French atheists
Irreligion in France has a long history and a large demographic constitution, with the advancement of atheism and the deprecation of theistic religion dating back as far as the French Revolution. In 2015, according to estimates, at least 29% of the country's population identifies as atheists and 63% identifies as non-religious.
8 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CultureHistoryPhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of religionEnlightenment philosophersMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyAphoristsWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers20th-century atheistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesMetaphilosophersNobel laureates in LiteratureWriters from ParisExistentialistsHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of sexualityUniversity of Paris alumni19th-century atheists20th-century French philosophersFrench political philosophersLiteracy and society theoristsMembers of the French Academy of SciencesPhilosophers of language20th-century essayistsFrench women philosophersMembers of the Académie FrançaiseModernist writersTheoretical historians20th-century French novelistsConversationalistsFormer Roman CatholicsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of scienceLegion of Honour refusalsMetaphysics writersPhilosophers of deathRationalistsWriters about globalization19th-century French philosophersBurials at Père Lachaise CemeteryCritical theoristsFrench LGBTQ novelistsFrench Nobel laureatesFrench feministsFrench literary criticsFrench male non-fiction writersFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsFrench socialistsFrench women novelistsLGBTQ Roman CatholicsLibertarian socialistsPhenomenologistsPhilosophers of pessimismScholars of feminist philosophyÉcole Normale Supérieure alumni18th-century French male writers18th-century French mathematicians18th-century French writers19th-century mystics20th-century French women writers20th-century mysticsAbsurdist writersBisexual novelistsBlind writersBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryBurials at the Panthéon, ParisCorresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesDiscoverers of chemical elementsExperimental physicistsFrench Resistance membersFrench Roman Catholic writersFrench anarchists, French anti-fascists, French anti-capitalistsFrench bisexual women, French bisexual writersFrench communistsFrench epistemologistsFrench philosophers of artGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourHonorary members of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Recipients of the Matteucci MedalIntellectual historyJerusalem Prize recipientsJewish atheistsLycée Condorcet alumniLycée Henri-IV alumniNobel laureates in ChemistryNobel laureates in PhysicsPeople with hypochondriasisPhilosophers of linguisticsSocialist feminists19th-century French chemists20th-century French LGBTQ people, 19th-century French LGBTQ people20th-century French essayists, 20th-century French short story writers20th-century French male writers20th-century French memoirists20th-century male artistsAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceAnti-Stalinist leftBisexual memoirists, Bisexual women writersCommunist women writersContinental philosophersCorresponding Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1917–1925)Corresponding fellows of the British AcademyDeputies to the French National ConventionFeminist studies scholarsFeminist theoristsFree love advocatesFrench Impressionist painters, 19th-century French paintersFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench abolitionistsFrench agnosticsFrench essayistsFrench ethicists, French biographersFrench humanists, 20th-century French dramatists and playwrightsFrench male essayistsFrench political scientistsFrench scientists with disabilitiesFrench short story writersFrench women physicistsJewish historiansLinguists from FranceNaturalized citizens of FrancePeople killed in the French RevolutionPhilosophers of nihilismPrix Goncourt winners, Deaths from pneumonia in FranceProto-feministsScholars of antisemitismThe New School facultyVoting theoristsWomen Nobel laureatesWomen inventorsWriters about communism
Camus
Melvyn Bragg discusses the Nobel Prize winning Algerian-French writer and existentialist philosopher Albert Camus.
3 January 2008
Featuring: Peter Dunwoodie, David Walker, Christina Howells
CultureAtheist philosophers20th-century atheistsNobel laureates in LiteratureFrench atheistsExistentialists20th-century French philosophersModernist writersLegion of Honour refusals20th-century French novelistsPhilosophers of deathFrench socialistsFrench Nobel laureatesPhilosophers of pessimismLibertarian socialistsAbsurdist writers20th-century French male writersFrench male essayistsAnti-Stalinist leftFrench anarchists, French anti-fascists, French anti-capitalistsFrench humanists, 20th-century French dramatists and playwrights20th-century French essayists, 20th-century French short story 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 biographersLévi-Strauss
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work of French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss.
