Enlightenment philosophers
The Age of Enlightenment, or simply the Enlightenment, was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries with global influences and effects. The Enlightenment included a range of ideas centered on the value of human happiness, the pursuit of knowledge obtained by means of reason and the evidence of the senses, and ideals such as liberty, progress, toleration, fraternity, constitutional government, and separation of church and state.The Enlightenment was preceded by the Scientific Revolution and the work of Francis Bacon, among others.
14 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CultureHistoryPhilosophyScienceFellows 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 changeEnglish male poetsMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEpistemologistsSonneteersCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersChristian humanistsJewish philosophersMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesMetaphilosophersPantheistsPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematics17th-century English male writersBritish male essayistsFrench Roman CatholicsFrench atheistsGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of sexualityUniversity of Paris alumniAmerican male non-fiction writersCatholic philosophersEmpiricistsEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsEnglish non-fiction writersFrench political philosophersGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureLiteracy and society theoristsMembers of the French Academy of SciencesPhilosophers of art17th-century English poets17th-century English writers19th-century German essayistsClassical liberalismEnglish travel writersEpic poetsGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsLiterary theoristsMembers of the Académie FrançaiseSimple living advocatesTheoretical historiansVirtue ethicists17th-century English dramatists and playwrights17th-century writers in Latin18th-century English male writers18th-century German male writers19th-century English writers19th-century male writersAlumni of Trinity College DublinAnglican poetsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationChristian poetsEnglish feminists, English feminist writersEnglish women novelistsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of scienceGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceLeipzig University alumniMale essayistsMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesPeople from the City of LondonPhilosophers of warRationalistsRhetoric theoristsRomantic poetsWriters of Gothic fiction17th-century English philosophers18th-century English writers18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayists18th-century classical composers19th-century German non-fiction writersAlumni of the University of EdinburghAmerican political philosophersCritics of JudaismDeist philosophersEnglish inventorsEnglish libertariansEnglish philosophersEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansFabulistsFreethought writersFrench feministsFrench male non-fiction writersFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionHeidelberg University alumniHistorians of the French RevolutionMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesMetaphor theoristsNeoclassical writersScholars of feminist philosophyWriters from London17th-century Anglo-Irish people18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American Enlightenment18th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish writers, 18th-century Irish male writers18th-century British essayists18th-century British philosophers18th-century English novelists18th-century French male writers18th-century French mathematicians18th-century French philosophers18th-century French writers18th-century German writers19th-century American philosophers19th-century German historians19th-century German novelists19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educators19th-century mystics19th-century travel writersAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinAmerican deistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of educationAmerican philosophers of religionAnglican philosophersAutobiographersBlind writersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish women essayistsBurials at the Panthéon, ParisCalvinist and Reformed poetsColor scientistsConservatismContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)Criticism of rationalismDeterministsEnglish UnitariansEnglish educational theoristsEnglish women philosophersEnglish writers with disabilitiesEpigrammatistsFounders of English schools and collegesGerman FreemasonsGerman agnosticsGerman autobiographersGerman epistemologistsGerman idealistsGerman librariansGerman male poets, German male dramatists and playwrightsGerman nationalistsGerman travel writersGerman untitled nobilityGerman–English translatorsHumor researchersIdealistsLecturersMythopoeic writersPamphleteersPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentPeople with hypochondriasisPhilosophers of linguisticsScholars of Trinity College DublinSturm und Drang, Johann Wolfgang von GoetheUniversity of Strasbourg alumni17th-century Anglican theologians17th-century English educators18th-century American male writers, American foreign policy writers18th-century Anglican theologians18th-century English historians18th-century English people18th-century Irish philosophers18th-century male musicians19th-century American writers19th-century Prussian peopleAcademics of Trinity College DublinAction theoristsAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeAmerican religious skeptics, American nationalistsAnti-Catholicism in the United KingdomAnti-monarchistsBaruch SpinozaBlind poetsBritish deistsBritish male non-fiction writersBritish philosophers of religionBurials at St Pancras Old ChurchBurials at the Dorotheenstadt CemeteryClassical-period composersDeaths from choleraDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomDeaths in childbirthDeputies to the French National ConventionEnglish Anglican theologiansEnglish DissentersEnglish theologiansFeminist theoristsFrench abolitionistsFrench ethicists, French biographersFrench political scientistsFrench political writersFrench–English translatorsGerman bibliophiles, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century travel writers, Writers from Weimar, 19th-century German diplomats, 18th-century German novelists, German diplomats, 18th-century German historians, German male novelists, 19th-century German poets, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German civil servants, Writers from Frankfurt, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century German civil servantsGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersGodwin familyHistory of calculusJewish translators of the BibleKantianismNaturalized citizens of FrancePeople educated at Kilkenny CollegePeople from Somers Town, LondonPeople killed in the French RevolutionPeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentPhilosophers of JudaismPhilosophers of identityPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaProto-evolutionary biologistsProto-feministsRadicalsRhetoriciansRomantic philosophers, Converts to Roman Catholicism from CalvinismSecular humanistsSkeptic philosophersUniversal basic income writersUniversity of Tübingen alumniVoting theorists
Bishop 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 writersCondorcet
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the influential French philosopher and mathematician who tried to apply his Enlightenment ideas on the benefit of education to the French Revolution.
