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 ChurchPhilosophers of educationWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of law20th-century atheistsPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersExistentialistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsPhilosophers of psychologyAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersLogiciansPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsCritics of work and the work ethicGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of culturePolitical philosophers19th-century German essayists19th-century pseudonymous writersAnti-consumeristsGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationJewish agnosticsMarxist theoristsPhilosophers of technologyRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Simple living advocates19th-century German male musiciansAncient Greek philosophers of mindAnti-nationalistsBritish philosophers of educationExecuted philosophersGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceHumboldt University of Berlin alumniIrony theoristsJewish socialistsKnights BachelorLeipzig University alumniMetaphysics writersPhenomenologistsRationalistsUniversity of Göttingen alumniWriters about globalization19th-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 religionPhilosophers 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 epistemologists, Ancient Greek ethicistsBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish historians of philosophyBurials at Highgate CemeteryCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubDeterministsGerman epistemologistsGerman idealistsGerman monarchistsGerman revolutionariesLeaders who took power by coupPamphleteersPeople associated with the University of BaselPeople from the Province of SaxonyPhilosophers of timePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtRussian atheistsSocialist feministsSocratesStateless peopleWriters from Vienna19th-century German journalists19th-century Prussian people19th-century philosophers from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian philosophers, Emigrants from the Russian Empire to Switzerland, Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United Kingdom, Russian communists, Russian revolutionaries20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom470s 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 foundersFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsForced suicidesGerman anti-capitalists, German socialist feminists, Jewish communistsGerman eugenicistsGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersGerman military personnel of the Franco-Prussian WarGerman music criticsGerman philologistsGerman writers on atheismJewish ethicistsMaterialistsMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourNobility from the Russian EmpirePhilosophers of nihilismPhilosophical anthropologyRussian male journalistsUniversity of Bonn alumniUniversity of Jena alumniUniversity of Vienna 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
Philosophy19th-century philosophers from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian philosophers, Emigrants from the Russian Empire to Switzerland, Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United Kingdom, Russian communists, Russian revolutionariesSocialist feministsRussian male journalistsAnti-monarchistsMarxist theorists20th-century atheists19th-century pseudonymous writersVladimir Lenin19th-century atheistsLeaders who took power by coupAnti-nationalistsCritics of religionsPolitical philosophersAnti-imperialistsRussian atheistsEmigrants from the Russian Empire to Germany, Political party foundersAtheist philosophersNobility from the Russian Empire20th-century pseudonymous writers19th century20th centuryRussiaMarx
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
PhilosophyGerman writers on atheismPhilosophers of cultureUniversity of Bonn alumniPhilosophers of mindCritics of political economyWriters about globalizationWriters about religion and sciencePhilosophers of religionSocialist feministsMaterialistsGerman male non-fiction writersCritics of work and the work ethicEconomic historians, German sociologistsFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsPhilosophical anthropologyGerman Marxist writersMarxist theoristsWriters about activism and social change19th-century atheistsEpistemologistsPhilosophers of educationGerman political philosophersStateless peopleCritics of religionsPhilosophers of lawAnti-consumeristsMetaphysiciansJewish socialistsPhilosophers of technologyHumboldt University of Berlin alumniUniversity of Jena alumniAnti-imperialists19th-century German philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of historyCritics of JudaismBurials at Highgate Cemetery19th-century German historiansAtheist philosophersMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationPhilosophers of economicsGerman anti-capitalists, German socialist feminists, Jewish communistsSocial philosophersPamphleteersGerman revolutionariesAnti-nationalistsOntologists19th centuryEconomicsGermanyMedicineNietzsche'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
PhilosophyCritics of the Catholic Church19th-century German male musicians19th-century German journalistsPhilosophers of timeUniversity of Bonn alumni19th-century German non-fiction writersPhilosophers of sexualityWriters about religion and scienceMetaphilosophersGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersCritics of work and the work ethicGerman critics of Christianity19th-century Prussian peopleGerman music criticsWriters about activism and social changeStateless peoplePhilosophy writersIrony theoristsDeterministsPhilosophers of psychology19th-century German novelistsPeople from the Province of SaxonyCritics of religionsCritical theoristsAnti-consumeristsMetaphysiciansGerman philosophers of culturePeople associated with the University of BaselGerman military personnel of the Franco-Prussian WarGerman ethicists, German philosophers of education19th-century German philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionGerman epistemologistsPhilosophers of nihilismLeipzig University alumniPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writersGerman male essayistsOntologistsAphoristsExistentialistsAnti-nationalistsPhilosophers of literatureGerman philosophers of art19th centuryGermanyMedicineMusicPsychologyWarPopper
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
PhilosophyUniversity of Vienna alumniPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of mindWriters about globalizationJewish ethicistsWriters about religion and scienceBritish historians of philosophyPhilosophers of religionBritish male non-fiction writersBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicKnights BachelorAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceMetaphysics writers20th-century British essayists20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United KingdomWriters about activism and social changeAristotelian philosophersEpistemologistsBritish philosophers of educationPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyCritics of religionsMetaphysiciansPolitical philosophersRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtWriters from ViennaPhilosophers of technologyFellows of the British AcademyBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsPhilosophers of mathematics20th-century British philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyJewish philosophersRationalistsBritish social liberalsBritish ethicistsLogiciansBritish political philosophersForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesPhilosophers of economicsJewish agnosticsMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourSocial philosophersCritics of MarxismCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Ontologists20th centuryEconomicsMathematicsMedicineSchopenhauer
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
PhilosophyGerman writers on atheismGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersUniversity of Göttingen alumniGerman philosophers of languageGerman philologistsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of loveGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of pessimismPhilosophers of logicGerman critics of ChristianityGerman idealistsSimple living advocatesAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of Berlin19th-century atheistsPhilosophy writersGerman political philosophersPhilosophers of psychologyCritics of religionsCritical theoristsGerman eugenicistsGerman philosophers of culture19th-century German writersAnti-natalistsGerman monarchistsGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationGerman philosophers of science19th-century German philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionCritics of JudaismGerman epistemologistsLogiciansAtheist philosophers19th-century German essayists19th-century German male writersGerman male essayistsOntologistsPhenomenologistsAphoristsPhilosophers of literatureGerman philosophers of art19th centuryGermanyLanguagePsychologySocrates
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
PhilosophyCritics of religionsClassical theismAncient Greek philosophers of mindPhilosophers of love5th-century BC Greek philosophersForced suicidesAncient Athenian philosophersSocratesAncient Greek political philosophers5th-century BC Athenians470s BC birthsExecuted philosophersIrony theoristsPhilosophers of educationAncient Greek epistemologists, Ancient Greek ethicists5th century BCGreece