French political philosophers
8 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CultureHistoryPhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsSocial philosophersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersAge of EnlightenmentAphoristsPhilosophers of educationAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of law20th-century atheistsNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophersChristian humanistsExistentialistsJewish philosophersPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of psychologyUniversity of Paris alumniWriters from Paris20th-century French philosophersFrench Roman CatholicsFrench atheistsNatural law ethicistsPhilosophers of sexualityCatholic philosophersChristian radicalsCritics of work and the work ethicPhilosophers of artBurials at Père Lachaise CemeteryFormer Roman CatholicsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of scienceFrench women philosophersMarxist theoristsMembers of the Académie FrançaiseSimple living advocates20th-century French novelistsExecuted philosophersFrench male non-fiction writersFrench philosophers of cultureFrench philosophers of historyFrench socialistsLegion of Honour refusalsMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesPhenomenologistsPhilosophers of deathWomen mysticsWomen religious writersÉcole Normale Supérieure alumni18th-century classical composers19th-century French philosophersBisexual novelistsCritical theoristsDeist philosophersExecuted writersFrench LGBTQ novelistsFrench Nobel laureatesFrench epistemologistsFrench feministsFrench literary criticsFrench philosophers of artFrench sociologistsFrench women novelistsHistorians of the French RevolutionLibertarian socialistsScholars of feminist philosophy18th-century French male writers18th-century French philosophers18th-century French women writers20th-century French women writers20th-century deaths from tuberculosisAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceAction theoristsAutobiographersBisexual memoiristsBlind writersBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryBurials at the Panthéon, ParisContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)French Resistance membersFrench anarchists, French anti-capitalists, French anti-fascistsFrench bisexual women, French bisexual writersFrench communistsFrench deistsFrench humanistsJerusalem Prize recipientsKnights of the Legion of HonourLycée Henri-IV alumniLycée Louis-le-Grand alumniPeople with hypochondriasisSocialist feministsTuberculosis deaths in EnglandWomen in the French Revolution18th-century male musicians19th-century French male writers20th-century French dramatists and playwrights20th-century French memoiristsAcademic staff of the University of ParisAnti-Stalinist leftBisexual women writersChristian anarchists, Nonviolence advocatesClassical-period composersCommunist women writersContinental philosophersConverts to Christianity from JudaismConverts to Roman Catholicism from Calvinism, Romantic philosophersCritics of MarxismDeaths from pneumonia in France, Prix Goncourt winnersDominican mysticsEconomic sociologistsEnactive cognitionExecuted French women, French people executed by guillotine during the French RevolutionFeminist studies scholarsFeminist theoristsFree love advocatesFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench abolitionistsFrench biographers, French ethicistsFrench magazine foundersFrench political scientistsFrench political writersFrench scientists with disabilitiesFrench women dramatists and playwrightsPhilosophers of nihilismPlatonistsProto-evolutionary biologistsScholars of antisemitism
Maurice Merleau-Ponty
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the insights of this French philosopher into the relationship between mind and body, the role of language in thought and the value of habits
27 March 2025
Featuring: Komarine Romdenh-Romluc, Thomas Baldwin, Timothy Mooney
PhilosophyAction theoristsFrench philosophers of artExistentialistsFrench philosophers of scienceÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniMarxist theoristsPhenomenologistsBurials at Père Lachaise CemeteryFrench magazine foundersFormer Roman CatholicsFrench humanistsFrench epistemologistsFrench philosophers of educationFrench political philosophersLycée Louis-le-Grand alumniAcademic staff of the University of ParisPhilosophers of psychologyAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceFrench male non-fiction writersEnactive cognitionFrench philosophers of cultureOntologists20th-century French philosophersUniversity of Paris alumniFrench socialistsMontesquieu
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
HistoryMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesPhilosophers of law18th-century French philosophersFellows of the Royal SocietyFrench Roman CatholicsContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)Enlightenment philosophersMembers of the Académie FrançaiseFrench political writersFrench philosophers of historyFrench political philosophers18th-century French male writersOlympe de Gouges
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life, ideas and works of the Frenchwoman who wrote The Declaration of the Rights of Woman in 1791 during the French Revolution
21 April 2022
Featuring: Catriona Seth, Katherine Astbury, Sanja Perovic
