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 people19th-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 Kingdom, Writers from Vienna470s 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 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
PhilosophySocialist feminists20th-century atheists20th-century pseudonymous writersNobility from the Russian EmpireRussian atheistsMarxist theoristsEmigrants from the Russian Empire to Germany, Political party founders19th-century atheistsCritics of religionsAtheist philosophersRussian male journalists19th-century pseudonymous writersAnti-nationalistsPolitical philosophersVladimir Lenin19th-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 revolutionariesAnti-monarchistsAnti-imperialistsLeaders who took power by coupMarx
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
PhilosophyEpistemologistsCritics of political economySocialist feministsHumboldt University of Berlin alumniMaterialistsUniversity of Jena alumniGerman political philosophersGerman anti-capitalists, German socialist feminists, Jewish communistsFellows of the Royal Society of Arts19th-century German philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationStateless peoplePamphleteersMarxist theoristsPhilosophers of lawCritics of work and the work ethicSocial philosophersPhilosophers of technologyMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationPhilosophers of economicsWriters about religion and scienceWriters about globalizationUniversity of Bonn alumniPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of educationPhilosophical anthropologyGerman revolutionariesAnti-consumerists19th-century atheistsCritics of religionsAtheist philosophersCritics of JudaismEconomic historians, German sociologistsOntologistsPhilosophers of mindJewish socialistsMetaphysiciansGerman writers on atheismAnti-nationalistsGerman Marxist writersPhilosophers of religionBurials at Highgate CemeteryWriters about activism and social change19th-century German historiansPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersAnti-imperialistsNietzsche'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
PhilosophyGerman philosophers of artDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyPhilosophers of nihilismMetaphilosophersExistentialistsPhilosophers of social science19th-century German philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationStateless peoplePhilosophers of literatureDeterministsPhilosophers of sexualityCritics of work and the work ethic19th-century German novelistsPhilosophy writersCritical theoristsLeipzig University alumniGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionWriters about religion and science19th-century German male writersAphoristsIrony theorists19th-century Prussian peopleUniversity of Bonn alumni19th-century German journalistsPhilosophers of psychologyGerman critics of ChristianityCritics of the Catholic Church19th-century German male musiciansAnti-consumeristsGerman philosophers of culturePhilosophers of timeCritics of religionsGerman male essayistsPeople associated with the University of BaselOntologistsMetaphysiciansGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationAnti-nationalistsGerman epistemologistsPeople from the Province of SaxonyWriters about activism and social changeGerman military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War19th-century German non-fiction writersGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersGerman music criticsPopper
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
PhilosophyBritish political philosophersEpistemologistsCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesTheorists on Western civilizationBritish ethicistsPhilosophers of logicKnights BachelorLogiciansPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietySocial philosophersPhilosophers of technologyRationalistsAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of economicsWriters about religion and scienceWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of educationBritish social liberalsRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtBritish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of mathematicsBritish historians of philosophyJewish agnosticsAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceCritics of religions20th-century British philosophers20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom, Writers from ViennaOntologistsPhilosophers of mindRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)MetaphysiciansJewish philosophersPolitical philosophersPhilosophers of religionBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsJewish ethicistsMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourWriters about activism and social change20th-century British essayistsCritics of MarxismPhilosophers of historyFellows of the British AcademyMetaphysics writersBritish male essayistsSchopenhauer
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 philosophers of artGerman philosophers of scienceGerman political philosophers19th-century German writersMetaphilosophersGerman eugenicists19th-century German philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationSimple living advocatesPhilosophers of literatureGerman idealistsPhilosophers of logicLogiciansPhenomenologistsPhilosophy writersCritical theoristsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of Berlin19th-century German male writersAphoristsGerman philosophers of languagePhilosophers of psychologyUniversity of Göttingen alumniGerman critics of ChristianityGerman philologistsGerman philosophers of culture19th-century German essayists19th-century atheistsCritics of religionsAtheist philosophersGerman male essayistsCritics of JudaismOntologistsPhilosophers of loveGerman writers on atheismGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationGerman monarchistsPhilosophers of pessimismGerman epistemologistsAnti-natalistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersGerman 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
PhilosophyAncient Greek political philosophersPhilosophers of educationAncient Greek epistemologists, Ancient Greek ethicistsForced suicidesIrony theorists470s BC birthsExecuted philosophersAncient Greek philosophers of mindCritics of religions5th-century BC AtheniansAncient Athenian philosophersSocratesPhilosophers of love5th-century BC Greek philosophersClassical theism