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
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CulturePhilosophyScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsEnglish male poetsFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyBurials at Westminster AbbeyCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersRecipients of the Copley MedalWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of law20th-century atheistsMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of social scienceForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsPhilosophers of psychologyAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish AnglicansEnglish male novelistsEnglish people of Scottish descentLogiciansMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish male short story writersEnglish non-fiction writersAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsEnglish satiristsEnglish travel writersJewish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Royal Medal winners19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English writers20th-century English novelistsAlumni of the University of EdinburghAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationCharles DarwinEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish feminist writers, English feministsEnglish short story writersEnglish socialistsMale essayistsMembers of the Order of MeritMetaphysics writersRhetoric theoristsWriters about globalization20th-century English philosophersAcademic staff of the University of GöttingenAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish Nobel laureatesBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersEnglish abolitionistsEnglish libertariansEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansEuropean democratic socialistsFreethought writersIndependent scientistsJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsScholars of feminist philosophyUtilitarians19th-century Anglicans19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers20th-century British biologists20th-century British essayists20th-century English mathematicians20th-century mysticsAlumni of the University of BristolBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsConsequentialistsDeaths from cancer in EnglandDeaths from coronary thrombosisEnglish emigrants to the United StatesEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersEnglish suffragistsFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGeorgistsHuman evolutionInstitute for Advanced Study visiting scholarsJerusalem Prize recipientsJewish women scientistsLinguistic turnNew Age predecessorsNobel laureates in PhysicsPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyWinners of the Max Planck Medal19th-century British biologists, 19th-century English naturalists, British evolutionary biologists, Fellows of the Linnean Society of London, Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society, Fellows of the Zoological Society of London19th-century English mathematicians20th-century British chemists, British biophysicists, British crystallographers20th-century British physicists, Members of the Pontifical Academy of SciencesAcademics 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 philosophers of culture, English pacifistsBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsBritish theoretical physicists, Mathematical physicistsCircumnavigators of the globeDuke University facultyEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish autobiographersEnglish humanistsEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsEnglish science fiction writersForeign members of the USSR Academy of SciencesFree love advocatesHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghInfectious disease deaths in FranceIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyJewish British scientistsLost Generation writersMembers of the Lincean AcademyPeople 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 facultyVoting theoristsWriters 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
CultureEnglish agnosticsEnglish male novelistsEnglish emigrants to the United StatesAlumni of Balliol College, OxfordBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsEnglish science fiction writersEnglish essayists20th-century British essayists20th-century mysticsPeople educated at Eton CollegeEnglish male poetsEnglish short story writersJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsAnti-consumeristsPhilosophers of technologyEnglish male short story writersMale essayistsNew Age predecessorsBritish philosophers of mindLost Generation writersEnglish satiristsDuke University faculty20th-century English novelists20th-century English philosophersEnglish travel writersPhilosophers of literature20th centuryBertrand 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 centuryEconomicsLanguageMathematicsDarwin: 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
ScienceEnglish agnosticsHuman evolutionRoyal Medal winnersCharles DarwinIndependent scientistsEnglish scepticsEnglish Anglicans19th-century British biologists, 19th-century English naturalists, British evolutionary biologists, Fellows of the Linnean Society of London, Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society, Fellows of the Zoological Society of LondonTheoretical biologistsMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesAlumni of the University of EdinburghCircumnavigators of the globeMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesUtilitariansMembers of the Lincean AcademyEnglish abolitionists19th-century AnglicansRecipients of the Copley MedalAlumni of Christ's College, Cambridge19th-century English writersMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEnglish travel writersRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Fellows of the Royal SocietyBurials at Westminster AbbeyDeaths from coronary thrombosis19th centuryAnimalsMill
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 centuryEconomicsLanguageMedicinePsychologyPaul 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
ScienceEnglish agnosticsAcademic staff of the University of Göttingen20th-century British physicists, Members of the Pontifical Academy of SciencesEnglish emigrants to the United StatesAlumni of the University of BristolRoyal Medal winnersMembers of the Order of MeritNobel laureates in Physics20th-century English mathematiciansForeign members of the USSR Academy of SciencesBritish theoretical physicists, Mathematical physicistsWinners of the Max Planck MedalEnglish Nobel laureatesAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeRecipients of the Copley MedalBritish Nobel laureatesForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesInstitute for Advanced Study visiting scholarsMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyFellows of the Royal Society20th centuryMathematicsRosalind Franklin
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the achievements of the pioneering scientist Rosalind Franklin.
22 February 2018
Featuring: Patricia Fara, Jim Naismith, Judith Howard
ScienceJewish British scientistsJewish women scientistsEnglish agnostics20th-century British biologists20th-century British chemists, British biophysicists, British crystallographersAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeJewish agnosticsDeaths from cancer in EnglandAcademics of King's College London20th century