts to the . If you enjoy our show, check out .
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Ep. 370: Christine Korsgaard on the History of Ethics (Part One)
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
On The Sources of Normativity (1996), lectures 1 and 2. How are facts related to obligations? We don't want to merely explain our moral impulses, but justify them. Korsgaard walks us through the views of Hobbes, Hume, Bernard Williams and others to arrive at her own breed of Kantianism, which we'll lay out in ep. 371. Get more at . Visit to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion. Sponsor: Don't wait until the next bite—protect your home with Bzigo. Go to to save 10%.
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PEL Presents NEM#233: Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) Is Not Taking This for Granted
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
This famed finger-style guitarist broke through with Jefferson Airplane's seven albums from 1966-1972, recorded eight with Hot Tuna 1970-1976 (with subsequent reunions by both bands), recorded his first solo album in 1974 and then 10 more from 1981-2025, and has collaborated with John Hurlburt, members of the Grateful Dead, and Janice Joplin. We discuss "In My Dreams" from Ain't in No Hurry (2015), "Been So Long" from River of Time (2009), "Sleep Song" by Hot Tuna from America's Choice (1975). End song: "Hesitation Blues" from Reno Road: Unreleased Tracks from the 60s (1960). Intro: "Embryonic...
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PEL Presents PvI#95: The Techucational Edge w/ Khafiz and Nicholas from Invasive Thoughts
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
Khafiz Kerimov and Nicholas Bellinson teach at St. John's College, and they channeled the educational style of that school into a new podcast called . They join Mark and Bill to talk (and act) about various educational technologies, teacher-student relations, circle-drawing competitions, the passivity of thinking, bad quotation use, and more. . . Sponsors: Go to or use code IMPROV at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Don’t wait until the next bite—protect your home with Bzigo. Go to to save 10% off.
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Ep. 369: Philippa Foot's Naturalistic Ethics (Part Two)
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
Continuing on Natural Goodness, getting more into concrete cases of moral reasoning. How and why do we decide to keep promises, even in cases where violating them would produce more utility? How do we take into account different kinds of grounds in moral reasoning? Get more at . Visit to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion, including a supporter-exclusive to this discussion. Sponsor: Visit for 15% off online courses on using AI in creative, human-centered ways.
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PEL Presents PMP#199: Missioning Impossibly
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
On the eight-film action series that launched in 1996 (based on the 1966 TV series) in light of its apparently final film. Featuring Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al. Is this a coherent narrative as the last film would have you believe, or just an excuse for a series of Tom Cruise physically challenges? Maybe the latter is enough for us! For more, visit . Hear this ad-free with bonus content at or by subscribing via Apple Podcasts to the .
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PEL Presents PvI#94: Storifying Philosophy w/ Kolby Granville
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
Kolby runs , which curates short stories about philosophy. He's also been a "producer" of improv shows. We talk about what makes a story philosophical, Kolby tells some stories, and we run some scenes about teleporter shenanigans and guidance counseling. . . Sponsor: Go to or use code IMPROV at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!
info_outlineOn Edmund Husserl's Ideas, Vol. 2 (1928), Section 3, "The Constitution of the Spiritual World," Ch. 1, "Opposition Between the Naturalistic and Personalistic Worlds."
Given Husserl's method of "reduction" whereby he sets aside the metaphysical status of objects in the natural world (are they mind-independent or merely ideas?), we wanted to see how he accounts for our ability to directly perceive other people's minds. We don't just perceive their bodies and our own bodies and deduce that others must be like us mentally, but we perceive both our minds and those of others as strata (aspects) of physical bodies.
Read along with us, starting on p. 183 (PDF p. 101).
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