18th-century philosophers
The 18th century lasted from January 1, 1701 (MDCCI) to December 31, 1800 (MDCCC). During the 18th century, elements of Enlightenment thinking culminated in the American, French, and Haitian revolutions.
9 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CultureHistoryPhilosophyScienceOntologistsSocial philosophersPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersJewish philosophersMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsWriters from ParisFrench Roman CatholicsFrench atheistsGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of sexualityUniversity of Paris alumniAmerican male non-fiction writersCatholic philosophersFrench political philosophersGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureMembers of the French Academy of SciencesPhilosophers of artPolitical philosophers19th-century German essayistsClassical liberalismFrench women philosophersGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsMembers of the Académie FrançaiseSimple living advocatesTheoretical historiansVirtue ethicists18th-century English male writers18th-century German male writers19th-century English writers19th-century male writersAlumni of Trinity College DublinConversationalistsExecuted philosophersFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of scienceGerman philosophers of scienceMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesPhilosophers of warRationalistsWomen religious writers18th-century English writers18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayists18th-century classical composers19th-century French philosophers19th-century German non-fiction writersAmerican political philosophersBritish political philosophersCritics of JudaismDeist philosophersEnglish inventorsEnglish libertariansEnglish republicansExecuted writersFrench feministsFrench literary criticsFrench male non-fiction writersFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsFrench women novelistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionHistorians of the French RevolutionIrish AnglicansScholars of feminist philosophy18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American Enlightenment18th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish writers, 18th-century Irish male writers18th-century French male writers18th-century French mathematicians18th-century French philosophers18th-century French women writers18th-century French writers18th-century German writers19th-century American philosophers19th-century French novelists, 19th-century French women writersAmerican deistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of educationAmerican philosophers of religionAnglican philosophersAutobiographersBurials at the Panthéon, ParisConservatismContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)Critics of deismEnglish people of Irish descentFrench deistsFrench physicistsGerman agnosticsGerman epistemologistsGerman idealistsGerman nationalistsHumor researchersIdealistsLecturersMembers of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies, British MPs 1780–1784People of the Age of EnlightenmentPeople with hypochondriasisStreathamitesWomen in the French RevolutionWriters from Dublin (city)18th-century American male writers, American foreign policy writers18th-century English people18th-century English philosophers18th-century French scientists18th-century Irish philosophers18th-century male musicians19th-century American writers19th-century French letter writers19th-century Prussian peopleAmerican religious skeptics, American nationalistsAnti-monarchistsBritish MPs 1774–1780British MPs 1790–1796, British MPs 1784–1790British deistsClassical-period composersDeaths from pulmonary embolismDeaths in childbirthDeputies to the French National ConventionFrench abolitionistsFrench ethicists, French biographersFrench people executed by guillotine during the French Revolution, Executed French womenFrench political scientistsFrench salon-holdersFrench travel writersFrench women dramatists and playwrightsFrench women physicistsGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersIrish Freemasons, Irish people of English descent, Irish libertariansJewish translators of the BibleKantianismNaturalized citizens of FrancePeople killed in the French RevolutionPeople of the First French EmpirePhilosophers of JudaismPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaProto-evolutionary biologistsProto-feministsRadicalsRectors of the University of GlasgowRomantic philosophers, Converts to Roman Catholicism from CalvinismUniversal basic income writersVoting theorists
Condorcet
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the influential French philosopher and mathematician who tried to apply his Enlightenment ideas on the benefit of education to the French Revolution.
11 January 2024
Featuring: Rachel Hammersley, Richard Whatmore, Tom Hopkins
PhilosophyFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of religionEnlightenment philosophersAtheist philosophersAge of EnlightenmentMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences18th-century philosophersFrench atheistsUniversity of Paris alumniHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesMembers of the French Academy of SciencesMembers of the Académie FrançaiseTheoretical historiansFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of scienceRationalistsScholars of feminist philosophyFrench feministsFrench male non-fiction writers18th-century French mathematicians18th-century French writers18th-century French male writersBurials at the Panthéon, ParisDeputies to the French National ConventionFrench abolitionistsFrench political scientistsProto-feministsPeople killed in the French RevolutionVoting theoristsFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsFrench ethicists, French biographersEdmund Burke
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the work of the philosopher, politician and writer Edmund Burke, whose views on revolution in America and France were hugely influential.
