PEL Presents NEM#249: Kavus Torabi Now Leads Gong

PEL Presents NEM#249: Kavus Torabi Now Leads Gong

Author: Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, Dylan Casey March 27, 2026 Duration: 1:31:57

Kavus began in dual-guitar London math-rock bands in the '90s, joined The Cardiacs for their final lineup. His band Knifeworld released the first of its four albums in 2009, he released solo albums in 2020 and 2024, and since 2014 he has released six albums with legacy prog-rock band Gong. He has also released four studio albums with electronica band The Utopia Strong since 2019.

We discuss "Stars in Heaven" by Gong from Bright Spirit Haulix (2026), "Send Him Seaworthy" by Knifeworld from The Unraveling (2014), "You Broke My Fall" by Kavus Torabi from Hip to the Jag (2020), and "Wise Guy" by The Monsoon Bassoon, a 1998 single. Intro: "Ditzy Scene" by The Cardiacs, a 2007 single eventually released on LSD (2025).

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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: English Episodes: 782

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 378: Aquinas on God and Mind (Part Three) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:38
We're now moving on to the "mind" portion of our discussion, covering how reason motivates us, how free will is possible, and the degree to which the mind is passive or active. Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com. Visi…
Ep. 378: Aquinas on God and Mind (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:51
Continuing on bits of Thomas Aquinas: Selected Philosophical Writings, completing our analysis of his arguments for the existence of God and then turning to eternity and the possibility of actually talking about God, giv…
Ep. 378: Aquinas on God and Mind (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:55
On selections from Thomas Aquinas: Selected Philosophical Writings, mostly taken from the Summa Theologica (1268). Given our flawed, finite human nature, how do we fit into the universe? In particular, how can we know an…
Ep. 377: Emil Cioran's Pessimism (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:46
Continuing on "Directions for Decomposition" from A Short History of Decay (1949). What is it that humans are inevitably trying to avoid that seems so bad to us? It's our existential separation from others, our essential…
Ep. 377: Emil Cioran's Pessimism (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:02
On A Short History of Decay (1949), a pessimist/existentialist somewhat text from the most famous Romanian philosopher. Cioran's short essays touch on art, humor, God, salvation, time, nostalgia, mourning, death, disease…
Ep. 376: Plato's "Laws" (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:39
Continuing on selections from this late Platonic dialogue. Starting in Book 4, Plato's characters are discussing how to create a new state ("Magnesia") from scratch. What sorts of laws should it have? We talk about marri…
Ep. 376: Plato's "Laws" (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:45
On this later dialogue presenting Plato's ideas about the character of laws in a just state. They should all be aimed at making people virtuous, and so should include education to this end. Each law should be equipped wi…
PREMIUM-PEL Back-to-School Nightcap 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:14
Mark, Seth, and Dylan add some more detail and thought to our recent episodes, including more about Steven Pinker and re-litigation of the utility of Irigaray's second-wave feminism in light of the distinction between ph…
Ep. 375: Luce Irigaray's Feminism (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:50
Continuing on "Women on the Market" from The Sex Which Is Not One (1977) and other selections. Irigaray gives a Marxist analysis of the commodification of women, addresses psychotherapists about their neglect of women's…