Philosophy vs. Improv

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About Philosophy vs. Improv

Mark Linsenmayer (host of four other podcasts including The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast and Closereads: Philosophy with Mark and Wes and author of Philosophy for Teens) and Bill Arnett (head of the Chicago Improv Studio, teacher at iO Theater, and author of The Complete Improviser) each try to teach each other their crafts via conversation and improv scenes.

Each discipline informs the other, and often the two lessons converge in surprising ways. Improv scenes allow us to explore the philosophical issues from different angles, while philosophy helps us figure out why particular improv techniques and approaches to humor may or may not work.

We're often joined by a professional philosopher and/or entertainer, and have featured such luminaries as David Chalmers (one of the world's best known philosophers of mind), award-winning actor of stage and screen Jay O. Sanders, author and documentary film director David Shields, Kevin Allison (a member of the legendary comedy troupe The State as well as the host of the Risk! podcast), and ubiquitous cartoon voice actor Dee Bradley Baker.

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Meet The Hosts

Mark Linsenmayer

Mark Linsenmayer is the long-time host of the 50-million-times-dowloaded Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast and author of Philosophy for Teens.