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 SocietyOntologistsEnglish male poetsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changeCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of law20th-century atheistsNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of social scienceMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsAristotelian philosophersEnglish male novelistsEnglish people of Scottish descentLogiciansPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish male short story writersAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsEnglish agnosticsEnglish atheistsEnglish satiristsEnglish travel writersPhilosophers of technologyVirtue ethicists20th-century English novelistsAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish short story writersEnglish socialistsMale essayistsMembers of the Order of MeritMetaphysics writersRhetoric theoristsWriters about globalization20th-century English LGBTQ peopleAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersEnglish inventorsEnglish people of Irish descentEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish political philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsFellows of the British AcademyFreethought writersJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsUtilitarians19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers20th-century British essayists20th-century English mathematicians20th-century mysticsAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageCastrated peopleConsequentialistsEnglish emigrants to the United StatesEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersEnglish women philosophersFellows of Somerville College, OxfordFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGeorgistsJerusalem 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 culture, English pacifistsBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionComputer designersDuke University facultyEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish humanistsEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsEnglish science fiction writersFree love advocatesGay academicsGay scientistsIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyLGBTQ 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 facultyWriters 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
ScienceTheoretical biologistsEnglish atheists20th-century English mathematiciansLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophers20th-century English philosophersFellows of the Royal Society20th-century atheistsEnglish logiciansSuicides by cyanide poisoningGay scientistsEnglish inventorsCastrated people20th-century English LGBTQ peopleEnglish people of Scottish descentEnglish people of Irish descentPeople convicted for homosexuality in the United Kingdom, People who have received posthumous pardonsGay academicsComputer designersAldous 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
Culture20th-century English novelistsEnglish travel writersPhilosophers of literatureEnglish male short story writersJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipients20th-century English philosophersPhilosophers of technologyMale essayistsEnglish emigrants to the United StatesBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsEnglish science fiction writersEnglish male novelistsBritish philosophers of mindPeople educated at Eton CollegeEnglish male poetsAnti-consumerists20th-century mysticsAlumni of Balliol College, OxfordEnglish short story writersNew Age predecessorsEnglish essayistsEnglish satirists20th-century British essayistsLost Generation writersEnglish agnosticsDuke University facultyBertrand 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
PhilosophyNobel laureates in LiteratureBritish philosophers of languageGeorgistsEnglish political writersFree love advocatesSet theoristsAristotelian philosophersWriters about religion and scienceJerusalem Prize recipientsFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeEnglish logiciansPhilosophers of mathematicsBritish historians of philosophyEmpiricistsOntologistsMetaphysics writersBritish political philosophersFellows of the Royal SocietyMetaphilosophersTheorists on Western civilizationBritish ethicistsPhilosophers of literatureBritish free speech activists20th-century English philosophersAnalytic philosophersEnglish humanistsRhetoric theoristsAtheist philosophersEnglish political philosophersEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish people of Scottish descentPhilosophers of historyEnglish agnostics20th-century atheistsConsequentialistsEnglish socialistsPhilosophers of social scienceBritish philosophers of religionPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyLogiciansPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of sexuality19th-century English mathematiciansCritics of work and the work ethicSecular humanistsPhilosophers of technologyPhilosophers of economicsWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of educationBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsBritish philosophers of logicCritics of the Catholic ChurchPeople from MonmouthshireAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeLinguistic turnPhilosophers of loveEuropean democratic socialistsBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsWriters about activism and social changeEnglish Nobel laureatesMembers of the Order of MeritEnglish prisoners and detaineesUtilitariansIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyEnglish scepticsBritish critics of ChristianityEnglish people of Welsh descentUniversal basic income writersBritish philosophers of mind19th-century English philosophersBritish critics of religionsAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of science19th-century atheistsUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyAnti-nationalists20th-century English mathematiciansEnglish essayistsFreethought writersBritish atheism activistsWriters about communism19th-century English essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilippa 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
PhilosophyUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyEnglish atheistsFellows of the British AcademyVirtue ethicists20th-century English philosophersAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordAnalytic philosophersPhilosophy writersAristotelian philosophersFellows of Somerville College, OxfordEnglish women philosophersBritish atheistsAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of loveMoral realistsWittgensteinian philosophers