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Philosophy vs. ImprovPhilosophy vs. Improv

Philosophy vs. Improv

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Latest Episode

PvI#49: Ferrets in Uniform with Cole Nasrallah

March 9, 2023

We talk transcendental idealism and Schopenhauer with Cole, who teaches philosophy at the College of Southern Nevada. Also, the least effective confidential informant!

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions, video versions of recent episodes, and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#49: Ferrets in Uniform with Cole Nasrallah

PvI#48: Debates in the Orthaganon

February 18, 2023

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.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions, video versions of recent episodes, and other bonus stuff.

Sponsor: Check out the Self Esteem Party podcast on TheSonarNetwork.com.

Continue Reading PvI#48: Debates in the Orthaganon

PvI#47: What’s in the Chili? w/ Rachael Mason

January 31, 2023

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!

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions, video versions of recent episodes, and other bonus stuff.

Sponsor: Check out the History Cache Podcast.

Continue Reading PvI#47: What’s in the Chili? w/ Rachael Mason

PvI#46: Seize the Day How Exactly? w/ Nick Riggle

January 18, 2023

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.

Mark and Bill engage Nick via car wash planning, the appearance of Bill’s imaginary friend, Groundhog Day, and other invitations to awesomeness.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsor: Check out Spencer Wants to Know.

Continue Reading PvI#46: Seize the Day How Exactly? w/ Nick Riggle

PvI#45: Meaningful Road Trips w/ Dee Bradley Baker

January 4, 2023

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?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsor: Check out Killed to Death, an improvised true crime podcast.

Continue Reading PvI#45: Meaningful Road Trips w/ Dee Bradley Baker

PvI#44: Stand-Up vs. Improv w/ Matty Goldberg

December 22, 2022

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?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsor: Check out the A Pastor and a Philosopher Walk Into a Bar podcast.

Continue Reading PvI#44: Stand-Up vs. Improv w/ Matty Goldberg

PvI#43: Return Policy Violations

December 7, 2022

Mark and Bill 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.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsor: Check out the Totes Recall film review podcast at totesrecall.com.

Continue Reading PvI#43: Return Policy Violations

PvI#42: The Worth of a Human Life w/ Carneades the YouTube Star

November 17, 2022

The anonymous policy wonk who runs the Carneades.org YouTube channel joins Mark and Bill to discuss the core concept of his new book, Are All Lives Equal?: Why Cost-Benefit Analysis Values Rich Lives More and How Philosophy Can Fix It.

Should economics really be measuring the value of life at all? Can it do this in any principled way? Can economists really understand how much joy cat videos really bring us? What should parasitic micro-organisms value? Were all the world’s religions originally infections diseases? No question is off the table!

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#42: The Worth of a Human Life w/ Carneades the YouTube Star

PvI#41: Situatedness in Three Persons w/ Sarah Shockey

November 1, 2022

What is personhood? How can a group best collaboratively invent a scene? Sarah is a host of Marty and Sarah Love Wrestling and a repeat guest on Hello From the Magic Tavern. We fit in THREE scenes, some discussion of the various layers of what it is for something to be (or not be) person, and some musings about the weather and such.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#41: Situatedness in Three Persons w/ Sarah Shockey

PvI#40: Rules and Voices with Stephen West (Philosophize This!)

October 14, 2022

Stephen West from the juggernaut Philosophize This! podcast joins Mark and Bill to learn to say no and talk about reason vs. emotion in grounding ethics. What do the voices in your head (or at your lunch table) say to you?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#40: Rules and Voices with Stephen West (Philosophize This!)

PvI#39: Cutting Edge Post-Patternation

October 4, 2022

Mark and Bill break former patterns by each bringing in not a lesson but a question, which we knew about beforehand, and those questions are about pattern-breaking and about what current philosophers worry about. With special surprising scenes conveying cutting-edge podcasting/instructional techniques.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#39: Cutting Edge Post-Patternation

PvI#38: The Bones of Tragedy with Jay O. Sanders

September 15, 2022

Jay Sanders, famed not only for his appearances on Law & Order: Criminal Intent and The Day After Tomorrow and many many other screens and stages, joins us to talk tragedy, how he’s applied the lessons of improv to his scripted acting, and more. Jump into the improv maelstrom with us!

