logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2020
47m 56s

Ep. 255: Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" (Par...

Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, Dylan Casey
About this episode

On the Chinese military treatise from around the 5th century BCE.

How does a philosopher wage war? The best kind of war can be won without fighting. The general qua Taoist sage never moves until circumstances are optimal. We talk virtue ethics and practical strategy; how well can Sunzi's advice be applied to non-martial pursuits? With guest Brian Wilson.

Part two of this episode is only going to be available to you if you sign up at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support. Get it now or listen to a preview.

Up next
Apr 27
Ep. 390: Diderot Debates a Cynic (Part One)
On Denis Diderot's Rameau's Nephew, a dialogue written in the 1760s. Is virtue necessary for happiness, or in the real world, is vice necessary to get by? Diderot's character Rameau argues the latter: that philosophical morality is problematic, and our imperative is prudence, whi ... Show More
49m 45s
Apr 25
PEL Presents NEM#251: Dr. Alan Williams (Birdsong at Morning)
Alan released two albums with folk-rock band Knots and Crosses in the early 90s, put out one solo album, then became a recording engineer and earned a PhD in ethnomusicology. He released three albums between 2010-2019 fronting Birdsong at Morning and put out two more solo albums. ... Show More
1h 35m
Apr 20
Ep. 389: Hegel on Wealth and Power (Part Two)
Concluding on "Culture and its Realm of Actuality," in Hegel's Phenomenology via sections 519-526. We get into some of the ironic psychology here: In giving loyalty to the king, the nobles actually boost themselves qua givers. They should be grateful to the king to get wealth bac ... Show More
47m 57s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2022
The Art of War: Ancient Chinese guide to victory
The Art of War is one of the most important military strategy texts ever written, and it has become just as influential, perhaps even more so, in the worlds of business, sport, and politics. Bridget Kendall learns what the 2,000-year-old treatise has to say about deception, spyin ... Show More
39m 57s
Dec 2016
William H. Shaw, “Utilitarianism and the Ethics of War” (Routledge, 2016)
On any mature view, war is horrific. Naturally, there is a broad range of fundamental ethical questions regarding war. According to most moral theories, war is nonetheless sometimes permitted, and perhaps even obligatory. But even an obligatory war may be fought in a morally impe ... Show More
1h 4m
Jul 2023
Why We Fight
<p>We often suppose that wars are fought over things like resources, border disputes, and ideologies. My guest calls this "the spreadsheet approach to war" and argues that, in reality, such factors only come in as justifications for the much deeper drives at play.</p><p>Mike Mart ... Show More
46m 11s
Dec 2010
How the Rules of War Work
<p>The rules of war are agreed-upon rules that are intended to govern international wars and conflicts. Who developed these rules? And do countries really abide by them? Josh and Chuck take a detailed look at how the rules of war work in this episode.</p><p> </p> Learn more about ... Show More
34m 23s
May 2018
8 | Lydy
Fighting has to be somewhere in your nature if you want to be part of a warrior class. Notions about having the killer instinct probably are overstated because killing isn’t always what circumstances requires of a warrior. The will to fight, however, is more than a mere prerequis ... Show More
45m 31s
May 2019
#55 - Jocko Willink, retired Navy SEAL, Part I of II: objective, strategy & tactics, leadership, protocols, dealing with death, and applying the many lessons learned from war
<p>In part 1 of this 2 part series, Jocko Willink, retired Navy SEAL, discusses some of his most important lessons learned from his time commanding some of the world's most expert special forces operators including the importance of understanding the objective and strategy (and t ... Show More
2h 39m
Sep 2023
Sun Tzu & The Art of War
It’s cited in war rooms and boardrooms, but perhaps the most important lessons from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War are about the art of espionage. This 6th century guidebook has inspired organizations around the world, from the CIA to the KGB, making it one of the most important texts ... Show More
45m 14s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami