Critics of religions
Criticism of religion involves criticism of the validity, concept, or ideas of religion.Historical records of criticism of religion go back to at least 5th century BCE in ancient Greece, in Athens specifically, with Diagoras "the Atheist" of Melos. In ancient Rome, an early known example is Lucretius' De rerum natura from the 1st century BCE. Every exclusive religion on Earth (as well as every exclusive world view) that promotes exclusive truth-claims necessarily denigrates the truth-claims of other religions.
6 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
PhilosophyOntologistsSocial philosophersPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsAphoristsCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophers20th-century atheistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsExistentialistsGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersLogiciansPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsCritics of work and the work ethicGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of culturePolitical philosophers19th-century German essayists19th-century pseudonymous writersAnti-consumeristsGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsJewish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologySimple living advocatesAncient Greek philosophers of mindAnti-nationalistsBritish philosophers of educationExecuted philosophersGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceHumboldt University of Berlin alumniIrony theoristsJewish socialistsLeipzig University alumniMarxist theoristsMetaphysics writersRationalistsRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)University of Göttingen alumniWriters about globalization19th-century German male musicians19th-century German non-fiction writers19th-century German writers20th-century British philosophers20th-century pseudonymous writersAncient Greek political philosophersBritish ethicistsBritish political philosophersClassical theismCritical theoristsCritics of JudaismFellows of the British AcademyGerman Marxist writersGerman critics of ChristianityGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionPhenomenologistsPhilosophers of pessimism19th-century German historians19th-century German novelists20th-century British essayists5th-century BC Athenians5th-century BC Greek philosophersAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinAncient Athenian philosophersAncient Greek ethicists, Ancient Greek epistemologistsBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish historians of philosophyBurials at Highgate CemeteryCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubDeterministsGerman epistemologistsGerman idealistsGerman revolutionariesKnights BachelorLeaders who took power by coupPamphleteersPeople associated with the University of BaselPeople from the Province of SaxonyPhilosophers of timePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyRussian atheistsSocialist feministsStateless people19th-century German journalists19th-century Prussian people470s BC birthsAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAnti-imperialistsAnti-monarchistsAnti-natalistsBritish male non-fiction writersBritish social liberalsCritics of MarxismCritics of political economyDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyEconomic historians, German sociologistsEmigrants from the Russian Empire to Germany, Political party foundersEmigrants from the Russian Empire to the United Kingdom, 19th-century philosophers from the Russian Empire, Russian communists, 20th-century Russian philosophers, Russian revolutionaries, Emigrants from the Russian Empire to SwitzerlandFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsForced suicidesGerman anti-capitalists, Jewish communists, German socialist feministsGerman eugenicistsGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersGerman monarchistsGerman music criticsGerman philologistsGerman writers on atheismJewish ethicistsMaterialistsMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourNaturalised citizens of the United Kingdom, Austrian agnostics, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Austrian essayists, Writers from Vienna, British logicians, 20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian logicians, British agnosticsNobility from the Russian EmpirePhilosophers of nihilismPhilosophical anthropologyRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtRussian male journalistsSocratesUniversity of Bonn alumniUniversity of Jena alumniVladimir Lenin
Lenin
Melvyn Bragg investigates what drove the Soviet leader Lenin, and enabled him to develop a model to export communism and build an original political system that remained intact for over seventy years.
16 March 2000
Featuring: Robert Service, Vitali Vitaliev
PhilosophyAtheist philosophers20th-century atheists19th-century atheistsPolitical philosophers19th-century pseudonymous writersCritics of religionsMarxist theoristsAnti-nationalists20th-century pseudonymous writersRussian atheistsSocialist feministsLeaders who took power by coupNobility from the Russian EmpireAnti-monarchistsVladimir LeninAnti-imperialistsRussian male journalistsEmigrants from the Russian Empire to the United Kingdom, 19th-century philosophers from the Russian Empire, Russian communists, 20th-century Russian philosophers, Russian revolutionaries, Emigrants from the Russian Empire to SwitzerlandEmigrants from the Russian Empire to Germany, Political party foundersMarx
Melvyn Bragg discusses Karl Marx who once said that while other philosophers wanted to interpret the world, he wanted to change it. And he changed the world with his Communist Manifesto.
