English philosophers
The philosopher's stone or more properly philosophers' stone (Arabic: ḥajar al-falāsifa, Latin: lapis philosophorum), is a mythic alchemical substance capable of turning base metals such as mercury into gold (chrysopoeia, from the Greek χρυσός khrusos, "gold", and ποιεῖν poiēin, "to make") or silver. It is also called the elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and for achieving immortality; for many centuries, it was the most sought goal in alchemy.
4 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
John Ruskin
Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and work of John Ruskin, art and social critic, and one of the most influential figures of the Victorian era.
31 March 2005
Featuring: Dinah Birch, Keith Hanley, Stefan Collini
CultureEnglish essayistsEnglish people of Scottish descentCritics of work and the work ethicAnti-consumeristsMale essayistsEnglish fantasy writersEnglish philosophersArtists' Rifles soldiers19th-century British economistsAlumni of Christ Church, OxfordAlumni of King's College LondonArts and Crafts movement artistsEnglish children's writersArchitectural theoreticiansAnglo-ScotsCritics of political economy19th-century British journalistsMary Wollstonecraft
Melvyn Bragg and guests John Mullan, Karen O'Brien and Barbara Taylor discuss the life and ideas of the pioneering British Enlightenment thinker Mary Wollstonecraft.
31 December 2009
Featuring: Karen O'Brien, John Mullan, Barbara Taylor
PhilosophyEnlightenment philosophersEnglish essayistsEnglish travel writersWriters of Gothic fictionEnglish women novelistsBritish philosophers of educationScholars of feminist philosophyHistorians of the French RevolutionEnglish philosophersEnglish republicansEnglish women philosophersEnglish UnitariansFounders of English schools and collegesGerman–English translators18th-century British philosophersEnglish educational theoristsBritish women essayists18th-century English novelists18th-century British essayistsBurials at St Pancras Old Church18th-century English historiansDeaths in childbirthFrench–English translatorsFeminist theoristsPeople from Somers Town, LondonGodwin familyEnglish 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 translatorsWilliam Hazlitt
Melvyn Bragg and guests Jonathan Bate, Uttara Natarajan and AC Grayling discuss the life and works of William Hazlitt.
8 April 2010
Featuring: Jonathan Bate, A. C. Grayling, Uttara Natarajan