Empiricists
In philosophy, empiricism is an epistemological theory that holds that knowledge or justification comes only or primarily from sensory experience. It is one of several views within epistemology, along with rationalism and skepticism.
7 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
HistoryPhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsSocial philosophersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersEpistemologistsCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of law17th-century English male writers20th-century atheistsNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of social scienceMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsPhilosophers of psychologyAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish people of Scottish descentLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsCatholic philosophersCritics of work and the work ethicEnglish non-fiction writersPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of language17th-century English writers17th-century writers in LatinAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeAlumni of Trinity College DublinAnalytic philosophersBurials at Père Lachaise CemeteryChristian ethicistsEnglish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyVirtue ethicists19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English writersAlumni of the University of EdinburghAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish feminist writers, English feministsEnglish socialistsMembers of the Order of MeritMetaphysics writersPolitical realistsRhetoric theoristsScholastic philosophersWriters about globalization17th-century English philosophers18th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish male writers20th-century English philosophersAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersDeist philosophersEnglish libertariansEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish philosophersEnglish physicistsEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansEuropean democratic socialistsFreethought writersMedieval Latin-language poetsScholars of feminist philosophyUtilitarians12th-century writers in Latin13th-century philosophers13th-century writers in Latin17th-century Anglo-Irish people18th-century British essayists18th-century British philosophers18th-century Irish writers19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers20th-century English mathematiciansAction theoristsAnglican philosophersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsCastrated peopleConsequentialistsConservatismCriticism of rationalismEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersEnglish suffragistsFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGeorgistsIdealistsJerusalem Prize recipientsLimboLinguistic turnPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyScholars of Trinity College Dublin17th-century Anglican theologians18th-century Anglican theologians18th-century Irish philosophers19th-century English mathematiciansAcademics of Trinity College DublinAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAnglo-ScotsBenedictine philosophersBritish atheism activistsBritish classical liberal economistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish male non-fiction writersBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsCatholic clergy scientistsEnglish alchemistsEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish autobiographersEnglish humanistsEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsEnglish theologiansEnglish translators, Medieval orientalistsFree love advocatesGrammarians of LatinHistory of calculusHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghInfectious disease deaths in FranceIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyLinguists from FranceMaterialistsPeople educated at Kilkenny CollegePeople from MonmouthshirePeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentPhilosophers of identityRectors of the University of St AndrewsSecular humanistsSet theoristsSkeptic philosophersThomas HobbesUK MPs 1865–1868Universal basic income writersUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyVoting theoristsWriters about communism
Abelard and Heloise
Melvyn Bragg discusses the story of Abelard and Heloise, a medieval tale of literature and philosophy, love and scandal in the high Middle Ages.
5 May 2005
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Henrietta Leyser, Michael Clanchy
Bertrand 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
PhilosophyBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyEnglish logiciansUniversal basic income writersEuropean democratic socialistsMetaphysics writersMembers of the Order of MeritEnglish anti-fascists19th-century atheistsBritish philosophers of educationEmpiricistsEnglish humanistsFree love advocatesGeorgistsBritish critics of religionsEnglish Nobel laureatesNobel laureates in LiteratureTheorists on Western civilizationBritish political philosophersPhilosophers of social scienceEnglish people of Scottish descentEnglish socialistsEnglish male non-fiction writersConsequentialistsFellows of the Royal SocietyLinguistic turnPhilosophers of sexualityRhetoric theoristsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of loveEnglish political philosophersCritics of work and the work ethicEnglish people of Welsh descent20th-century atheists20th-century English mathematiciansPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyUtilitariansBritish atheism activistsWriters about communismLogicians19th-century English essayistsSecular humanistsPhilosophers of economicsIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyOntologistsEnglish scepticsFreethought writersCritics of the Catholic Church19th-century English philosophersBritish critics of ChristianityPeople from MonmouthshireAristotelian philosophersJerusalem Prize recipientsPhilosophers of lawEnglish prisoners and detaineesBritish philosophers of languageSet theoristsPhilosophers of technologyBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsPhilosophers of mathematicsBritish philosophers of mind20th-century English philosophers19th-century English mathematiciansAnti-nationalistsPhilosophers of literatureEnglish agnosticsBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsWriters about globalizationWriters about religion and scienceFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeEnglish essayistsAnalytic philosophersAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceWriters about activism and social changeAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgePhilosophers of historyBritish philosophers of religionBritish ethicistsAtheist philosophersUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyBritish philosophers of logicEnglish political writers19th century20th centuryEconomicsLanguageMathematicsBishop Berkeley
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the philosopher George Berkeley, one of the most significant thinkers of the 18th century.