3 June 2010
Featuring: Karen O'Brien, Richard Bourke, John Keane
PhilosophySocial philosophersPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of education18th-century philosophersPhilosophers of economicsNatural law ethicistsPolitical philosophersPhilosophers of artVirtue ethicistsClassical liberalism18th-century English male writersAlumni of Trinity College DublinHistorians of the French Revolution18th-century English writersEnglish libertariansIrish AnglicansBritish political philosophersEnglish people of Irish descentWriters from Dublin (city)StreathamitesAnglican philosophersConservatismCritics of deismRectors of the University of GlasgowBritish MPs 1774–178018th-century English philosophers18th-century Irish philosophersMembers of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies, British MPs 1780–178418th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish writers, 18th-century Irish male writersBritish MPs 1790–1796, British MPs 1784–1790Irish Freemasons, Irish people of English descent, Irish libertariansEmilie du Châtelet
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 18th-century mathematical genius whose insights into Newton and Leibniz were part of the great advance in science in the Enlightenment.
4 February 2021
Featuring: Patricia Fara, David Wootton, Judith Zinsser
Science18th-century philosophersFrench women philosophers18th-century French mathematicians18th-century French writers18th-century French women writers18th-century French philosophersFrench physicistsContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)French women physicistsDeaths in childbirthDeaths from pulmonary embolism18th-century French scientistsGermaine de Staël
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas, works and life of Germaine de Stael (1766-1817), a literary critic, author, opponent of Napoleon and developer of Romanticism.
16 November 2017
Featuring: Catriona Seth, Alison Finch, Katherine Astbury
Culture18th-century philosophersWriters from ParisFrench Roman CatholicsFrench women philosophersConversationalistsFrench feministsFrench women novelists19th-century French philosophersFrench literary critics18th-century French women writersWomen in the French RevolutionFrench salon-holders19th-century French letter writersPeople of the First French EmpireFrench travel writers19th-century French novelists, 19th-century French women writersRomantic philosophers, Converts to Roman Catholicism from CalvinismKant's Copernican Revolution
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Kant's ideas on how the world depends on us, on the limits of human knowledge and why we are bound to ask questions we cannot answer.
3 June 2021
Featuring: Fiona Hughes, Anil Gomes, John Callanan
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnlightenment philosophersWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersMetaphilosophersGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of sexualityGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureTheoretical historians19th-century German essayistsRationalistsMembers of the Prussian Academy of Sciences18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of sciencePhilosophers of war19th-century German non-fiction writersGerman agnostics18th-century German writersGerman idealistsIdealistsGerman epistemologistsGerman nationalistsHumor researchersLecturersPeople of the Age of Enlightenment19th-century Prussian peopleKantianismGerman philosophers of education, German ethicists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersMoses Mendelssohn
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the work of Moses Mendelssohn, one of the greatest thinkers of the German Enlightenment.
22 March 2012
Featuring: Christopher Clark, Abigail Green, Adam Sutcliffe
Olympe de Gouges
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life, ideas and works of the Frenchwoman who wrote The Declaration of the Rights of Woman in 1791 during the French Revolution
21 April 2022
Featuring: Catriona Seth, Katherine Astbury, Sanja Perovic
Culture18th-century philosophersFrench political philosophersFrench women philosophersWomen religious writersExecuted philosophersDeist philosophersExecuted writers18th-century French women writersFrench deists18th-century French philosophersWomen in the French RevolutionFrench abolitionistsFrench women dramatists and playwrightsFrench people executed by guillotine during the French Revolution, Executed French womenRousseau on Education
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Rousseau's ideas on how to educate children so they retain their natural selves and are not corrupted by society.
10 October 2019
Featuring: Richard Whatmore, Caroline Warman, Denis McManus
PhilosophySocial philosophersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersAge of EnlightenmentPhilosophers of education18th-century philosophersPhilosophers of economicsCatholic philosophersFrench political philosophersPhilosophers of artSimple living advocatesDeist philosophers18th-century classical composersBurials at the Panthéon, ParisContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)AutobiographersPeople with hypochondriasisClassical-period composers18th-century male musiciansProto-evolutionary biologistsRomantic philosophers, Converts to Roman Catholicism from CalvinismThomas Paine's Common Sense
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense, which was published in 1776 and bolstered support for American independence.
21 January 2016
Featuring: Kathleen Burk, Nicholas Guyatt, Peter Thompson
HistorySocial philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEnlightenment philosophers18th-century philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesAmerican male non-fiction writersClassical liberalism19th-century male writers18th-century English male writers19th-century English writersDeist philosophers18th-century English writersEnglish inventorsEnglish libertariansAmerican political philosophersCritics of JudaismEnglish republicansAmerican philosophers of education19th-century American philosophersAmerican deistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of religionDeputies to the French National Convention18th-century English people19th-century American writersAnti-monarchistsBritish deistsNaturalized citizens of FranceRadicalsPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaUniversal basic income writers18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American EnlightenmentAmerican religious skeptics, American nationalists18th-century American male writers, American foreign policy writers