11 January 2024
Featuring: Rachel Hammersley, Richard Whatmore, Tom Hopkins
PhilosophyFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of religionEnlightenment philosophersAtheist philosophersAge of EnlightenmentMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences18th-century philosophersFrench atheistsUniversity of Paris alumniHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesMembers of the French Academy of SciencesMembers of the Académie FrançaiseTheoretical historiansFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of scienceRationalistsScholars of feminist philosophyFrench feministsFrench male non-fiction writers18th-century French mathematicians18th-century French writers18th-century French male writersBurials at the Panthéon, ParisDeputies to the French National ConventionFrench abolitionistsFrench political scientistsProto-feministsPeople killed in the French RevolutionVoting theoristsFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsFrench ethicists, French biographersDavid 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 identityGoethe
Melvyn Bragg discusses the great German polymath Johann Wolfgang Goethe - novelist, dramatist, poet, humanist, scientist and philosopher.
6 April 2006
Featuring: Tim Blanning, Sarah Colvin, W. Daniel Wilson
CulturePhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnlightenment philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of social sciencePantheists19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyNatural philosophersPhilosophers of sexualityLiteracy and society theoristsGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureEpic poetsLiterary theorists19th-century German essayistsRomantic poetsLeipzig University alumni18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceMembers of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences19th-century German non-fiction writersMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesFabulistsFreethought writersEpigrammatists19th-century German novelistsGerman FreemasonsUniversity of Strasbourg alumniPhilosophers of linguisticsGerman untitled nobilityGerman librariansGerman travel writers19th-century travel writersColor scientistsGerman autobiographers19th-century German historiansGerman philosophers of education, German ethicists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman male poets, German male dramatists and playwrights19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educatorsSturm und Drang, Johann Wolfgang von GoetheGerman bibliophiles, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century travel writers, Writers from Weimar, 19th-century German diplomats, 18th-century German novelists, German diplomats, 18th-century German historians, German male novelists, 19th-century German poets, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German civil servants, Writers from Frankfurt, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century German civil servantsGoethe and the Science of the Enlightenment
Melvyn Bragg assesses the scientific legacy of the 18th century German poet and thinker Goethe, who gave us the term morphology and is sometimes even credited with inventing biology itself.
10 February 2000
Featuring: Nicholas Boyle, Simon Schaffer
SciencePhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnlightenment philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of social sciencePantheists19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyNatural philosophersPhilosophers of sexualityLiteracy and society theoristsGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureEpic poetsLiterary theorists19th-century German essayistsRomantic poetsLeipzig University alumni18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceMembers of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences19th-century German non-fiction writersMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesFabulistsFreethought writersEpigrammatists19th-century German novelistsGerman FreemasonsUniversity of Strasbourg alumniPhilosophers of linguisticsGerman untitled nobilityGerman librariansGerman travel writers19th-century travel writersColor scientistsGerman autobiographers19th-century German historiansGerman philosophers of education, German ethicists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman male poets, German male dramatists and playwrights19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educatorsSturm und Drang, Johann Wolfgang von GoetheGerman bibliophiles, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century travel writers, Writers from Weimar, 19th-century German diplomats, 18th-century German novelists, German diplomats, 18th-century German historians, German male novelists, 19th-century German poets, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German civil servants, Writers from Frankfurt, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century German civil servantsHegel's Philosophy of History
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Hegel's ideas on history as the progress of the consciousness of freedom, and whether we enjoy more freedom now than those in past centuries.
26 May 2022
Featuring: Sally Sedgwick, Robert Stern, Stephen Houlgate
PhilosophyPhilosophy writersMetaphysiciansEnlightenment philosophersWriters about religion and scienceGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPantheists19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyGerman philosophers of artTheoretical historians19th-century German essayists18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of languageHeidelberg University alumni19th-century mystics18th-century German writersAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinGerman idealistsBurials at the Dorotheenstadt CemeteryDeaths from choleraUniversity of Tübingen alumni18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religion19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educatorsKant's Copernican Revolution
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Kant's ideas on how the world depends on us, on the limits of human knowledge and why we are bound to ask questions we cannot answer.