20 March 2014
Featuring: Peter Millican, Tom Stoneham, Michela Massimi
PhilosophyScholars of Trinity College Dublin17th-century Anglo-Irish people18th-century Irish philosophers18th-century Irish writersEmpiricistsAlumni of Trinity College DublinIdealistsPeople educated at Kilkenny College18th-century Anglican theologiansAcademics of Trinity College DublinEnlightenment philosophers18th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish male writers17th-century Anglican theologiansEpistemologistsAnglican philosophersHistory of calculusPhilosophers of science17th century18th centuryIrelandMathematicsTheologyDavid Hume
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work of David Hume, the philosopher and leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment.
6 October 2011
Featuring: Peter Millican, Helen Beebee, James Harris
PhilosophyCritics of the Catholic ChurchPhilosophers of mind18th-century British essayistsWriters about religion and scienceVirtue ethicistsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of religionBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicCriticism of rationalismWriters about activism and social changeAlumni of the University of EdinburghEpistemologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of artBritish philosophers of educationPhilosophers of psychology18th-century British philosophersEmpiricistsPhilosophers of identityBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish critics of religionsPhilosophers of mathematicsDeist philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of historySkeptic philosophersPeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentPhilosophers of social scienceConservatismSecular humanistsPhilosophers of economicsEnlightenment philosophersAction theoristsSocial philosophersBritish male non-fiction writersOntologistsFreethought writers18th centuryEconomicsMathematicsPsychologyScotlandHobbes
Melvyn Bragg discusses Thomas Hobbes, the great 17th century philosopher who famously said that ungoverned man lived a life that was ‘solitary, poor, brutish and short’.
1 December 2005
Featuring: Quentin Skinner, David Wootton, Annabel Brett
PhilosophyCritics of the Catholic ChurchPhilosophers of culture17th-century writers in LatinPhilosophers of mind17th-century English writersRhetoric theoristsPhilosophers of religionMaterialistsEnglish political philosophersPhilosophers of languageBritish critics of ChristianityPolitical realistsEpistemologistsBritish philosophers of educationPhilosophers of lawEmpiricistsMetaphysiciansBritish critics of religionsPhilosophers of mathematics17th-century English male writersAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of historyThomas HobbesSocial philosophersNatural law ethicistsEnglish theologians17th-century English philosophersEnglish physicistsOntologists17th centuryLanguageMathematicsMedicineTheologyMill
Melvyn Bragg discusses the 19th century political philosopher John Stuart Mill and his treatise On Liberty which is one of the sacred texts of liberalism.
18 May 2006
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Janet Radcliffe Richards, Alan Ryan
PhilosophyEnglish agnosticsBritish free speech activistsPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of sexualityEnglish logiciansUK MPs 1865–1868Voting theoristsEnglish libertariansEnglish political philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish essayistsEuropean democratic socialists19th-century English philosophersScholars of feminist philosophyInfectious disease deaths in FranceHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghBritish socialistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of psychologyEnglish feminist writers, English feministsAnglo-ScotsEmpiricistsBritish philosophers of languageUtilitariansEnglish autobiographersBritish philosophers of mindRectors of the University of St AndrewsFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of scienceEnglish non-fiction writersPhilosophers of historyBritish social liberals19th-century English non-fiction writersLogiciansBritish ethicistsBritish political philosophers19th-century English writers19th-century English essayistsBritish philosophers of logicPhilosophers of economicsEnglish political writersEnglish people of Scottish descentEnglish socialistsEnglish male non-fiction writersBritish classical liberal economistsEnglish suffragistsEnglish republicansConsequentialists19th centuryEconomicsLanguageMedicinePsychologyRoger Bacon
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss medieval English scholar Roger Bacon, an early pioneer of science who became known as Doctor Mirabilis.
20 April 2017
Featuring: Jack Cunningham, Amanda Power, Elly Truitt
HistoryEnglish philosophersPhilosophers of languageEmpiricistsEnglish alchemistsMetaphysiciansNatural philosophers13th-century writers in LatinCatholic philosophersPhilosophers of mindEnglish translators, Medieval orientalistsCatholic clergy scientistsScholastic philosophersPhilosophers of literature13th-century philosophersPhilosophers of scienceGrammarians of Latin13th centuryLanguageMedicine