Overthink

The best of all possible podcasts, Leibniz would say. Putting big ideas in dialogue with the everyday, Overthink offers accessible and fresh takes on philosophy from enthusiastic experts. Hosted by professors Ellie Anderson (Pomona College) and David M. Peña-Guzmán (San Francisco State University).

  1. 20 min ago

    Reflection

    As Overthink comes to a close, why not take a look back? In Episode 182, Ellie and David tackle the concept of reflection and explain why it is so central to philosophy. What is the value of reflection, and what are its drawbacks? How does philosophy go astray when it treats the self as a product of reflection, and how can phenomenology and existentialism shed light on the proper role of reflection in our lives? Your hosts analyze the myth of Narcissus, discuss studies on reflection among animals such as rats and dolphins, and consider reflection as a visual metaphor for thinking. In the Substack bonus segment, Ellie and David reflect on Overthink and give some final thoughts before its end. Works Discussed: Ellie Anderson, Self-Relation: A Phenomenology of Ambiguity (forthcoming May 2027) Hans-Johann Glock, “Do Animals Have Thoughts?” Dieter Henrich, “Fichte’s Original Insight” Maurice Merleau-Ponty, The Phenomenology of Perception Gabriel Marcel, The Mystery of Being Ovid, Metamorphosis David Peña-Guzmán, When Animals Dream JD Smith et al. “The uncertain response in the bottlenosed dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)” Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com/overthink for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. If you’re ready to stop talking yourself out of finding care and making progress, then head to rula.com and take the first step. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  2. 30 min ago ·  Bonus

    You Might Also Like: The Run-Through with Vogue

    Introducing How Mark Guiducci Is Putting His Stamp on The New Vanity Fair from The Run-Through with Vogue. Follow the show: The Run-Through with Vogue On today’s episode of The Run Through, Chloe Malle talked with her longtime friend, former Vogue colleague, and Global Editorial Director of Vanity Fair Mark Guiducci just days before the launch of his September cover featuring Marc Jacobs.  “I think in some ways [Marc] is the greatest American fashion designer.” Guiducci said. “And if Marc Jacobs has nine lives, he's maybe on his seventh.” The cover story, written by José Criales-Unzueta, chronicles this transitional moment for Marc Jacobs whose namesake brand was sold by LVMH to a joint venture between brand management company WHP Global and G-III Apparel Group.  “This new chapter of Marc’s professional life is something different than going public and having umpteen thousands of stores around the world...and yet Marc is his own version of success,” Guiducci said. This is Guiducci’s first September issue in his role. Other stories from the style issue include an exhaustive best dressed list, a Les Lalanne feature, and the profile of fashions’ most well-known purveyor of good gossip. But the conversation between decades-long friends turned new guards of some of Condé Nast’s most iconic magazines naturally expanded beyond the current issue.  “Sometimes divorcing your own feelings from yourself from how people see you is actually really healthy.” Guiducci said. From big stories like the Alex Cooper Unwell investigation to the Olivia Nuzzi fiasco, the two candidly discussed their individual roles and the state of the celebrity cover.  “There's a real arm's length distance to what you're getting now,” Chloe said. “And it's very difficult, because it means that if you are upholding journalistic standards like many Condé brands try to, you need to then be creative.” But of course, it wouldn’t be a true reunion without some lighthearted reminiscing about the old days of Vogue. Sitting in the podcast studio no larger than their shared office nearly fifteen years ago, the two cackled over wellness routines, Chloe’s Harry Potter discovery, and after-hours dinner plans.  “I also don't cook, famously,” Guiducci said. “You've seen my kitchen. My kitchen is one-fourth the size of this room.” “That's true,” Chloe said. “One could still cook in it. [both laugh]” Also on the podcast, Vogue’s Senior Lifestyle & Weddings Editor Liam Hess joined to discuss how this week's biggest weddings (Ronaldo! Jordyn Woods! Tallulah Willis!) came to be. Plus, we close out our Dogue days of summer with the final covers!  The Run-Through with Vogue is your go-to podcast where fashion meets culture. Hosted by Chloe Malle, Head of Editorial Content, Vogue U.S.; Chioma Nnadi, Head of British Vogue; and Nicole Phelps, Director of Vogue Runway, each episode features the latest fashion news and exclusive designer and celebrity interviews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

