20th-century French philosophers
20th-century French philosophy is a strand of contemporary philosophy generally associated with post-World War II French thinkers, although it is directly influenced by previous philosophical movements. == Bergson == The work of Henri Bergson (1859–1941) is often considered the division point between nineteenth- and twentieth-century French philosophy.
8 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CulturePhilosophyOntologistsFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of religionMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyAphoristsWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophers20th-century atheistsNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of social scienceChristian humanistsExistentialistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of psychologyUniversity of Paris alumniWriters from ParisFrench atheistsFrench political philosophersMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsChristian radicalsCritics of work and the work ethicLiteracy and society theoristsPhilosophers of language20th-century essayistsBurials at Père Lachaise CemeteryFormer Roman CatholicsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of scienceFrench women philosophersMarxist theoristsMembers of the Académie FrançaiseModernist writers20th-century French novelistsConversationalistsFrench male non-fiction writersFrench philosophers of cultureFrench philosophers of historyFrench socialistsLegion of Honour refusalsMetaphysics writersPhenomenologistsPhilosophers of deathWomen mysticsWriters about globalizationÉcole Normale Supérieure alumni19th-century French philosophersBisexual novelistsCritical theoristsFrench LGBTQ novelistsFrench Nobel laureatesFrench epistemologistsFrench feministsFrench literary criticsFrench philosophers of artFrench sociologistsFrench women novelistsLGBTQ Roman CatholicsLibertarian socialistsPhilosophers of pessimismScholars of feminist philosophy19th-century mystics20th-century French women writers20th-century deaths from tuberculosis20th-century mysticsAbsurdist writersAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceAction theoristsBisexual memoiristsBlind writersBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryFrench Resistance membersFrench Roman Catholic writersFrench anarchists, French anti-capitalists, French anti-fascistsFrench bisexual women, French bisexual writersFrench communistsFrench humanistsGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourIntellectual historyJerusalem Prize recipientsJewish atheistsLycée Condorcet alumniLycée Henri-IV alumniLycée Louis-le-Grand alumniPeople with hypochondriasisPhilosophers of linguisticsSocialist feministsTuberculosis deaths in England19th-century French LGBTQ people, 20th-century French LGBTQ people19th-century French writers20th-century French dramatists and playwrights20th-century French essayists, 20th-century French short story writers20th-century French male writers20th-century French memoiristsAcademic staff of the University of ParisAnti-Stalinist leftBisexual women writersChristian anarchists, Nonviolence advocatesCommunist women writersContinental philosophersConverts to Christianity from JudaismCorresponding fellows of the British AcademyCritics of MarxismDeaths from pneumonia in France, Prix Goncourt winnersDominican mysticsEnactive cognitionFeminist studies scholarsFeminist theoristsFree love advocatesFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench biographers, French ethicistsFrench essayistsFrench magazine foundersFrench male essayistsFrench scientists with disabilitiesFrench short story writersJewish historiansLinguists from FrancePhilosophers of nihilismPlatonistsScholars of antisemitismThe New School facultyWriters about communism
Bergson and Time
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas of Henri Bergson on how our experience of time as a duration differs from the scientific measurement of time, and why that matters.
9 May 2019
Featuring: Keith Ansell-Pearson, Emily Thomas, Mark Sinclair
PhilosophyFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesMetaphysiciansJewish philosophers20th-century French philosophersLycée Condorcet alumniPhilosophers of languageNobel laureates in LiteraturePhenomenologists19th-century French writersAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceWriters from Paris19th-century French philosophersFrench Nobel laureatesÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniFrench epistemologistsPhilosophers of mindCamus
Melvyn Bragg discusses the Nobel Prize winning Algerian-French writer and existentialist philosopher Albert Camus.
3 January 2008
Featuring: Peter Dunwoodie, David Walker, Christina Howells
CultureNobel laureates in Literature20th-century atheistsExistentialistsPhilosophers of deathAbsurdist writersAnti-Stalinist leftFrench atheists20th-century French dramatists and playwrightsFrench Nobel laureates20th-century French novelistsFrench humanistsLegion of Honour refusalsFrench anarchists, French anti-capitalists, French anti-fascists20th-century French male writersLibertarian socialistsAtheist philosophersFrench male essayists20th-century French philosophersFrench socialistsModernist writersPhilosophers of pessimism20th-century French essayists, 20th-century French short story writersLévi-Strauss
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work of French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss.
