Ep. 392: Early Hegel Elevates Reason (Part One)

Ep. 392: Early Hegel Elevates Reason (Part One)

Author: Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, Dylan Casey May 25, 2026 Duration: 52:32

On Faith and Knowledge (1802), Ch. 1 and 2. Famously, Kant critiqued Reason to effectively forbid theology and metaphysics, and a young G.W.F. Hegel was not happy about that. He argues against the reduction of Reason to merely applying to the realm of experience, which makes religion merely a subjective, insubstantial matter. Hegel thought he could do better.

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What if philosophy wasn't an intimidating subject reserved for academics, but a lively, accessible, and sometimes messy conversation among friends? That's the space occupied by The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast. Hosted by Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, and Dylan Casey-a group who once pursued philosophy professionally before taking a different path-this podcast approaches big ideas with a rare blend of genuine curiosity and informal camaraderie. Their discussions are grounded in actual philosophical texts, which they break down in each episode, but you absolutely don't need a degree or even prior reading to jump in. The charm lies in hearing their real-time reactions, debates, and occasional tangents as they wrestle with concepts that shape our society and culture. Listening feels like pulling up a chair at a pub with remarkably well-read friends who are just as likely to crack a joke as they are to land a profound insight. This isn't a lecture; it's an invitation to a collective, partially examined life, where the journey through a thinker's argument is often more revealing than any polished conclusion. You'll find yourself thinking along with them, questioning your own assumptions, and discovering how centuries-old ideas pulse through our modern dilemmas. Tune in for a uniquely human and engaging take on the discipline that asks the biggest questions.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 393: Kant vs. Hegel (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:00
Continuing on Ch. 2 of Hegel's Faith and Knowledge (1802) , plus some of the material being critiqued from Kant's Critique of Judgment (1790), chiefly sec. 76 and 77. Kant's third critique is not just about beauty but ab…
PEL Presents PvI#118: Aphoristically w/ Andrea Roccella [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:07
Mark and Mary are joined by Andrea, an Italian teacher with a broad performing background who's written a book of philosophical, poetic aphorisms called Think Town: self-help reflections and directives about fear, ego, h…
Ep. 392: Early Hegel Elevates Reason (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:27
Continuing on Faith and Knowledge (1802), Ch. 1 and 2. We start off by discussing how beauty might give us a window into things-in-themselves according to the Romantics, who were in part following Kant's lead. Also, what…
PEL Presents PMP#222: Lordlings of the Flies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:44
In light of the new, well-acted and well-shot BBC/Netflix adaptation, we discuss William Golding's 1954 novel Lord of the Flies and its previous (1963, 1991) adaptations. Featuring Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al. What d…
PREMIUM-Ep. 391: Habermas Defends Modernity (Part Three) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:43
Your four hosts review the critiques of modernity, try to figure out where Kant fits in, and then discuss Habermas' characterization of Nietzsche's anti-Enlightenment project. If you're not hearing the full version of th…
PEL Presents PvI#117: Mark and Mary in the Triboobal Aftermath [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:55
We are REELING from our REDACTED episode, and so we talk about the lessons we learned from that and start thinking about what it is to be out of one's comfort zone: how do fear and ego issues interact? Is playfulness a l…
Ep. 391: Habermas Defends Modernity (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:44
Continuing on on The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity, Ch. 1, 2, and 5 with guest John Ganz. We further discuss Habermas' characterizations of Hegel's take on modernity and eventually get to Adorno and Horkheimer, wh…
PEL Presents PMP#221: Streep Does Prada [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:17
We discuss the career of Meryl Streep in light of The Devil Wears Prada 2, insofar as we (Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al) have a hold of it; she's been in over 65 films! Is she really the best actor on the planet? Did…