In the post-game, which just this once, we’re sharing with the general public, we more about Jay’s projects and getting recognized on the street for things.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#38: The Bones of Tragedy with Jay O. Sanders

PvI#37: Season One Final Round

August 27, 2022

It’s all down to this. Which discipline, which host will prevail? 

All stakes are on the table, and if this thinking isn’t critical enough, if these scenes aren’t congruent enough, if we fail the big scan-tron test that is life, then it’s all been for nothing. Tune in for this, the most exciting single podcast episode you’ve ever heard in your whole goddamned life.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#37: Season One Final Round

PvI#36: Authentic Authenticity w/ Skye Cleary

August 12, 2022

Skye teaches and Columbia and the City University of New York, and she recently published How to Be Authentic: Simone de Beauvoir and the Quest for Fulfillment (which is very good, and NOT snake oil).

She joins Mark and Bill to talk about what authenticity might mean for an existentialist, how it relates to truth, responsibility, and picking a theme for your birthday party.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#36: Authentic Authenticity w/ Skye Cleary

PvI#35: Submarine Observations w/ Chris Rathjen

July 23, 2022

We talk about observations and how they relate to theories and other types of preconception. Is there such a thing as pure observation? 

We tour a submarine and plan a party. There is no Chumbawamba in either case.

Improver Chris starred in the Improvised Star Trek podcast and has been a recurrent guest and now an editor on Hello From the Magic Tavern.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#35: Submarine Observations w/ Chris Rathjen

PvI#34: Possible Diners w/ Barry Lam

July 10, 2022

Barry hosts Hi-Phi Nation, and his most recent season had a run on David Lewis, America’s foremost philosopher of possible worlds. So we talk about that notion that Hollywood has had so much fun with lately, and then we have fun with it in a couple of variations on a classic diner scene. Cheese salad, anyone?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#34: Possible Diners w/ Barry Lam

PvI#33: Virtuous Garbage Director w/ Jack Newell

June 16, 2022

Bill is a sad but steadfast street sweeper. Mark has secret character traits. Filmmaker Jack C. Newell is our inaugural non-philosopher, non-improviser guest, and his film knowledge leads to us talking about ethics in terms of film tropes plus some meta-historical-reenactment.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#33: Virtuous Garbage Director w/ Jack Newell

PvI#32: “On the Standard of [Bad] Taste” w/ Babette Babich

May 26, 2022

Babette teaches at Fordham and recently edited the collection “Reading David Hume’s ‘On The Standard of Taste,’” which Mark made use of for PEL#289. So, more philosophically beefy than our typical PvI episode, and yet also live and hence unpredictable. Taste it! 

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#32: “On the Standard of [Bad] Taste” w/ Babette Babich

PvI#31: Signs, Signs, Ubiquitous Signs w/ Brooke Breit

May 5, 2022

Contemplate the difference between signs, symbols, and symptoms. Did our improv scene get Zoom-bombed, or is that just real life intruding? THINK OF THE CHILDREN (eating Doritos)! What flavor of chip is Bill trying to teach today? Why is Brooke sad?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#31: Signs, Signs, Ubiquitous Signs w/ Brooke Breit

PvI#30: In Historica Res

April 22, 2022

…which, as I was saying, is right in the middle of a sentence or scene! How should our personal and family histories shape our behavior, both in real life and in improv scenes? Do these histories, these stories we tell ourselves, nail us down as people? Are we all old before our time? Are those your real parents?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#30: In Historica Res

PvI#29: Personal Panpsychism w/ Jack Symes

April 5, 2022

Panpsycast host Jack brings his promiscuous philosophy of mind to the show, wherein mind is here, there, and everywhere. But what does that mean? Skits about renting a flat for nefarious purposes and designing software for Nozick’s experience machine reveal all! But the question remains… So what? You have to care!

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsor: Get 15% off premium earbuds at BuyRaycon.com/pvi.

