English agnostics
Agnosticism is the view or belief that the existence of God, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable. Another definition provided is the view that "human reason is incapable of providing sufficient rational grounds to justify either the belief that God exists or the belief that God does not exist."The English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley coined the word agnostic in 1869, and said "It simply means that a man shall not say he knows or believes that which he has no scientific grounds for professing to know or believe." Earlier thinkers, however, had written works that promoted agnostic points of view, such as Sanjaya Belatthaputta, a 5th-century BCE Indian philosopher who expressed agnosticism about any afterlife; and Protagoras, a 5th-century BCE Greek philosopher who expressed agnosticism about the existence of "the gods".
6 episodes
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CulturePhilosophyScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changeEnglish male poetsPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsRecipients of the Copley MedalWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersBurials at Westminster AbbeyEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science20th-century atheistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesMetaphilosophersNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish AnglicansEnglish people of Scottish descentLogiciansMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish male novelistsEnglish non-fiction writersAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsEnglish male short story writersEnglish travel writersJewish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyRoyal Medal winners19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English writersAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationCharles DarwinEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish feminists, English feminist writersEnglish satiristsEnglish socialistsMale essayistsMembers of the Order of MeritMetaphysics writersRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Rhetoric theoristsWriters about globalization20th-century English novelists20th-century English philosophersAcademic staff of the University of GöttingenAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeAlumni of the University of EdinburghBritish Nobel laureatesBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersEnglish abolitionistsEnglish libertariansEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansEnglish short story writersEuropean democratic socialistsFreethought writersIndependent scientistsScholars of feminist philosophyUtilitarians19th-century Anglicans19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers20th-century British biologists20th-century British essayists20th-century English mathematicians20th-century mysticsAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsConsequentialistsDeaths from coronary thrombosisEnglish emigrants to the United StatesEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersEnglish suffragistsFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGeorgistsHuman evolutionInstitute for Advanced Study visiting scholarsJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsJerusalem Prize recipientsLinguistic turnNew Age predecessorsNobel laureates in PhysicsPresidents of the Aristotelian Society19th-century English mathematiciansAcademics of King's College LondonAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAlumni of Balliol College, OxfordAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeAnglo-ScotsBritish atheism activistsBritish classical liberal economistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish crystallographers, British biophysicists, 20th-century British chemistsBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsCircumnavigators of the globeDeaths from cancer in EnglandDuke University facultyEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish autobiographersEnglish humanistsEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsEnglish science fiction writersFellows of the Royal Geographical Society, 19th-century British biologists, 19th-century English naturalists, British evolutionary biologists, Fellows of the Zoological Society of London, Fellows of the Linnean Society of LondonForeign members of the USSR Academy of SciencesFree love advocatesHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghInfectious disease deaths in FranceJewish British scientistsJewish women scientistsLost Generation writersMathematical physicists, British theoretical physicistsMembers of the Lincean AcademyMembers of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, 20th-century British physicistsPeople educated at Eton CollegePeople from MonmouthshireRectors of the University of St AndrewsSecular humanistsSet theoristsTheoretical biologistsUK MPs 1865–1868Universal basic income writersUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansVoting theoristsWinners of the Max Planck MedalWriters about communism
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Aldous Huxley's dystopian 1932 novel Brave New World and its vision of a future of test tube babies, free love and round-the-clock surveillance.
9 April 2009
Featuring: David Bradshaw, Daniel Pick, Michèle Barrett
CulturePhilosophers of literatureEnglish male poetsEnglish essayistsEnglish male novelistsAnti-consumeristsEnglish male short story writersEnglish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyEnglish travel writersEnglish satiristsMale essayists20th-century English philosophersBritish philosophers of mind20th-century English novelistsEnglish short story writersJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsEnglish emigrants to the United StatesNew Age predecessors20th-century British essayists20th-century mysticsDuke University facultyLost Generation writersAlumni of Balliol College, OxfordEnglish science fiction writersPeople educated at Eton CollegeEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureBertrand 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 cultureDarwin: On the Origins of Charles Darwin
Melvyn Bragg presents a series about the life and work of Charles Darwin. Darwin's early life and time at Cambridge, where his interests shifted from religion to natural science.
5 January 2009
Featuring: Jim Moore, Steve Jones, David Norman, Colin Higgins
ScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyRecipients of the Copley MedalBurials at Westminster AbbeyMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesEnglish AnglicansMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesEnglish agnosticsRoyal Medal winnersEnglish travel writers19th-century English writersRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Charles DarwinAlumni of the University of EdinburghUtilitariansEnglish abolitionistsIndependent scientists19th-century AnglicansDeaths from coronary thrombosisHuman evolutionTheoretical biologistsMembers of the Lincean AcademyCircumnavigators of the globeEnglish scepticsAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeFellows of the Royal Geographical Society, 19th-century British biologists, 19th-century English naturalists, British evolutionary biologists, Fellows of the Zoological Society of London, Fellows of the Linnean Society of LondonMill
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 writersPaul Dirac
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Bristolian theoretical physicist, ranked alongside Einstein by his peers, who won a Nobel for his work on quantum mechanics.
5 March 2020
Featuring: Graham Farmelo, Valerie Gibson, David Berman
ScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyRecipients of the Copley MedalForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeEnglish agnosticsRoyal Medal winnersMembers of the Order of MeritEnglish Nobel laureatesAcademic staff of the University of GöttingenBritish Nobel laureatesNobel laureates in PhysicsInstitute for Advanced Study visiting scholars20th-century English mathematiciansEnglish emigrants to the United StatesWinners of the Max Planck MedalForeign members of the USSR Academy of SciencesMembers of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, 20th-century British physicistsMathematical physicists, British theoretical physicistsRosalind Franklin
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the achievements of the pioneering scientist Rosalind Franklin.
22 February 2018
Featuring: Patricia Fara, Jim Naismith, Judith Howard