    You Might Also Like: The Run-Through with Vogue
  3. 11 Aug

    Mourning

    Nothing can devastate us more than the loss of a loved one. In this episode of Overthink, David and Ellie talk about mourning. What kinds of losses hurl us into a state of mourning? Are there healthy and unhealthy ways of mourning? Or does this distinction not apply in cases when we are dealing with irreparable loss? And how do we deal with the loss of someone when the feeling of loss doesn't naturally resolve but rather stays with us like “an open wound,” as Freud says? To shed light on this difficult experience, your hosts explore Sigmund Freud’s distinction between mourning and melancholia, Roland Barthes’ account of grieving the death of his mother, as well as Emilio Uranga’s analysis of the role that culture plays in our experience of death. In the Substack bonus segment, Ellie and David discuss how Freud’s notion of ambivalence can help to make sense of mourning. Works Discussed: Roland Barthes, Mourning Diary Julie Alev Dilmaç, “The new forms of mourning: Loss and exhibition of the death on the internet” Martin Heidegger, Being and Time Corina Sas and Alina Coman, “Designing personal grief rituals: An analysis of symbolic objects and actions” Sigmund Freud, “Mourning and Melancholia” Emilio Uranga, “Dos teorias de la muerte: Sartre y Heidegger” Emilio Uranga, “Notas para un estudio del mexicano” Emilio Uranga, Analysis of Mexican Being Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com/overthink for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. If you’re ready to stop talking yourself out of finding care and making progress, then head to rula.com and take the first step.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  4. 28 Jul

    Weddings

    Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue! In this episode, Ellie and David talk about weddings. What kind of celebration is a wedding? And what social function do these festivities serve? Do weddings necessarily legitimize the institution of marriage? Or can weddings be dissociated from this legal institution and its problematic history? As they ponder these issues, your hosts walk you down the aisle of history by considering how early Christians developed their views about weddings by embracing some aspects of Roman weddings while rejecting others as vain and contrary to virtue. They also explore the meaning of weddings symbols that are still with us today and look at how weddings can challenge exclusionary nationalist ideologies. In the Substack bonus segment, Ellie and David talk about the weddings they’ve been to and discuss historical factors that shape our current conception of weddings. Works Discussed: Stephanie Coontz, Marriage, a History Laurie Essig, Love, Inc. Arnold van Gennep, The Rites of Passage Brooke Leany, “Something borrowed: The origins of Christian wedding rituals.” Ellen Rothman, Hands and Hearts: A History of Courtship in America Lisa Schwarzbaum, “Mamdani, His Mother and a Movie of Prescient Grace” Jonathan Wolff, “The Value of Ceremonies” Start your business today with the industry’s best business partner, Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/overthink Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com/overthink for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. If you’re ready to stop talking yourself out of finding care and making progress, then head to rula.com and take the first step.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  5. 14 Jul

    Unemployment

    After a BIG announcement (!!!), your hosts David and Ellie get into the economic and psychological features of the state no one wants to be stuck in: unemployment. How does capitalism structurally construct “wageless life” while nonetheless treating it as a personal failure or unhappy accident? What’s the connection between unemployment and reactionary politics? And is AI going to put us all out of a job? Correcting misconceptions about automation, UBI, and more, your hosts take you through some significant arguments about the impacts of unemployment and reflect on why this socially-constructed position can make us feel so worthless even when we know that we’re not the problem. In the Substack bonus segment, Ellie and David reflect on the end of Overthink and share some reasons for it. Works Discussed: Aaron Benanav, Automation and the Future of Work Aaron Benanav, “Is the AI Bubble About to Burst?” Eloundou et al., “GPTs are GPTs: An Early Look at the Labor Market Impact Potential of Large Language Models” Charles Babbage, On the Economy of Machines and Manufactures Michael Denning, “Wageless Life” Wendy Brown, In the Ruins of Neoliberalism Regina Bateson, “Perceptions of pandemic resume gaps: Survey experimental evidence from the United States” Start your business today with the industry’s best business partner, Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/overthink Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com/overthink for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. If you’re ready to stop talking yourself out of finding care and making progress, then head to rula.com and take the first step. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  6. 30 Jun

