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Aug 2023
56m 33s

Exercise

ELLIE ANDERSON, PH.D. AND DAVID PEñA-GUZMáN, PH.D.
About this episode

Western philosophy started… at the gym. In episode 83 of Overthink, Ellie and David tackle the philosophy of workouts, from Plato’s days as a wrestler to the modern loneliness of a solitary bench press. As they discuss the role of exercise — which the Greeks called gymnastics — in building bodies and training souls, they consider the ancient Olympics, the cravings for health and beauty that guide us through what David calls the "Protestant work-out ethic," and Jean Baudrillard's thoughts about Americans' passion for jogging.

Works Discussed

Jean Baudrillard, America
Mark Greif, “Against Exercise”
Drew Hyland, Philosophy of Sport
Plato, The Republic, The Laws, and Euthyphro
Heather Reid, Introduction to the Philosophy of Sport
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, and “The Government of Poland”
Sabrina Strings, Fearing the Black Body
Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Support the show

Patreon | patreon.com/overthinkpodcast
Website | overthinkpodcast.com
Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod
Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com
YouTube | Overthink podcast

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Jun 17
Earth
This one’s going to rock your world. In episode 132 of Overthink, Ellie and David dig into the earth for the third part of their four-part series on the elements. They discuss everything from earthworms and carbon dating to the “solidity” of the earth. They look to Foucault, Freu ... Show More
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