From Émile Zola to Edward Said, from Antonio Gramsci to… Joe Rogan? In episode 79 of Overthink, Ellie and David discuss the figure of the high-minded ‘intellectual’ and their role in today’s mass-media landscape. Who are intellectuals, what do they do, and what are they for? Can they, and ought they, participate in public debate?

What is boredom? Listen to episode 78 of Overthink as two philosophers and professors, David Peña-Guzmán and Ellie Anderson discuss this “bestial, indefinable affliction.” They discuss the pandemic panic, medieval Monks; they speak of Dostoyevsky, Lars Svendsen, and Kierkegaard.

Orgasm. Fireworks, a gushing waterfall, little death. In episode 77 of Overthink, Ellie and David discuss how philosophy, phenomenology, evolutionary biology, and psychoanalysis interpret the experience of orgasm. They tackle what the orgasm gap says about the state of gender and sex in our society.

Bad movies, good-bad movies, and more. What’s the difference between Freddy Got Fingered and Citizen Kane? Matthew Strohl discusses his book Why It’s Ok to Love Bad Movies with philosophy professors Ellie Anderson and David Peña-Guzmán

Silence is related to awe and to the overwhelming feeling of peace…but also to the monkey-mind of constant thoughts! Philosophers Ellie Anderson and David Peña-Guzmán explore the theories of silence in Christian mysticism, phenomenology, Heidegger, Buddhism, and more.

Lived experience is a common term today, indicated through such claims as “As a queer Mexican immigrant” (we’re looking at you, David!). We get into the roots of the term in phenomenology —Erlebnis in German— and talk about how lived experience gets used in social sciences and humanities.

Cultural appropriation is a common charge today, but what does it mean? How do we determine in-group out-group identity, and who decides what the line is between appreciation and cultural appropriation? Two philosophy professors discuss.

Céline Leboeuf, philosopher and expert in existentialism, talks with us about overcoming an existential crisis through the work of Tolstoy, Camus, and William James.

Emotional labor is a term that many use in popular discourse without really understanding. Two experts explain the concept as originally defined by Arlie Hochschild and in terms of the exploitation of women under patriarchy, including Ellie Anderson’s concept of hermeneutic labor.

Fear of missing out - FOMO - the condition of the self that desires social connection to the point of a phobia of being left out. Why isn’t JOMO - the joy of missing out- a viable alternative?

Martha Nussbaum discusses her new book, Justice for Animals, including her view of predators, capabilities approach, and more.

Heroes: everyday agents or spectacular superheroes? David and Ellie dive into the philosophy of heroes and heroism from ancient Greece to the present day.

Ellie and David talk about the sense of taste. What is gustatory experience? We discuss Hume’s theory of taste, including whether taste is merely a subjective experience or there are some things that objectively taste good, and more!

Smell has immense power, but why has it been undervalued in philosophy? In episode 66, Ellie and David are joined by philosopher Benjamin Young to discuss the sense and how we perceive smell.

Have you heard? In episode 65 of Overthink, Ellie and David discuss the nature of what we hear and how we hear it. They also discuss how Deaf culture calls upon us to retool our understanding of the importance of hearing for human life.

Vision is historically philosophers’ favorite sense, as visual metaphors for knowledge testify. In episode 64 of Overthink, Ellie and David continue their series on the five senses by considering Greek, Vedic, and phenomenological theories of sight.

Touch, texture, and tickling. In episode 63 of Overthink, Ellie and David begin their series on the five senses with touch. They consider why some ancient philosophers consider touch the primary sense and what we learn about the nature of the self from the phenomenology of touching and being touched.

Curiosity led Pandora to open a box, but what does being curious look like in our everyday lives? Ellie and David talk with the authors of Curious Minds: The Power of Connection, Perry Zurn and Dani S. Bassett, about the philosophy of curiosity.

Know thyself, the inscription at the shrine of Delphi reads. But can we truly know ourselves, like the Ancient Greeks believed? Philosophy professors Ellie and David explore the concept of self-knowledge.

Influencers have taken over the online world, promoting everything from brands to lifestyle changes. But, what does it mean to exert influence over somebody and how has the rise of social media created a whole new category of the influencer?