PODCAST

Philosophy vs. Improv

Mark Linsenmayer

society & culture philosophy

All Episodes

48:42

PvI#114: Earning Crazy Town w/ Jenny Hansen

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2026/03/19

St. Lawrence philosophy prof Jennifer L. Hansen, one of the most frequent guest on Mark’s podcasts and expert in feminist philosophy, here hits it off with our new host Mary. We act out vegan jerky time, snacktime at the all-girls clubhouse, and two gals getting pulled over by a cop.Does the “come debate me” style of philosophy include unnecessarily masculine tropes? How does this Charlie Kirk model relate to what Socrates was doing? What are alternative, fun ways to get

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54:49

PvI#113: Mary and Mark Pick Their Battles

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2026/03/06

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, curiosity about bellicose Twitter, respect vs. reverence, rationality and religion, dealing with QAnon believers, family Thanksgiving, giving someone else a name, vegetarianism, and the angel of philosophy.Here’s that Steve Harvey show clip where Mary was on TV. Here’s that PEL episode on Richard Rorty on truth and religion

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1:03:41

PvI#112: Musical Zoom w/ Jerome Kurtenbach

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2026/02/18

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 function of art, plus songs for pets, a support group for people who sing all the time, and more.Jerome sticks around for the post-game, which is normally restricted to supporters, but which you get to hear as a sample this time. We demonstrate why collaborative singing over the Internet does not work. How fast should one sing “Happy

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53:35

PvI#111: God Smites Elijah Dann

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2026/02/08

Elijah is a philosophy prof (and PhD theologian) in Vancouver who was a die-hard, evangelical Christian but gradually became liberal and then atheist. In light of his latest book that collects all your favorite arguments for and against the existence of God, called UnBelieving God: A Skeptic’s Guide, Mark and Mary chat with him about his journey and about the degree to which we should care about others’ beliefs in this area so as to engage them in debate. In the course of this, as

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47:19

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

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2026/01/23

To kick off the Year of Our Lord 2026, Mark and Mary talk about memory: memory care for the elderly, the relation between things and memories, what professional activities are worth preserving (improv performances?), being the tchotchke, womb nostalgia, puppets and percussion, plus a visit from the future.You can choose to watch the main part of this discussion on unedited video. Sponsor: Visit squarespace.com/LINSENMAYER (code LINSENMAYER) for a free trial and 10% off your first website

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51:23

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

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2026/01/10

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 your goals vs. “objective failure,” how to react in an improv scene to some topic that’s too offensive for you, graveyard humor vs. reverence. Featuring Steaks You Deserve, Robo-Carson, cancer torture, interactive cemetery, Sounds of Failure, and open-sourced MST3K. Did you know Mary talks to plants? “That was so nice,

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53:20

PvI#108: Guess Who’s Coming to Christmas Dinner…...

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/12/25

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 and/or discuss orphan greeting cards, face-to-face instruction vs. writing books, imaginary friends, laugh trumpets, black ice, and is aesthetic judgment (especially of yourself) a mistake?Sponsors: Get the holiday deal (up to 50% off!) at MasterClass.com/IMPROV. Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with

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52:22

PvI#107: Mary and Mark Argue About Arguing

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/12/12

Is argumentation essential to philosophy? Should you always be open to arguments challenging your beliefs? An actual argument would not be just two abstract positions being measured against each other, but two people with some stakes in the issue, and of course the most interesting philosophical issues have to do with how we live our lives, and so what could be more personal and potentially insulting than challenges to your life choices?We act out a few symbiotic scenarios and reflect back

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45:03

PvI#106: Heart Tchotchkes w/ Seth Stephon Brown

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/11/27

Seth is an improviser and aspiring professional "muse," which is a type of life coach that hangs out with you to see where you could be more in touch with your humanity so that you can then work out a coherent plan for your adult life. He discusses with Mary and Mark the conflict between authentic individual humans and a social structure filled with oppressive systems.Should we "deprogram" ourselves from our standardized upbringing? Is there actually an authentic core we would uncover if we do so,

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59:45

PvI#105: Friendtor Debate Club w/ Scott Gelfand

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/11/14

Scott, ex-professor at Oklahoma State University and author of "Thinking Ethically: A Handbook for Making Moral Choices," chats with Mark and Mary about ethical debate in our age of seemingly unbridgeable divides. We engage in some suspect philosophical counseling, have a staged mini-debate about affirmative action, and simulate a new class of discussion-intensive air travel. More at scottgelfand.com.Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast and listen ad-free at

