Phi Fic

Phi Fic

By 'Philosophical Fiction' from The Partially Examined LifeArtsFiction
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Phi Fic episodes

  • Ep. 234: Beauvoir on Romance in "The Second Sex" (Part One)

    On Simone De Beauvoir’s The Second Sex (1949): "The Woman in Love" and "Myths" with guest Jennifer Hansen. What is love under patriarchy? We all want to achieve solidity in another's eyes, but the Othered woman wants to live through the man, and the man sees the woman as his rejected corporeal character. Party time!

    Don't wait for part two; get the full, ad-free, unbroken Citizen Edition now! Please support PEL!

    Sponsors: Visit thegreatcoursesplus.com/PEL for a free trial of The Great Courses Plus Video Learning Service. Visit Keeps.com/EXAMINED for a free month of hair loss medication.

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    53 min
  • PEL Presents PMP#27: For the Love of Star Wars

    Mark, Erica, and Brian talk about the unique place these films have in the brains of people of a certain age, how we grappled with the prequels, and why we feel the need to fill in and argue about the details. We focus primarily on The Mandalorian and The Rise of Skywalker.

    For more, visit prettymuchpop.com. Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.

    This podcast is part of the Partially Examined Life network and is curated by openculture.com.

    48 min
  • Ep. 233: Plato's "Protagoras" on Virtue (Part Two)

    Continuing on the dialogue, where Socrates argues that Protagoras doesn't actually know what virtue is, because he thinks that the various virtues (especially courage) are distinct, a claim that Socrates refutes in several (logically suspect) ways.

    Start with part one, or get the full, ad-free Citizen Edition. Please support PEL!

    End song: "Make It Clear" by Feelies; hear Glenn Mercer on Nakedly Examined Music #41.

    1 hr 1 min
  • PEL Presents PMP#26: We Watch "Watchmen" w/ David Pizarro (Very Bad Wizards)

    Covering Alan Moore's 1986 graphic novel, the new HBO series and the 2009 film.

    Mark, Erica, and Brian are joined by David, psych prof at Cornell and host of Very Bad Wizards. How does Moore's style translate to the screen? How well did the show handle politics? Should there be a second season?

    For more, visit prettymuchpop.com. Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.

    This podcast is part of the Partially Examined Life network and is curated by openculture.com.

    57 min
  • Ep. 233: Plato's "Protagoras" on Virtue (Part One)

    On the Platonic dialogue written around 380 BCE about an encounter between Socrates and one of the leading Sophists of his day.

    What is virtue ("the political art" according to Protagoras), and can it be taught? What are the relations of the various virtues to each other? Do they really amount ultimately to one and the same thing, i.e. wisdom? In this entertaining dialogue, Socrates and Protagoras swap positions, and Socrates seems to parody the Sophists' style.

    Don't wait for part two; get the full, ad-free Citizen Edition now. Please support PEL!

    Sponsor: Visit thegreatcoursesplus.com/PEL for a free trial of The Great Courses Plus Video Learning Service.

    54 min
  • Ep. 232: Simone De Beauvoir's "The Second Sex" (Part Two)

    Continuing Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex (1949) with guest Jennifer Hansen.

    How does one become a Subject and how do women traditionally get shut out of this process? We get into Vol. 2, "Lived Experience" where Beauvoir details how this drama unfolds in various stages of life. Also, religion, logic, the relation of biology to situation, and more. How do we modernize Beauvoir's critique given the evolution in women's positions since the book was written?

    Start with part one or get the full, ad-free Citizen Edition. Please support PEL!

    End song: "Wrong Side of Gone" by Beth Kille as discussed on Nakedly Examined Music #13.

    Sponsor: Give effectively through givewell.org/PEL.

    1 hr 5 min
  • Ep. 232: Simone De Beauvoir's "The Second Sex" (Part One)

    On Simone De Beauvoir’s The Second Sex (1949): the intro, conclusion, “Woman’s Situation and Character” and parts of “Lived Experience," with guest Jennifer Hansen.

    According to Beauvoir, Woman is historically conceived of by society (and herself) as "Other," as not a Subject who creates and makes decisions. Her life is pre-determined, revolving around marriage and child-bearing, and is so deformed by this situation.

    Don't wait for part two; get the unbroken Citizen Edition now. Please support PEL!

    Sponsor: Give effectively through givewell.org/PEL.

    58 min
  • Ep. 231: Descartes's "Discourse" on Wisdom and Certainty (Part Two)

    Continuing on Descartes’s Discourse on Method, looking closely at part 4 (his proto-Meditations) and his "provisional" Stoic ethics.

    Listen to part one first or get the full, ad-free Citizen Edition. Please support PEL!

    End song: "My Real Fantasy" By Joe Louis Walker, as interviewed on Nakedly Examined Music #110.

    Sponsors: Get 20% off at nativedeodorant.com (code PEL), 20% off at hempfusion.com (code PEL), and give effectively through givewell.org/PEL.

    1 hr 11 min
  • Ep. 231: Descartes's "Discourse" on Wisdom and Certainty (Part One)

    On René Descartes’s Discourse on Method (1637), an overview of his work that distills his method, outlines his famous Meditations, presents a provisional (Stoic) ethics, and considers whether he wants to be a public intellectual. This is all meant as a preface to scientific publications on geometry, optics, and meteors.

    Don't wait for part two; get the unbroken, ad-free Citizen Edition now. Please support PEL!

    Sponsors: $10 off at skylightframe.com (code PEL), get a free trial of unlimited learning at thegreatcoursesplus.com/PEL , learn about St. John's College at sjc.edu, and give effectively through givewell.org/PEL.

    46 min

About Phi Fic

From the publisher's feed

Dicussions of literature from a philosophical perspective.