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:
CultureHistoryPhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsSocial philosophersPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers 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 essayistsWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science20th-century atheistsMetaphilosophersNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematics17th-century English male writersAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish people of Scottish descentLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsCatholic philosophersCritics of work and the work ethicEnglish non-fiction writersPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of language17th-century English writersAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeAnalytic philosophersChristian ethicistsEnglish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyVirtue ethicists17th-century writers in Latin19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English writersAlumni of Trinity College DublinAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish feminists, English feminist writersEnglish socialistsMembers of the Order of MeritMetaphysics writersPolitical realistsRhetoric theoristsScholastic philosophersWriters about globalization17th-century English philosophers20th-century English philosophersAlumni of the University of EdinburghBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersBurials at Père Lachaise CemeteryDeist 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 Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish writers, 18th-century Irish male writers18th-century British essayists18th-century British philosophers19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers20th-century English mathematiciansAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeAnglican 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 scienceAction theoristsAnglo-ScotsBenedictine philosophersBritish atheism activistsBritish classical liberal economistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish male non-fiction writersBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsCatholic clergy scientistsEnglish alchemistsEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish autobiographersEnglish humanistsEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsEnglish theologiansFree love advocatesGrammarians of LatinHistory of calculusHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghInfectious disease deaths in FranceLinguists from FranceMaterialistsMedieval orientalists, English translatorsPeople 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 facultyUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansVoting 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
PhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and scienceEnglish essayistsAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social sciencePhilosophers of mathematics20th-century atheistsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsNobel laureates in LiteratureAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of loveLogiciansPhilosophers of sexualityEnglish people of Scottish descent19th-century atheistsEmpiricistsCritics of work and the work ethicAnalytic philosophersEnglish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyAnti-nationalistsMembers of the Order of MeritBritish critics of religionsRhetoric theoristsEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsMetaphysics writersWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of education20th-century English philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsBritish philosophers of mindEnglish people of Welsh descentBritish ethicistsUtilitariansEnglish political philosophersFreethought writersBritish political philosophersBritish philosophers of languagePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyBritish historians of philosophy20th-century English mathematiciansEnglish logicians19th-century English philosophersJerusalem Prize recipientsGeorgists19th-century English essayistsAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsConsequentialistsEnglish political writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish free speech activistsLinguistic turnUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultySet theoristsEnglish humanistsBritish atheism activistsUniversal basic income writersEnglish anti-fascistsWriters about communismPeople from Monmouthshire19th-century English mathematiciansBritish critics of ChristianityEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsFree love advocatesBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionSecular humanistsUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureBishop 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
PhilosophyPhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersEpistemologistsEmpiricistsAlumni of Trinity College DublinIdealistsScholars of Trinity College Dublin17th-century Anglo-Irish peopleAnglican philosophers17th-century Anglican theologians18th-century Anglican theologiansAcademics of Trinity College Dublin18th-century Irish philosophersHistory of calculusPeople educated at Kilkenny College18th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish writers, 18th-century Irish male writersDavid 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
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophy writersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersEpistemologistsCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and sciencePhilosophers of social sciencePhilosophers of mathematicsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of artEmpiricistsVirtue ethicistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationDeist philosophersAlumni of the University of EdinburghFreethought writers18th-century British philosophersConservatismBritish consciousness researchers and theorists18th-century British essayistsCriticism of rationalismAction theoristsPeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentSkeptic philosophersSecular humanistsBritish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of identityHobbes
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
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsCritics of the Catholic ChurchPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of mathematics17th-century English male writersNatural law ethicistsPhilosophers of languageEmpiricistsAlumni of St John's College, Cambridge17th-century English writers17th-century writers in LatinBritish critics of religionsRhetoric theoristsPolitical realistsBritish philosophers of education17th-century English philosophersEnglish physicistsEnglish political philosophersBritish critics of ChristianityThomas HobbesEnglish theologiansMaterialistsMill
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
PhilosophyPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of economicsLogiciansBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of sexualityEnglish people of Scottish descentPhilosophers of psychologyEnglish non-fiction writersEmpiricistsEnglish agnostics19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English writersEnglish socialistsScholars of feminist philosophyEuropean democratic socialistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish ethicistsUtilitariansEnglish libertariansEnglish republicansEnglish political philosophersBritish political philosophersBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsEnglish logicians19th-century English philosophersEnglish suffragists19th-century English essayistsConsequentialistsEnglish political writersBritish free speech activistsUK MPs 1865–1868Voting theoristsBritish classical liberal economistsEnglish autobiographersRectors of the University of St AndrewsBritish philosophers of logicBritish social liberalsAnglo-ScotsHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghInfectious disease deaths in FranceEnglish feminists, English feminist writersRoger 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
HistoryPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of scienceNatural philosophersCatholic philosophersPhilosophers of languageEmpiricistsScholastic philosophersEnglish philosophers13th-century writers in Latin13th-century philosophersGrammarians of LatinCatholic clergy scientistsEnglish alchemistsMedieval orientalists, English translators