Continue Reading PvI#29: Personal Panpsychism w/ Jack Symes

PvI#28: Enhanced Interrogation w/ Adal Rifai

March 11, 2022

Today’s episode is about questioning: how one might question, what sets the parameters for a proper answer, and how to give those answers in an informative and/or dramatically effective way. Watch out for dream pigs! Also, how to get into the VIP room at Stuckey’s. Perhaps a pair of paralegals can help.

In the post-game, included JUST THIS ONCE for public enjoyment, we reflect on improv in the real world and some potential spin-off improv podcasts from our episode.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsor: Get 15% off premium earbuds at BuyRaycon.com/pvi.

Continue Reading PvI#28: Enhanced Interrogation w/ Adal Rifai

PvI#27: Normaliticitizationism w/ Andrew Lavin

February 26, 2022

We are joined by the young purveyor of the Reductio podcast, who wrote his dissertation on normality, which was such a normie thing to do. Can “abnormality” be morally neutral, or is that term cursed? You down with OTPs? How many towels do you need?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#27: Normaliticitizationism w/ Andrew Lavin

PvI#26: Monetize Your Syphilitic Storytelling w/ Linda Orr

February 12, 2022

Is money the root of all evil, or does it save us from needless cabaret bartering? What is money qua social construction? Should we retain the chocolate fountain? Are you ready to run? Did you bring your NFTs to trade for blue powder? Bill is master of the frustration scene.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#26: Monetize Your Syphilitic Storytelling w/ Linda Orr

PvI#25: Questionable Causal Practices

January 30, 2022

Guest free, we discuss topics from hairballs to boogers to color vision among inanimate objects and rules for unicorn play. When the bad-ass, smelly, screaming white ball hits the 5 ball, how does the causality work? Is skepticism about physical forces just conspiracy theory?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#25: Questionable Causal Practices

PvI#24: Game Time w/ C. Thi Nguyen

January 17, 2022

The philosopher of games joins us for a frustration game. What is a game, anyway? We ask dumb questions on a museum tour. 

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#24: Game Time w/ C. Thi Nguyen

PvI#23: Things Mean Things w/ Tommy Maranges (aka Philosophy Bro)

December 31, 2021

Can we have an entertaining discussion inspired by Aristotle’s most boring book? Bill leads Mark and our guest Tommy through some let’s-describe-what’s-in-an-imaginary-room exercises. 

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsor: Learn about St. John’s College at sjc.edu/improv.

Continue Reading PvI#23: Things Mean Things w/ Tommy Maranges (aka Philosophy Bro)

PvI#22: Punishment w/ Noah Gregoropoulos

December 22, 2021

There’s trouble at the work site! There are secret shifts of emotion going on. Do they make sense? Later, a guy’s car is blocking a driveway. Does he deserve the electric chair, or a beer? It depends on your theory of punishment.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#22: Punishment w/ Noah Gregoropoulos

PvI#21: Sentient Garage

December 15, 2021

The scene is its own entity. What else might be its own entity? Can a machine that passes the Turing test know what it’s like to be a bat? We bring in emotions from irrelevant contexts, and we keep hearing them long after they’re gone.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsor: Learn about St. John’s College at sjc.edu/improv.

Continue Reading PvI#21: Sentient Garage

PvI#20: The “Other” Story w/ Jenny Hansen

December 2, 2021

What is “othering”? Why did Bill get such a bad grade? Is it because of his feather quill pen? Our first real philosophy professor guest joins us for some office hours and anti-vaxxer drama.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsors: Visit betterhelp.com/improv to be matched with a licensed, professional therapist. Learn about St. John’s College at sjc.edu/improv.

Continue Reading PvI#20: The “Other” Story w/ Jenny Hansen

PvI#19: Broken Atomic Dogs

November 24, 2021

Let’s all lose our jobs and talk instead about fundamental ontology and social dynamics. 

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsors: Visit betterhelp.com/improv to be matched with a licensed, professional therapist. Learn about St. John’s College at sjc.edu/improv.

Continue Reading PvI#19: Broken Atomic Dogs

PvI#18: Utopias w/ Jill Bernard and Michelle Gilliam

November 18, 2021

Featuring TWO guest improvisers, Jill, co-founder of HUGE Theater and her friend Michelle, owner of Improv MKE.

Bill and our guests each start a scene to explore something of what utopia might amount to, and of course how it will inevitably go bad. Could there be some single utopia for everyone?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsors: Visit betterhelp.com/improv to be matched with a licensed, professional therapist. Learn about St. John’s College at sjc.edu/improv.

Continue Reading PvI#18: Utopias w/ Jill Bernard and Michelle Gilliam

PvI#17: The Imitation Game (with Toaster)

November 4, 2021

Riffing on resemblance. Eventually invoking the spirit of a toaster. Mark is wrong: the God Emperor of Dune can’t drink water at all, just dried food.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsors: Visit betterhelp.com/improv to be matched with a licensed, professional therapist. Learn about St. John’s College at sjc.edu/improv.

Continue Reading PvI#17: The Imitation Game (with Toaster)

PvI#16: The Legend of Kermit’s Gold w/ Tim Sniffen

October 21, 2021

Do you believe in miracles? If doctors believed in miracles, would they just let surgeries finish themselves? Do assumptions of a logical universe make it not just unjustified by psychologically impossible for us to really believe in miracles?

Read about our VERY FIRST guest, Tim Sniffen at timsniffen.com.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Sponsors: Visit betterhelp.com/improv to be matched with a licensed, professional therapist. Learn about St. John’s College at sjc.edu/improv.

Continue Reading PvI#16: The Legend of Kermit’s Gold w/ Tim Sniffen

PvI#15: There is no “I” in “Dahyulectecs”

October 14, 2021

Who stole Carmine’s lunch? I think you know. Are there only a certain number of “logical” directions from one idea to another? Are there no mistakes, or are there mistakes that know?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more Philosophy vs. Improv. Support the podcast to get all our post-game discussions and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#15: There is no “I” in “Dahyulectecs”

PvI#14: Action Idealism!

October 7, 2021

Are so-called “material objects” really just a scam? These two cut-ups (Bill and Mark) cut up the world in various ways, showing you how to teach, how to act, and how to haggle.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more PvI. Support the podcast to get our post-game discussion and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#14: Action Idealism!

PvI#13: F*** Your Grapes

September 30, 2021

Beauty is cool, but is art always aiming at beauty? Generations disagree about their music. Snakes disagree about how much they should worry.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more PvI. Support the podcast to get our post-game discussion and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#13: F*** Your Grapes

PvI#12: Stand by Me II

September 23, 2021

Bill gets really real, with his unlogical emotions. When we feel things, do we know why? Is there a why?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more PvI. Support the podcast to get our post-game discussion and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#12: Stand by Me II

PvI#11: The Trolley Opportunity

September 16, 2021

Bill gets to have the power of live and death, with a bit of moral luck. Is he enthused?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more PvI. Support the podcast to get our post-game discussion and other bonus stuff.

Sponsor: Learn about St. John’s college at sjc.edu/improv.

Continue Reading PvI#11: The Trolley Opportunity

PvI#10: Reasonable Beasts

September 9, 2021

Turkeys speculate in a game scene. Are they reasonable and/or jive turkeys? Then, geometry is subject to ad hominem attack in an instructive relationship scene.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more PvI. Support the podcast to get our post-game discussion and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#10: Reasonable Beasts

PvI#9: Keepin’ It Super Real

September 2, 2021

Why is lying wrong? Scene conceptions clash. It is hard to lie in a pretend scene, because the pretending is already a lie. You can lie inside-out or outside-in.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more PvI. Support the podcast to our post-game discussion and other bonus stuff.

Continue Reading PvI#9: Keepin’ It Super Real

PvI#8: Here Ought to Be Dragons

August 26, 2021

Mark and Bill do impressions of people you don’t know. The is-ought distinction is bravely explored. Does pretending to be cavemen help? Magic business is afoot. Childhood speaks.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more PvI. Support the podcast to get bonus stuff (including the “post-game” portion of this discussion.

Continue Reading PvI#8: Here Ought to Be Dragons

PvI#7: Meritocracy Now!

August 19, 2021

Does it make sense to try to have everyone get what they “deserve”? We act out the desert machine but yet get no predictable cake.