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54:45

PvI#104: The Hippie Code w/ Vickie Eistenstein

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/10/31

Mark and Mary are joined by improvisor-comedian-actress-filmmaker-host Vickie to talk about code switching and authenticity. Can you be authentic and still work a day job? Can Problem Solvers, Inc. solve the office restroom schedule? Are authentic hippies really beatniks? Also, displaying comic America on Korean talk shows, ethical pornography, commerce vs. art, granola in your hair, and more.Vickie sticks around for a bit of post-game (usually restricted to supporters but shared with you this

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38:46

PvI#103: Post-COVID Mary and Mark

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/10/16

How does your body talk to you? Your favorite hosts-of-a-philosophy-and-improv-comedy show Mark Linsenmayer and Merry Mary Hynes re-connect after both being sick to get a bit Halloweeny so as to talk about various food-related monsters, experiencing art by disgraced creators, inner homunculi a la "Inside Out," movie talk, Nietzsche's nose fetish, and more.Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast and listen ad-free at philosophyimprov.com/support. Sponsor: Get 15% off at

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47:56

PvI#102: Pit of Despair w/ Seth Paskin

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/10/06

Mark's Partially Examined Life co-host Seth joins us (i.e. Mark and Mary) to introduce Seth to improv and continue introducing philosophy to Mary.We discuss Seth's attraction to depressing texts, act out couples' therapy and monster beauty parlor, and open up a few philosophical cans of worms: Is truth relative? (Hint: no!) Does outer beauty reflect inner beauty? Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast and listen ad-free at philosophyimprov.com/support.

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54:15

PvI#101: Co-Hostery: Season Five Premiere with Mark...

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/09/18

It is a new era! Merry Mary Hynes is now Mark's co-host, and we do some improv related to that and feel our the degree to which Mary has not studied philosophy. Could it be that we ALL do philosophy whether we know it or not? Also: The Feminist Café, Luce Irigaray, Mark's voice training, an aging child pop star, non-binary preliminaries, gratis post-game chatter, and more.Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast and listen ad-free at philosophyimprov.com/support. Sponsor: Get 15% off

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50:10

PvI#100: Maximizing Turtle Revenue w/ Tim Sniffen and...

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/09/05

It's our season finale, and the end of Bill's regular participation on the show. You may wish to weep, but let your tears be of joy as well as reminiscence.We are re-joined by two of our favorite improv guests for a Team Play episode to talk ship of Theseus, philosophy vs. mythology vs. video games, Renaissance contemporaries, long-lived turtles, "realist" morality, goodbyes, and our final boardroom scene. Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast and listen ad-free at

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53:14

PvI#99: Philosophy of Humor w/ Nessa Voss

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/08/24

Nessa teaches philosophy at Lone Star Community College and writes on the philosophy of humor. We thought we should get this topic out before we wrap our season (and Bill's regular participation) and reach 100 episodes.We go through the main theories (superiority, incongruity/surprise, unconscious triggering, i.e. funny because it's true on some level we don't necessarily want to admit). Then Nessa (fictionally) becomes our podcast format consultant. We wrap up by considering the appeal of various

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52:31

PvI#98: Ragnarocking

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/08/11

Recorded back in June, posting now as we near the end of our season and Bill's tenure on the show, this episode now bleeds with dramatic irony. Mark and Bill discuss how to give a good speech, AI in academics, and we have a tear-stained visit to Empty Street.Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast and listen ad-free at philosophyimprov.com/support.

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1:01:24

PvI#97: Peep Dome Pets w/ Merry Mary Hynes

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/07/25

LA Second City improv instructor Mary joins us to act out a pet sitting job interview, talk about sharing our public spaces with animals, and finally return to Empty Street to see if we can get some animal action going in the mart.In the post-game, we talk about Bill's new academic studies and Mark's upcoming Gen Con trip. Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast and listen ad-free at philosophyimprov.com/support. Sponsors: Don't wait until the next bite -- protect your home with

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13:08

Prelude to PvI#97: Meet Merry Mary Hynes

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/07/25

What do you do when Bill doesn't show up to the recording? You record for a bit anyway and get to know the guest!

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55:37

PvI#96: We Allege Humor w/ Mark Schiff and Daniel Lobell

Philosophy vs. Improv ·

2025/07/12

Mark Schiff is a legendary stand-up who currently podcasts with friend-of-PEL and philosophy enthusiast, Daniel Lobell as We Think It's Funny.These gents join Mark and Bill to talk about stand-up vs. improv, comedy LPs, waterless urinals, bad press, the path to enlightenment, and how to get rid of syphilis. We run a scene on hiring entertainment for the company party, and engage in some riffs that can only be called improv. Hear more at philosophyimprov.com. Support the podcast and listen ad-free

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Philosophy vs. Improv

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