Wes, Dylan, and guest Chris Heath continue to discuss The Evolution of Agency (2022) in light of our interview with the author.

We relate examples from the book of animals of various levels of complexity making deliberative decisions, exhibiting rationality, experiencing causality, or otherwise engaging in agentive behaviors.

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The author of The Accomplished Creative, a sort of anti-self-help book based around Jeremy's improv experience and what he learned as a philosophy major, joins Mark and Bill to talk impostor syndrome and benign violations, get real meta about Die Hard scenarios, and have a cheese intervention.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com. Take a class this fall from him at partiallyexaminedlife.com/class.

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On The Evolution of Agency (2022), with the author, and guest panelist Chris Heath.

What is human agency? How would we determine whether an animal is a legitimate agent, as opposed to just acting automatically? Tomasello investigates this by thinking about what capabilities and behaviors constitute agency and the degree to which near-human animals have these.

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Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al all watched the three seasons of this groundbreaking, polarizing documentary show that serves as a visual diary and collection of essays by its creator. While episode titles sound like practical advice, the investigations invariably swerve into something weird or philosophical. But did we enjoy it?

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Andy has released 20 albums since 1986, touring with just him and his acoustic guitar. We discuss "The Happiness Index" from AT (2023), his second collaboration with Tim Finn; the title track from The Guilty and the Innocent (2017); and "Speechless" from Out There (1992). End song: "Italian Girls on Mopeds" from Boy 40 (2003). Intro: "Vision of You" from Rave On (1986). More at andywhite.com.

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Continuing on "Meaning" (1957), "Utterer’s Meaning and Intentions" (1969), and "Logic and Conversation" (1975) with guest Steve Gimbell.

We tie the articles together, talk more about the rules implicit in conversation, and try to relate Grice's project to other parts of philosophy.

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Wes & Erin continue their discussion of the Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson. In this episode, part 2 of our 3-part series, they look closely at the heart of the poem, books 5-12, in which Odysseus arrives in Phaeacia and provides the tale-within-the-tale of his adventures after the Trojan War. They discuss the significance of Odysseus’s fantastical encounters and asking what they might reveal both about his character and about the nature of our own progress—through times of safety, complacency, excitement, danger, and loss—as we wend our way back home.

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Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al talk about the writer-director's work, touching on not only his recent tour-de-force, but back to Memento, Dunkirk, Tenet, Inception, The Prestige, Interstellar, Insomnia, and The Following. 

Is Nolan overrated as a thinker and storyteller? Do his plots actually make sense? We talk heroes, noir, philosophy, twists, and his depiction of women.

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On "Meaning" (1957), "Utterer’s Meaning and Intentions" (1969), and "Logic and Conversation" (1975), featuring Mark, Seth, Dylan, and guest Steve Gimbell.

Grice tries to give a rigorous analysis of what it means for a speaker (as opposed to a sentence) to mean something in particular. Let the increasingly elaborate potential counter-examples commence!

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It's St. Lawrence University philosophy prof Jenny in the ring with UIC instructor/Podcaster with Hey Riddle Riddle and Hello From the Magic Tavern Adal, along with Mark and Bill, of course. And the Bullshot is flying! Who will be hit?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com. Take a class this fall from him at partiallyexaminedlife.com/class.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

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