    Beauty with Heather Widdows

    Beauty is big business, and the rise of looksmaxxing and increasingly invasive treatments is raising the alarm on the ways that our looks matter in our personal and social lives. Ellie and David speak with philosopher Heather Widdows about how the emphasis on beauty in the present day constitutes a real shift from previous eras. Beauty is no longer taken as a sign of moral goodness, but itself has become a moral ideal. This applies worldwide. The “beauty ideal” is seeping into practically every culture and coming to be expected of more and more people for longer periods of their lifespan. They touch on the four elements of the beauty ideal that Widdows identifies and reflect on their own beauty practices and what it means to be complicit in a toxic system. In the Substack bonus segment, they touch on Lacan, America’s Next Top Model, and image-based profiles. Works Discussed: Heather Widdows, Perfect Me: Beauty as an Ethical Ideal Start your business today with the industry’s best business partner, Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/overthink. Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com/overthink for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. If you’re ready to stop talking yourself out of finding care and making progress, then head to rula.com and take the first step. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  7. 16 Jun

    Cheating

    Is it easier to cheat now than ever? In episode 177 of Overthink, Ellie and David talk about cheating. From micro-cheating on your girlfriend to doping in sports, cheating appears to have escalated in various domains. Your hosts explain the relationship between cheating and rule-breaking, then question norms surrounding cheating in romantic relationships. Why is cheating considered the ultimate dealbreaker? Is it always dishonest? Finally, they address the rise of generative AI cheating in schools and the ethical numbing that promotes it. How is ChatGPT different from using a calculator? And has it become rational for students to cheat? In the Substack Bonus Segment, Ellie and David question whether we should even use the word ‘cheating’ for romantic relationships rather than infidelity. Works Discussed: Stuart Green, “Cheating” Natasha McKeever, “Is the Requirement of Sexual Exclusivity Consistent with Romantic Love?” Deborah Rhode, Cheating: Ethics in Everyday Life James D. Walsh, “Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College” Go to https://surfshark.com/overthink or use code OVERTHINK at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Go to Quince.com/overthink for free shipping on your orders and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/overthink. Go to Rula.com/overthink for convenient therapy that’s covered by insurance. Visit Progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  8. 2 Jun

    Attention

    Are you paying attention when you scroll online? In episode 176 of Overthink, Ellie and David draw your attention to attention. They explain why attention is so hard to define and debate the extent to which it should be equated with consciousness. Is attention the same thing as consciousness? Or are there important differences between these concepts? They consider different ways that attention has been classified, from “overt vs. covert” to “effortful vs. effortless” to “voluntary vs. involuntary.” Ellie and David then discuss the commodification of attention and how it has been intensified by the digital era, or what Chris Hayes calls “the age of attention.” How has social media changed the way we attend to the world, to ourselves, and to others? Is our attention still our own? Or has it become alienated? In the Substack Bonus Segment, Ellie and David talk about Simone Weil’s and Iris Murdoch’s ethical approaches to attention. Works Discussed: Jelle Bruineberg, “Rethinking the cognitive foundations of the attention economy” Chris Hayes, The Sirens' Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource William James, The Principles of Psychology Carlos Montemayor and Harry Haroutioun Haladjian, Consciousness, Attention, and Conscious Attention The Friends of Attention, Attensity! A Manifesto of the Attention Liberation Movement Enjoy our work? Support Overthink via tax-deductible donation: https://www.givecampus.com/fj0w3v Subscribe to our Substack for ad-free versions of both audio and video episodes, extended episodes, exclusive live chats, and more: https://overthinkpod.substack.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

About

The best of all possible podcasts, Leibniz would say. Putting big ideas in dialogue with the everyday, Overthink offers accessible and fresh takes on philosophy from enthusiastic experts. Hosted by professors Ellie Anderson (Pomona College) and David M. Peña-Guzmán (San Francisco State University).

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