23 May 2013
Featuring: Adam Kuper, Christina Howells, Vincent Debaene
CulturePhilosophers of linguistics20th-century atheistsFrench sociologistsMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesLinguists from FranceCorresponding fellows of the British AcademyMetaphilosophersJewish historiansLiteracy and society theoristsPhilosophers of social scienceForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesFrench philosophers of scienceTheorists on Western civilizationPhenomenologists20th-century French memoiristsFrench atheistsCritical theoristsWriters about religion and scienceWriters about globalizationFrench philosophers of historyFrench epistemologistsFrench philosophers of educationGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourPhilosophers of languageThe New School faculty20th-century French male writersMembers of the Académie Française20th-century essayistsFrench male non-fiction writersAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceFrench essayistsFrench philosophers of cultureIntellectual historyAtheist philosophersJewish atheistsOntologistsPhilosophers of mindMetaphysiciansJewish philosophers20th-century French philosophersLycée Condorcet alumniPhilosophers of religionMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyWriters about communismWriters about activism and social changeUniversity of Paris alumniWriters from ParisMetaphysics writersMaurice Merleau-Ponty
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the insights of this French philosopher into the relationship between mind and body, the role of language in thought and the value of habits
27 March 2025
Featuring: Komarine Romdenh-Romluc, Thomas Baldwin, Timothy Mooney
PhilosophyAction theoristsFrench philosophers of artExistentialistsFrench philosophers of scienceÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniMarxist theoristsPhenomenologistsBurials at Père Lachaise CemeteryFrench magazine foundersFormer Roman CatholicsFrench humanistsFrench epistemologistsFrench philosophers of educationFrench political philosophersLycée Louis-le-Grand alumniAcademic staff of the University of ParisPhilosophers of psychologyAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceFrench male non-fiction writersEnactive cognitionFrench philosophers of cultureOntologists20th-century French philosophersUniversity of Paris alumniFrench socialistsProust
Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and achievements of the 19th century French novelist Marcel Proust whose 3000 page work À La Recherche du Temps Perdu has been called the definitive modern novel.
17 April 2003
Featuring: Jacqueline Rose, Malcolm Bowie, Robert Fraser
Conversationalists20th-century atheistsFrench philosophers of art19th-century French philosophersLGBTQ Roman Catholics19th-century French LGBTQ people, 20th-century French LGBTQ people19th-century mysticsPhilosophers of literatureFrench Roman Catholic writersFrench atheistsBurials at Père Lachaise Cemetery20th-century French novelistsFormer Roman CatholicsAphoristsDeaths from pneumonia in France, Prix Goncourt winnersFrench male non-fiction writersFrench literary criticsPeople with hypochondriasisFrench essayists19th-century atheists20th-century mystics20th-century French philosophersLycée Condorcet alumniFrench short story writersFrench LGBTQ novelistsWriters from ParisModernist writers20th-century French essayists, 20th-century French short story writersSartre
Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and works of French novelist, playwright and philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.
7 October 2004
Featuring: Jonathan Rée, Benedict O'Donohoe, Christina Howells
PhilosophyLycée Henri-IV alumni20th-century atheistsNobel laureates in LiteratureFrench sociologistsBlind writersFrench communistsFrench philosophers of artPhilosophers of nihilismFrench biographers, French ethicistsExistentialistsPhilosophers of social scienceFrench philosophers of sciencePhilosophers of deathÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of literatureContinental philosophersPhilosophers of sexualityPhenomenologistsFree love advocatesFrench atheistsPhilosophy writersCritical theoristsBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryFrench Nobel laureates20th-century French novelistsFrench humanistsLegion of Honour refusals20th-century French dramatists and playwrightsFrench magazine foundersFrench anarchists, French anti-capitalists, French anti-fascistsFrench philosophers of historyAphoristsFrench philosophers of educationFrench political philosophersFrench epistemologistsFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesLycée Louis-le-Grand alumniFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench literary criticsLibertarian socialistsFrench philosophers of cultureFrench Resistance membersAtheist philosophersFrench scientists with disabilitiesOntologistsPhilosophers of mindMetaphysicians20th-century French philosophersWriters from ParisFrench socialistsScholars of antisemitismSimone Weil
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the French philosopher and social activist Simone Weil. Admired by Albert Camus and Iris Murdoch, she achieved a great deal in her short life.
15 November 2012
Featuring: Beatrice Han-Pile, Stephen Plant, David Levy
PhilosophyLycée Henri-IV alumniChristian humanistsFrench communistsFrench philosophers of scienceÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniFrench feminists20th-century deaths from tuberculosisAnti-Stalinist leftConverts to Christianity from JudaismMarxist theoristsCritics of work and the work ethicFrench anarchists, French anti-capitalists, French anti-fascistsPlatonistsFrench political philosophersFrench women philosophersFrench Resistance membersChristian radicalsDominican mysticsJewish philosophers20th-century French philosophersPhilosophers of religion20th-century French women writersTuberculosis deaths in EnglandWriters from ParisWomen mysticsFrench socialistsCritics of MarxismChristian anarchists, Nonviolence advocatesSimone de Beauvoir
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Simone de Beauvoir - her work on existentialist ethics, philosophy and literature and her influence on feminism.
22 October 2015
Featuring: Christina Howells, Margaret Atack, Ursula Tidd
PhilosophySocialist feministsFrench communistsFrench philosophers of artFeminist theoristsExistentialistsFrench feministsBisexual women writersPhilosophers of sexuality20th-century French memoiristsFrench bisexual women, French bisexual writersFrench atheistsBurials at Montparnasse Cemetery20th-century French novelistsFormer Roman CatholicsFeminist studies scholarsJerusalem Prize recipientsFrench philosophers of educationFrench political philosophersCommunist women writersBisexual memoiristsDeaths from pneumonia in France, Prix Goncourt winnersFrench women philosophersFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench literary criticsAtheist philosophersBisexual novelistsFrench women novelists20th-century French philosophers20th-century French women writersFrench LGBTQ novelistsWriters from ParisUniversity of Paris alumniScholars of feminist philosophy