
17th-century English philosophers
The 17th century lasted from January 1, 1601 (MDCI), to December 31, 1700 (MDCC). It falls into the early modern period of Europe and in that continent (whose impact on the world was increasing) was characterized by the Baroque cultural movement, the latter part of the Spanish Golden Age, the Dutch Golden Age, the French Grand Siècle dominated by Louis XIV, the Scientific Revolution, the world's first public company and megacorporation known as the Dutch East India Company, and according to some historians, the General Crisis.
4 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
Hobbes
Melvyn Bragg discusses Thomas Hobbes, the great 17th century philosopher who famously said that ungoverned man lived a life that was ‘solitary, poor, brutish and short’.
1 December 2005
Featuring: Quentin Skinner, David Wootton, Annabel Brett
PhilosophyEpistemologistsMaterialistsNatural law ethicistsAlumni of St John's College, Cambridge17th-century English philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationEnglish physicistsPhilosophers of lawSocial philosophersBritish philosophers of educationRhetoric theoristsBritish critics of ChristianityPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of language17th-century writers in LatinBritish critics of religionsCritics of the Catholic Church17th-century English writersPolitical realistsPhilosophers of mathematicsEnglish theologiansEmpiricistsOntologistsPhilosophers of mindMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of religionThomas HobbesEnglish political philosophersPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of history17th-century English male writersMary Astell
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosopher Mary Astell (1666 – 1731) who has been described as "the first English feminist".
5 November 2020
Featuring: Hannah Dawson, Mark Goldie, Teresa Bejan
Philosophy18th-century English women writersFeminism and history17th-century English philosophers17th-century English women writersEnglish feminist writers, English feminists18th-century English writersPseudonymous women writersEnglish women activistsFeminist studies scholars18th-century pseudonymous writersEnglish rhetoricians18th-century British philosophers18th-century English philosophers17th-century English writers17th-century pseudonymous writers17th-century English educatorsEnglish educational theoristsEnglish women non-fiction writers18th-century English non-fiction writersBritish women's rights activistsMilton
Melvyn Bragg examines the literary and political career of the 17th century poet John Milton, examining work such as Paradise Lost as well as his role as propagandist during the English Civil War.
7 March 2002
Featuring: John Carey, Lisa Jardine, Blair Worden
Mythopoeic writersChristian humanistsBlind writersEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsPeople from the City of LondonLiteracy and society theorists17th-century English dramatists and playwrights17th-century English philosophersEnglish writers with disabilitiesBritish philosophers of religionPamphleteersNeoclassical writersRhetoriciansBritish free speech activistsEpic poetsChristian poetsSocial philosophersMale essayistsAnglican poetsDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomMetaphor theoristsEnglish DissentersRhetoric theoristsAlumni of Christ's College, Cambridge17th-century writers in LatinLiterary theoristsCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish male poets17th-century English writersEnglish theologians17th-century English poetsEnglish Anglican theologiansWriters from LondonAnti-Catholicism in the United KingdomBlind poetsCalvinist and Reformed poetsSonneteersAnglican philosophers17th-century English educatorsEnglish essayistsEnglish political philosophersEnlightenment philosophersEnglish educational theoristsWriters about activism and social changeEnglish non-fiction writersEnglish republicans17th-century English male writersRobert Boyle
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the life and work of Robert Boyle, a pioneering scientist and one of the first Fellows of the Royal Society.
12 June 2014
Featuring: Simon Schaffer, Michael Hunter, Anna Marie Roos
ScienceFluid dynamicistsIrish Anglicans17th-century English writers17th-century Anglo-Irish peoplePeople educated at Eton CollegePhilosophers of scienceWriters about religion and science17th-century English philosophers17th-century English male writersDiscoverers of chemical elementsIndependent scientistsEnglish physicistsEnglish alchemists