23 May 2013
Featuring: Adam Kuper, Christina Howells, Vincent Debaene
CultureOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of social scienceForeign associates of the National Academy of Sciences20th-century atheistsJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersWriters from ParisFrench atheistsUniversity of Paris alumniMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesLiteracy and society theorists20th-century French philosophersPhilosophers of languageMembers of the Académie Française20th-century essayistsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of scienceMetaphysics writersWriters about globalizationFrench male non-fiction writersPhenomenologistsCritical theoristsJewish atheistsLycée Condorcet alumniFrench epistemologistsGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourIntellectual historyPhilosophers of linguisticsAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceThe New School faculty20th-century French memoiristsJewish historians20th-century French male writersCorresponding fellows of the British AcademyFrench essayistsLinguists from FranceWriters about communismFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsMonet in England
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss why the French impressionist Claude Monet painted the foggy Thames in central London more often than water lilies, haystacks or Rouen Cathedral.
27 June 2024
Featuring: Karen Serres, Frances Fowle, Jackie Wullschläger
Proust
Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and achievements of the 19th century French novelist Marcel Proust whose 3000 page work À La Recherche du Temps Perdu has been called the definitive modern novel.
17 April 2003
Featuring: Jacqueline Rose, Malcolm Bowie, Robert Fraser
CulturePhilosophers of literatureAphorists20th-century atheistsWriters from ParisFrench atheists19th-century atheists20th-century French philosophersModernist writers20th-century French novelistsConversationalistsFormer Roman CatholicsFrench male non-fiction writersFrench LGBTQ novelistsBurials at Père Lachaise CemeteryLGBTQ Roman Catholics19th-century French philosophersFrench literary critics19th-century mysticsPeople with hypochondriasisLycée Condorcet alumniFrench philosophers of artFrench Roman Catholic writers20th-century mysticsFrench short story writersFrench essayists20th-century French LGBTQ people, 19th-century French LGBTQ peoplePrix Goncourt winners, Deaths from pneumonia in France20th-century French essayists, 20th-century French short story writersSartre
Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and works of French novelist, playwright and philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.
7 October 2004
Featuring: Jonathan Rée, Benedict O'Donohoe, Christina Howells
CultureOntologistsPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindMetaphysiciansAphoristsAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of social science20th-century atheistsWriters from ParisNobel laureates in LiteratureFrench atheistsPhilosophers of sexualityExistentialistsFrench political philosophers20th-century French philosophersLegion of Honour refusalsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of science20th-century French novelistsPhilosophers of deathFrench socialistsÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniPhenomenologistsFrench Nobel laureatesLibertarian socialistsFrench literary criticsCritical theoristsFrench epistemologistsFrench Resistance membersBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryFrench communistsFrench philosophers of artLycée Henri-IV alumniBlind writersFrench scientists with disabilitiesScholars of antisemitismPhilosophers of nihilismContinental philosophersFree love advocatesFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsFrench anarchists, French anti-fascists, French anti-capitalistsFrench ethicists, French biographersFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench humanists, 20th-century French dramatists and playwrightsSimone de Beauvoir
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Simone de Beauvoir - her work on existentialist ethics, philosophy and literature and her influence on feminism.
22 October 2015
Featuring: Christina Howells, Margaret Atack, Ursula Tidd
PhilosophyAtheist philosophersWriters from ParisFrench atheistsUniversity of Paris alumniPhilosophers of sexualityExistentialistsFrench political philosophers20th-century French philosophersFrench women philosophersFrench philosophers of education20th-century French novelistsFormer Roman CatholicsScholars of feminist philosophyFrench feministsFrench women novelistsFrench LGBTQ novelistsFrench literary critics20th-century French women writersBisexual novelistsBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryFrench communistsJerusalem Prize recipientsFrench philosophers of artSocialist feministsFeminist studies scholarsCommunist women writers20th-century French memoiristsFeminist theoristsFrench bisexual women, French bisexual writersBisexual memoirists, Bisexual women writersPrix Goncourt winners, Deaths from pneumonia in FranceFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsThe Curies
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the scientific achievements of the Curie family, Marie and Pierre and their daughter Irene Joliot-Curie, all three of whom won Nobel Prizes.
26 March 2015
Featuring: Patricia Fara, Robert Fox, Steven T Bramwell
HistoryFrench atheistsUniversity of Paris alumniLegion of Honour refusalsFormer Roman CatholicsFrench Nobel laureatesBurials at the Panthéon, ParisNobel laureates in PhysicsNobel laureates in ChemistryCorresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesExperimental physicistsDiscoverers of chemical elementsFrench agnosticsFrench women physicistsWomen Nobel laureatesWomen inventors19th-century French chemistsNaturalized citizens of FranceCorresponding Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1917–1925)Honorary members of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Recipients of the Matteucci Medal