Judgebot 5000 enters our lives. Is this our first really good episode? Maybe.

Hear more PvI. Support the podcast to get bonus stuff and good karma!

Continue Reading PvI#7: Meritocracy Now!

PvI#6: Let’s Have Made a Deal!

August 12, 2021

We try to be boring. Bill tries to make a discovery amidst the canards. Mark tries to be a good meta-dupe. With our first celebrity guest, the final judge is unveiled!

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more PvI. Support the podcast to get bonus stuff and good karma!

Continue Reading PvI#6: Let’s Have Made a Deal!

PvI#5: What Is Bread? Are You Bread?

August 5, 2021

Two scenes reveal our underlying definitions. How will we overcome the lag between our words? How many beats in an heirloom beet if an heirloom hair-looms beets?

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more PvI. Support the podcast to get bonus stuff and good karma!

Continue Reading PvI#5: What Is Bread? Are You Bread?

PvI#4: Death at Not a Doctor’s Office

July 29, 2021

Is death something to be feared? What’s next? What are the DETAILS? Do not adjust your listening device; that sound you hear is improvisation.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more PvI. Support the podcast to get bonus stuff and good karma!

Continue Reading PvI#4: Death at Not a Doctor’s Office

PvI#3: Equality of Ignorance

July 19, 2021

Our first improvised scene! We get real high on self-esteem.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Hear more PvI. Support the podcast to get bonus stuff and good karma!

Continue Reading PvI#3: Equality of Ignorance

PvI#2: Real Lava Accommodation

July 18, 2021

Mark Linsenmayer asks what is real? Bill Arnett accommodates and highlights as appropriate. A flawless performance by all, despite the judges’ feedback.

Mark philosophizes at partiallyexaminedlife.com.

Bill improvises (and teaches) at chicagoimprovstudio.com.

Support the podcast to get bonus stuff and good karma!

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Continue Reading PvI#2: Real Lava Accommodation

PvI#1: We Have Always Already Been Improvising

July 17, 2021

An epic journey begins. Which path will produce the most profound profundity? The wisest wisdom? Bill Arnett eases us into first gear, but Mark Linsenmayer pulls the wheel toward murder.

For more about Mark and Bill, respectfully see partiallyexaminedlife.com and chicagoimprovstudio.com respectively.

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Continue Reading PvI#1: We Have Always Already Been Improvising

Philosophy vs. Improv: An Introductory Trailer

July 13, 2021

What is Philosophy vs. Improv? Hear about the new podcast by Mark Linsenmayer (The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast) and Bill Arnett (Chicago Improv Studio, The Complete Improviser author).

Thanks to our announcer, Erica Spyres.

Get more episodes than are now publicly available plus supporter-only content at patreon.com/philosophyimprov. This new project needs your support to get off the ground!

Continue Reading Philosophy vs. Improv: An Introductory Trailer

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What is Philosophy Vs. Improv?

Mark Linsenmayer (host of The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast) and Bill Arnett (head of the Chicago Improv Studio) each try to teach each other their crafts via conversation, scenes, and what can only be called performance art. No taking turns!

Hear Our Trailer

https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/partiallyexaminedlife/PvI_Trailer_7-21-21.mp3

Bonus/Ad-Free for 3 shows via Apple

Philosophy Tutoring

Testimonials

Mark & Bill are well-matched in being able to so easily articulate the mental processes around their respective pursuits. Whatever sound range both their voices fall within, it's really pleasant on the ears, like listening to two small yet efficient air conditioners placed side by side.

Tim Sniffen (from Jackbox, NPR, The New Yorker, Improvised Shakespeare, Hello from the Magic Tavern)

Philosophy vs. Improv
2021-07-26T04:29:39+00:00

Tim Sniffen (from Jackbox, NPR, The New Yorker, Improvised Shakespeare, Hello from the Magic Tavern)

Mark & Bill are well-matched in being able to so easily articulate the mental processes around their respective pursuits. Whatever sound range both their voices fall within, it's really pleasant on the ears, like listening to two small yet efficient air conditioners placed side by side.
https://philosophyimprov.com/testimonials/149/
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Philosophy vs. Improv

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