20th-century English philosophers
Contemporary philosophy is the present period in the history of Western philosophy beginning at the early 20th century with the increasing professionalization of the discipline and the rise of analytic and continental philosophy.The phrase "contemporary philosophy" is a piece of technical terminology in philosophy that refers to a specific period in the history of Western philosophy (namely the philosophy of the 20th and 21st centuries). However, the phrase is often confused with modern philosophy (which refers to an earlier period in Western philosophy), postmodern philosophy (which refers to some philosophers' criticisms of modern philosophy), and with a non-technical use of the phrase referring to any recent philosophic work.
4 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CulturePhilosophyScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changeEnglish male poetsCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science20th-century atheistsMetaphilosophersNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsAristotelian philosophersEnglish people of Scottish descentLogiciansPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish male novelistsAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsEnglish agnosticsEnglish male short story writersEnglish travel writersPhilosophers of technologyVirtue ethicistsAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish atheistsEnglish satiristsEnglish socialistsMale essayistsMembers of the Order of MeritMetaphysics writersRhetoric theoristsWriters about globalization20th-century English novelistsBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersEnglish inventorsEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish political philosophersEnglish short story writersEuropean democratic socialistsFellows of the British AcademyFreethought writersUtilitarians19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers20th-century British essayists20th-century English LGBTQ people20th-century English mathematicians20th-century mysticsAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageCastrated peopleConsequentialistsEnglish emigrants to the United StatesEnglish logiciansEnglish people of Irish descentEnglish political writersEnglish women philosophersFellows of Somerville College, OxfordFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGeorgistsJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsJerusalem Prize recipientsLinguistic turnNew Age predecessorsPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyWittgensteinian philosophers19th-century English mathematiciansAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAlumni of Balliol College, OxfordBritish atheism activistsBritish atheistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionComputer designersDuke University facultyEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish humanistsEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsEnglish science fiction writersFree love advocatesGay academicsGay scientistsLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophersLost Generation writersMoral realistsPeople convicted for homosexuality in the United Kingdom, People who have received posthumous pardonsPeople educated at Eton CollegePeople from MonmouthshireSecular humanistsSet theoristsSuicides by cyanide poisoningTheoretical biologistsUniversal basic income writersUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansWriters about communism
Alan Turing
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas and life of the founder of computer science - whose work helped crack enemy codes in WW2 - and his exploration of artificial intelligence.
15 October 2020
Featuring: Leslie Ann Goldberg, Simon Schaffer, Andrew Hodges
ScienceFellows of the Royal Society20th-century atheistsEnglish people of Scottish descentEnglish atheists20th-century English philosophersEnglish inventors20th-century English LGBTQ people20th-century English mathematiciansCastrated peopleEnglish logiciansEnglish people of Irish descentSuicides by cyanide poisoningComputer designersGay academicsGay scientistsTheoretical biologistsLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophersPeople convicted for homosexuality in the United Kingdom, People who have received posthumous pardonsAldous Huxley's Brave New World
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Aldous Huxley's dystopian 1932 novel Brave New World and its vision of a future of test tube babies, free love and round-the-clock surveillance.
9 April 2009
Featuring: David Bradshaw, Daniel Pick, Michèle Barrett
CulturePhilosophers of literatureEnglish male poetsEnglish essayistsEnglish male novelistsAnti-consumeristsEnglish male short story writersEnglish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyEnglish travel writersEnglish satiristsMale essayists20th-century English philosophersBritish philosophers of mind20th-century English novelistsEnglish short story writersJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsEnglish emigrants to the United StatesNew Age predecessors20th-century British essayists20th-century mysticsDuke University facultyLost Generation writersAlumni of Balliol College, OxfordEnglish science fiction writersPeople educated at Eton CollegeEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureBertrand Russell
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the influential 20th-century British thinker Bertrand Russell, widely regarded as one of the founders of Analytical philosophy.
6 December 2012
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Mike Beaney, Hilary Greaves
PhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and scienceEnglish essayistsAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social sciencePhilosophers of mathematics20th-century atheistsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsNobel laureates in LiteratureAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of loveLogiciansPhilosophers of sexualityEnglish people of Scottish descent19th-century atheistsEmpiricistsCritics of work and the work ethicAnalytic philosophersEnglish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyAnti-nationalistsMembers of the Order of MeritBritish critics of religionsRhetoric theoristsEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsMetaphysics writersWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of education20th-century English philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsBritish philosophers of mindEnglish people of Welsh descentBritish ethicistsUtilitariansEnglish political philosophersFreethought writersBritish political philosophersBritish philosophers of languagePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyBritish historians of philosophy20th-century English mathematiciansEnglish logicians19th-century English philosophersJerusalem Prize recipientsGeorgists19th-century English essayistsAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsConsequentialistsEnglish political writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish free speech activistsLinguistic turnUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultySet theoristsEnglish humanistsBritish atheism activistsUniversal basic income writersEnglish anti-fascistsWriters about communismPeople from Monmouthshire19th-century English mathematiciansBritish critics of ChristianityEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsFree love advocatesBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionSecular humanistsUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of culturePhilippa Foot
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the most notable philosophers of the 20th century, who explored why it mattered to be moral and why humans needed virtues to flourish.
16 May 2024
Featuring: Anil Gomes, Sophie Grace Chappell, Rachael Wiseman
PhilosophyPhilosophy writersAtheist philosophersAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of loveAnalytic philosophersVirtue ethicistsEnglish atheists20th-century English philosophersFellows of the British AcademyAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordEnglish women philosophersFellows of Somerville College, OxfordWittgensteinian philosophersBritish atheistsMoral realistsUniversity of California, Los Angeles faculty