CultureWomen religious writers18th-century French philosophersFrench abolitionistsExecuted French women, French people executed by guillotine during the French RevolutionFrench women philosophersExecuted writersExecuted philosophersFrench women dramatists and playwrights18th-century philosophersFrench deistsWomen in the French RevolutionDeist philosophers18th-century French women writersFrench political philosophersRousseau 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
Philosophy18th-century male musicians18th-century philosophersConverts to Roman Catholicism from Calvinism, Romantic philosophersPhilosophers of literatureAge of EnlightenmentProto-evolutionary biologistsSocial philosophersPhilosophers of economicsBurials at the Panthéon, ParisFrench political philosophersCatholic philosophersPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of artPeople with hypochondriasis18th-century classical composersDeist philosophersPhilosophers of mindContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)Classical-period composersAutobiographersEnlightenment philosophersWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of scienceSimple living advocatesSartre
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
PhilosophyLycée Henri-IV alumni20th-century atheistsNobel laureates in LiteratureFrench sociologistsBlind writersFrench communistsFrench philosophers of artPhilosophers of nihilismFrench biographers, French ethicistsExistentialistsPhilosophers of social scienceFrench philosophers of sciencePhilosophers of deathÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of literatureContinental philosophersPhilosophers of sexualityPhenomenologistsFree love advocatesFrench atheistsPhilosophy writersCritical theoristsBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryFrench Nobel laureates20th-century French novelistsFrench humanistsLegion of Honour refusals20th-century French dramatists and playwrightsFrench magazine foundersFrench anarchists, French anti-capitalists, French anti-fascistsFrench philosophers of historyAphoristsFrench philosophers of educationFrench political philosophersFrench epistemologistsFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesLycée Louis-le-Grand alumniFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench literary criticsLibertarian socialistsFrench philosophers of cultureFrench Resistance membersAtheist philosophersFrench scientists with disabilitiesOntologistsPhilosophers of mindMetaphysicians20th-century French philosophersWriters from ParisFrench socialistsScholars of antisemitismSimone Weil
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the French philosopher and social activist Simone Weil. Admired by Albert Camus and Iris Murdoch, she achieved a great deal in her short life.
15 November 2012
Featuring: Beatrice Han-Pile, Stephen Plant, David Levy
PhilosophyLycée Henri-IV alumniChristian humanistsFrench communistsFrench philosophers of scienceÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniFrench feminists20th-century deaths from tuberculosisAnti-Stalinist leftConverts to Christianity from JudaismMarxist theoristsCritics of work and the work ethicFrench anarchists, French anti-capitalists, French anti-fascistsPlatonistsFrench political philosophersFrench women philosophersFrench Resistance membersChristian radicalsDominican mysticsJewish philosophers20th-century French philosophersPhilosophers of religion20th-century French women writersTuberculosis deaths in EnglandWriters from ParisWomen mysticsFrench socialistsCritics of MarxismChristian anarchists, Nonviolence advocatesSimone 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
PhilosophySocialist feministsFrench communistsFrench philosophers of artFeminist theoristsExistentialistsFrench feministsBisexual women writersPhilosophers of sexuality20th-century French memoiristsFrench bisexual women, French bisexual writersFrench atheistsBurials at Montparnasse Cemetery20th-century French novelistsFormer Roman CatholicsFeminist studies scholarsJerusalem Prize recipientsFrench philosophers of educationFrench political philosophersCommunist women writersBisexual memoiristsDeaths from pneumonia in France, Prix Goncourt winnersFrench women philosophersFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench literary criticsAtheist philosophersBisexual novelistsFrench women novelists20th-century French philosophers20th-century French women writersFrench LGBTQ novelistsWriters from ParisUniversity of Paris alumniScholars of feminist philosophyTocqueville: Democracy in America
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Alexis de Tocqueville and his study of the American democratic system, written as an example to France of how democracy might develop there.
22 March 2018
Featuring: Robert Gildea, Susan-Mary Grant, Jeremy Jennings
HistoryFrench political scientists19th-century French male writersPhilosophers of lawEconomic sociologistsFrench Roman CatholicsNatural law ethicistsFrench sociologistsMembers of the Académie FrançaiseFrench male non-fiction writersUniversity of Paris alumniWriters from ParisHistorians of the French Revolution19th-century French philosophersFrench political writersFrench philosophers of cultureFrench philosophers of historyKnights of the Legion of HonourFrench political philosophers