Tanner runs the popular daily podcast Practical Stoicism, so of course we brought him on to talk about on-board flight services and attitudes among retail service workers.

Seriously, this is one of the most beefy philosophical discussions (about Stoicism and virtue, naturally) we’ve had on the show.

Follow Tanner @stoicismtanner.

Listen to PEL’s episodes on Stoicism (starting with Epictetus).

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This episode is here, so why not listen? Philosophy vs. Improv advances to a new level of improvisation (aka half-assery) as Mark and Bill engage in a wide-ranging discussion (with scenes, of course) through the categorization of things, paradigm components and essences of things, historical advertisements, what goes in a museum, irresponsible loans, using the tools of convenience, diner culture, obsolete storage media, undefined locations, self-serve oil change, and a surprise ending whereby you learn that we’ve been painting the fence all along!

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Marla is an improviser from the Whirled News Tonight iO Theater show. We talk about obeying proper forms of behavior and drawing improv inspiration from outside sources. Plus, a thruple blind date and BBQ chain of custody. And introducing a new character, Lil’ Confucius.

Follow Marla @MarlaCaceres and @marlacaceres.

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We talk transcendental idealism and Schopenhauer with Cole, who teaches philosophy at the College of Southern Nevada. How does the idea that everything is ideas actually affect behavior? What if you think that reality is a swirling mass of chaos? What are you gonna do then? Huh? Also, the least effective confidential informant!

Hear Mark talk about Schopenhauer on The Partially Examined Life.

Follow Cole @super_coleider. Hear more of her on YouTube.

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Mark and Bill act out a couple of scenes of a person trying to convince a stubborn person of something. But there’s a twist in the characterization! Also, before you were born, the world did not exist.

Part of this came out of some comments in The Partially Examined Life’s second Wittgenstein On Certainty episode and anticipates our upcoming treatment of Daoism. Mark also brings up up Rawls’ liberalism. And the meaning of the phrase “partially examined life” is revealed!

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Rachael was a mentor of Bill’s and works with him at the newly reopened iO Theater. So it’s like we have TWO improv instructors here. We run some scenes, talk a bit too much about chili, and touch on functionalism, idealism, napism, and other isms. Jump into the marzipan! Brucie and Frucie are waiting for you!

Rachael has been a guest on many improv podcasts.

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What does the shortness of our lives and the beauty of the world actually entail in terms of behavior and philosophy? Nick is a former pro skater who teaches philosophy at U. of San Diego and has written This Beauty about this question, as well as On Being Awesome.

Mark and Bill (your philosophy/comedy puppets, here eternally to dance for your entertainment) engage Nick via car wash planning, the appearance of Bill’s imaginary friend, Groundhog Day, excess copies of the Pol Pot biography, and other invitations to awesomeness.

Get more at nickriggle.com. Watch him talking a lot more about awsomeness. Follow him at @nickriggle.

Hey, supporters! Do you want to watch the unedited video of this episode, recorded solely for your benefit? Do it! Thanks for your support!

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Voice actor Dee, who has a background in both improv and stand-up, talks to Mark and Bill about the meaning of life and engages in THREE scenes all about a parent trying to get some kids into a vehicle and on the road. Also, does COVID cause ennui?

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As our first stand-up comedian (albeit one on sabbatical) guest, Matty has inspired us to largely ignore the philosophy on this one and instead look at these two different ways of producing comedy. Do the motivations of improv folks and comics differ? Which group is more annoying?

We talk about unintentional comedy, how the search for social media followers has degraded comedy, podcasts satirizing other podcasts, improvising as a stand-up, the Steve Bartman incident, Picasso on demand, how music fits into all of this, and Funlosophy.

Our scenes include HR-mandated improvisation and Hated vs. Twirling Man, with some pre-programmed emotional reactions.

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A completely normal customer service transaction

It’s back to just Mark and Bill today. We talk about the lost art of prank phone calls and act out some “customer service nightmares” with an eye to the foundations of law and creativity that defies artistic rules. The scenes are longer and riskier than normal. Long-overdue apologies to Dirwin Zook.

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