Ep. 387: Hegel on Law (Part One)

Continuing on Hegel's Phenomenology, "Spirit" chapter, now up to sections 464-483, which are under the sub-headings "Ethical Action. Human and Divine...

PREMIUM-Ep. 386: Hegel on Society (Part Three)

On sec. 451-463 of Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit. We get into more detail on these passages about the way the two types of law (human and divine) in...

PEL Presents NEM#248: Lande Hekt: Lucky to Be Indie

Lande started in the 2010's in the British punk-pop group Muncie Girls, with six releases (mostly EPs), and began her solo career in 2019. We discuss...

Ep. 386: Hegel on Society (Part Two)

Continuing on the "Spirit" section of The Phenomenology of Spirit, giving a sort of social metaphysics, wherein the ethical life of a society is analy...

PEL Presents PvI#113: Mary and Mark Pick Their Battles

What is it worth raising an objection over, and how hard do you fight? We hear (and act out) Mary's roommate-searching trauma, plus Mary for President...

PEL Presents PMP#216: Oscars So Black?

In light of the now-completed black history month and the upcoming Oscars, we consider the "Oscars So White" issue that was a hot topic about a decade...

Ep. 386: Hegel on Society (Part One)

On. G.W.F. Hegel's The Phenomenology of Spirit (1807), sec. 438-463. What constitutes society? 
We're beginning a multi-episode arc here on the...

PEL Presents NEM#247: John S. Hall (King Missile): Daily Poet

John has released at least fifteen albums, more than half of these under the name King Missile, but even this name covers three different bands, since...

Ep. 385: Guest Graham Harman on Object vs. Continuum (Part Two)

In our continuing Q&A with Graham, we engage him about Kantian Things-In-Themselves, complex things (that if divided, must be cut at the joints) vs. m...

PEL Presents PvI#112: Musical Zoom w/ Jerome Kurtenbach

Jerome is an LA composer/director/screenwriter who is involved in a lot of musical improv, so Mary and Mark interview him about that and about the fun...

PEL Presents PMP#215: Hamnet Dramatizes Shakespeare

When we don't know much about some genius playwright's life, why not make up some things based on the contents of his plays? Maybe put Shakespearean d...

Ep. 385: Guest Graham Harman on Object vs. Continuum (Part One)

An interview with Graham in light of his new book, Waves and Stones: On the Ultimate Nature of Reality, which elaborates and adds to issues that the g...

NEM#246: Robert Deeble in His Talking Voice

Folky singer/songwriter and psychotherapist Robert started in the '80s but considers 1994 his professional debut and has now released his seventh albu...

Ep. 384: Graham Harman's Object-Oriented Ontology (Part Three)

We consider chapter 2, "Aesthetics Is the Root of All Philosophy," where Harman describes how art can help us see behind the veil to things-in-themsel...

PEL Presents PvI#111: God Smites Elijah Dann

Vancouver philosophy prof Elijah was an evangelical Christian who turned liberal and then atheistic, and his latest book, "Unbelieving God: A Skeptics...

PEL Presents PMP#214: South Park Resurgence

We're discussing Trey Parker and Matt Stone's Comedy Central show that premiered in 1997 and has just finished its politically relevant 28th season, f...

Ep. 384: Graham Harman's Object-Oriented Ontology (Part Two)

Continuing on Object-Oriented Ontology: A New Theory of Everything (2018), finishing up ch. 1 (discussing what's so bad about reductionism) and moving...

PEL Presents Closereads: Hegel's "Unhappy Consciousness"

We're within the Self-Consciousness chapter of The Phenomenology of Spirit, specifically starting at sec. 206 on the Unhappy Consciousness. This comes...

Ep. 384: Graham Harman's Object-Oriented Ontology (Part One)

On Harman's Object-Oriented Ontology: A New Theory of Everything (2018). What counts as an entity in the world? Harman includes not just physical obje...

