In episode 102 of Overthink, Ellie and David discuss racial mixedness, from family-oriented models of mixed race to José Vasconcelos’ and Gloria Anzaldua’s idea of the ‘mestizo’ heritage of Mexican people. They work through phenomenological accounts of cultural hybridity and selfhood, wondering how being multiracial pushes beyond the traditional Cartesian philosophical subject.

Night vision. Superhuman strength. And… kale salad? In episode 95 of Overthink, Ellie and David explore the weird world of biohackers, who leverage science and technology to optimize their bodies. The movement moves from the blurry ethics of self-experimentation to Cartesian dualism. The stakes are political, metaphysical, and ethical — and your hosts are here to make philosophical sense of it all.

In episode 89 of Overthink, Ellie and David investigate the loopy world of psychedelics. Mind-opening gateways or tools of therapy and neuroscience? From their implications for phenomenology and the nature of consciousness, to the ethics of their medicinal use, in light of their risks and long-lasting effects: discover all about hallucinogens!

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.

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.

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.

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.

What does it feel like to wait? David and Ellie explore the phenomenology and politics of waiting with the philosophy of Walter Benjamin and more.

Have you considered that you might be a brain in a vat of liquid floating in a laboratory somewhere? David and Ellie unpack this key thought experiment—and throw shade on the Italian neuroscientist who keeps trying to do head transplants.