3 June 2021
Featuring: Fiona Hughes, Anil Gomes, John Callanan
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnlightenment philosophersWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersMetaphilosophersGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of sexualityGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureTheoretical historians19th-century German essayistsRationalistsMembers of the Prussian Academy of Sciences18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of sciencePhilosophers of war19th-century German non-fiction writersGerman agnostics18th-century German writersGerman idealistsIdealistsGerman epistemologistsGerman nationalistsHumor researchersLecturersPeople of the Age of Enlightenment19th-century Prussian peopleKantianismGerman philosophers of education, German ethicists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersMary 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 writersMilton
Melvyn Bragg examines the literary and political career of the 17th century poet John Milton, examining work such as Paradise Lost as well as his role as propagandist during the English Civil War.
7 March 2002
Featuring: John Carey, Lisa Jardine, Blair Worden
CultureSocial philosophersWriters about activism and social changeEnglish male poetsEnlightenment philosophersSonneteersCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsChristian humanists17th-century English male writersEnglish non-fiction writersLiteracy and society theoristsEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsEpic poets17th-century English poetsLiterary theorists17th-century English writersAnglican poetsChristian poetsPeople from the City of London17th-century writers in LatinRhetoric theorists17th-century English dramatists and playwrightsMale essayistsMetaphor theoristsWriters from London17th-century English philosophersEnglish republicansEnglish political philosophersNeoclassical writersPamphleteersEnglish writers with disabilitiesEnglish educational theoristsCalvinist and Reformed poetsMythopoeic writersAnglican philosophersBritish free speech activistsBlind writersDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomEnglish Anglican theologians17th-century English educatorsRhetoriciansBritish philosophers of religionEnglish DissentersAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeBlind poetsEnglish theologiansAnti-Catholicism in the United KingdomMontesquieu
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas of the French political philosopher (1689-1755) whose work on liberty and republicanism, banned at home, influenced the US constitution.
14 June 2018
Featuring: Richard Bourke, Rachel Hammersley, Richard Whatmore
HistoryFellows of the Royal SocietyEnlightenment philosophersPhilosophers of lawFrench Roman CatholicsFrench political philosophersMembers of the Académie FrançaiseFrench philosophers of historyMembers of the Prussian Academy of Sciences18th-century French male writers18th-century French philosophersContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)French political writersMoses Mendelssohn
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the work of Moses Mendelssohn, one of the greatest thinkers of the German Enlightenment.
22 March 2012
Featuring: Christopher Clark, Abigail Green, Adam Sutcliffe
Rousseau on Education
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Rousseau's ideas on how to educate children so they retain their natural selves and are not corrupted by society.
10 October 2019
Featuring: Richard Whatmore, Caroline Warman, Denis McManus
PhilosophySocial philosophersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersAge of EnlightenmentPhilosophers of education18th-century philosophersPhilosophers of economicsCatholic philosophersFrench political philosophersPhilosophers of artSimple living advocatesDeist philosophers18th-century classical composersBurials at the Panthéon, ParisContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)AutobiographersPeople with hypochondriasisClassical-period composers18th-century male musiciansProto-evolutionary biologistsRomantic philosophers, Converts to Roman Catholicism from CalvinismSpinoza
Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosopher Spinoza whose profound and complex ideas about God had him celebrated as an atheist in the 18th century.
3 May 2007
Featuring: Jonathan Rée, Sarah Hutton, John Cottingham
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersEpistemologistsCritics of the Catholic ChurchAge of EnlightenmentPhilosophers of educationPantheistsJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersRationalists17th-century writers in LatinCritics of JudaismPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentDeterministsJewish translators of the BibleBaruch SpinozaThomas Paine's Common Sense
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense, which was published in 1776 and bolstered support for American independence.
21 January 2016
Featuring: Kathleen Burk, Nicholas Guyatt, Peter Thompson
HistorySocial philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEnlightenment philosophers18th-century philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesAmerican male non-fiction writersClassical liberalism19th-century male writers18th-century English male writers19th-century English writersDeist philosophers18th-century English writersEnglish inventorsEnglish libertariansAmerican political philosophersCritics of JudaismEnglish republicansAmerican philosophers of education19th-century American philosophersAmerican deistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of religionDeputies to the French National Convention18th-century English people19th-century American writersAnti-monarchistsBritish deistsNaturalized citizens of FranceRadicalsPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaUniversal basic income writers18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American EnlightenmentAmerican religious skeptics, American nationalists18th-century American male writers, American foreign policy writers