14 July 2005
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Francis Wheen, Gareth Stedman Jones
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of education19th-century German philosophersPhilosophers of economicsGerman political philosophers19th-century atheistsCritics of work and the work ethicAnti-consumeristsPhilosophers of technologyCritics of religionsMarxist theoristsAnti-nationalistsJewish socialistsHumboldt University of Berlin alumniWriters about globalizationGerman Marxist writersCritics of JudaismStateless peoplePamphleteersGerman revolutionariesBurials at Highgate CemeterySocialist feminists19th-century German historiansMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationUniversity of Bonn alumniGerman writers on atheismFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsUniversity of Jena alumniMaterialistsAnti-imperialistsCritics of political economyPhilosophical anthropologyGerman anti-capitalists, Jewish communists, German socialist feministsEconomic historians, German sociologistsNietzsche's Genealogy of Morality
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Nietzsche's influential ideas about what it means to be moral.
12 January 2017
Featuring: Stephen Mulhall, Fiona Hughes, Keith Ansell-Pearson
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and scienceAphoristsGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersMetaphilosophersGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyPhilosophers of sexualityExistentialistsPhilosophers of psychologyGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureCritics of work and the work ethicAnti-consumeristsCritics of religionsAnti-nationalistsLeipzig University alumniIrony theorists19th-century German male musicians19th-century German non-fiction writersCritical theoristsGerman critics of ChristianityPeople associated with the University of BaselStateless peopleGerman epistemologistsDeterministsPeople from the Province of Saxony19th-century German novelistsPhilosophers of time19th-century Prussian people19th-century German journalistsGerman music criticsPhilosophers of nihilismUniversity of Bonn alumniDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionPopper
Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosopher Karl Popper, author of The Open Society and a seminal thinker about science.
8 February 2007
Featuring: John Worrall, Anthony O'Hear, Nancy Cartwright
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of cultureEpistemologistsWriters about religion and sciencePhilosophers of mathematicsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersPhilosophers of economicsAristotelian philosophersLogiciansBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicPolitical philosophersJewish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyCritics of religionsRationalistsRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Metaphysics writersWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of educationFellows of the British Academy20th-century British philosophersBritish ethicistsBritish political philosophersCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyBritish historians of philosophyKnights BachelorBritish consciousness researchers and theorists20th-century British essayistsRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtCritics of MarxismBritish male non-fiction writersJewish ethicistsBritish social liberalsMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceNaturalised citizens of the United Kingdom, Austrian agnostics, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Austrian essayists, Writers from Vienna, British logicians, 20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian logicians, British agnosticsSchopenhauer
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the pessimistic philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer and his extraordinary influence.
29 October 2009
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Beatrice Han-Pile, Christopher Janaway
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationAphoristsAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of loveGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyLogiciansPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of psychologyGerman philosophers of art19th-century atheistsGerman philosophers of culture19th-century German essayistsSimple living advocatesCritics of religionsGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceUniversity of Göttingen alumniPhenomenologistsPhilosophers of pessimism19th-century German writersCritical theoristsGerman critics of ChristianityCritics of JudaismAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinGerman idealistsGerman epistemologistsAnti-natalistsGerman writers on atheismGerman eugenicistsGerman monarchistsGerman philologistsGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersSocrates
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the iconic Greek philosopher Socrates. He is the founder of Western philosophy, he was funny, irritating and rude but left not a single word in his own hand.
27 September 2007
Featuring: Angie Hobbs, David Sedley, Paul Millett
PhilosophyPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of loveCritics of religionsExecuted philosophersAncient Greek philosophers of mindIrony theoristsAncient Greek political philosophersClassical theismAncient Athenian philosophers5th-century BC Athenians5th-century BC Greek philosophersForced suicides470s BC birthsSocratesAncient Greek ethicists, Ancient Greek epistemologists