PEL Presents PvI#110: Memories of 2026 w/ Mark and Mary

To kick off 2026, Mark and Mary talk about memory: memory care for the elderly, the relation between things and memories, what professional activities...

Ep. 383: Freud on Love and the Primal Horde (Part Two)

Finishing up Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego, finally now turning to Freud's anthropological account of group membership.
Get more...

NEM#245: Darren Michael Boyd's Guitar Instrumentals Beyond Metal

Ontario guitarist Darren has released six albums of concise instrumentals since 2019, often using metal guitar tones and tropes, but with a great rang...

PEL Presents PMP#213: Stranger Things Grown Familiar

The Netflix sci-fi/horror/teen series by the Duffer Brothers that started in 2016 has now finished with its sixth season, attempting to be both epic a...

Ep. 383: Freud on Love and the Primal Horde (Part One)

On the second half of Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego. We talk about the dual origins of group membership for Freud in personal love and...

PEL Presents PvI#109: Choose Your Own Failure w/ Rich Baker

Rich runs the Dare to Fail improv school and is author of Improv Made Easier. He joins Mark and Mary to discuss contexts of failure, failing to meet y...

PEL 2026 Kickoff Nightcap

It's another year, and this time we each came in with a short bucket list of philosophical works that we'd like to read before this podcast concludes,...

Ep. 382: Freud on Group Psychology (Part Two)

Continuing on the first half of Sigmund Freud's Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego, now getting really into Freud's own type of explanation,...

PEL Presents PvI#108: Guess Who's Coming to Christmas Dinner... Lawrence Ware!

Philosopher/writer/critic/podcaster Lawrence Ware returns to the show to meet Mary and talk about how Mark is his own personal Leroy Jesus. We act out...

PEL Presents PMP#212: Holiday Romance Films

The Hallmark Channel became famous for producing low-budget, formulaic Christmas films, and this has spread to other outlets, sometimes with higher bu...

Ep. 382: Freud on Group Psychology (Part One)

On the first half of Sigmund Freud's Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego (1921). Why do members of a mob get dumber and less inhibited?
...

PEL Presents NEM#244: Year-End Chat with NEM Audio Editor Roger Heathers

In a special holiday episode, we get to meet musician and podcaster Roger Heathers, who edits this show. Together, Roger and I discuss how we make the...

PREMIUM-Ep. 381: Aquinas on Ethical Psychology (Part Three)

We discuss the first six questions from the "Moral Action" section in the Summa Theologica (1268), which we read in Thomas Aquinas: Selected Philosoph...

Bacchic Redemption in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975) (Part 1)

Ep. 381: Aquinas on Ethical Psychology (Part Two)

Continuing to discuss the virtue and moral action from the Summa Theologica (1268). We discuss the definition of virtue and some subsequent questions...

PEL Presents PvI#107: Mary and Mark Argue About Arguing

Is argumentation essential to philosophy? Should you always be open to arguments challenging your beliefs? We act out a few symbiotic scenarios and re...

PEL Presents PMP#211: Slow Horses and Predecessors

We discuss the British spy show based on the novels of Mick Herron, which are in turn firmly in a tradition of anti-007 books by John le Carré. Featur...

Ep. 381: Aquinas on Ethical Psychology (Part One)

On selections about virtue and moral action from the Summa Theologica (1268). Aquinas defines virtue, tells us how it metaphysically fits us into the...

PEL Presents Subtext: Erin's New Book "Avail"

Erin just published her first book, "Avail," which you can order here: https://www.pauldrybooks.com/products/avail
"Avail" features a long prose...

PEL Presents NEM#243: Corey Ledet's Eclectic Zydeco

Corey has released many of zydeco music since 2004, and mixes his dedication to tradition (even recording a recent album in Louisiana Creole) with his...

Ep. 380: Josiah Royce on Community (Part Two)

More on The Problem of Christianity, discussing how communities relate to history, how individuals relate to communities, and what's unique about Royc...