Jewish agnostics
This page lists well-known Jewish atheists. Based on Jewish law's emphasis on matrilineal descent, religiously conservative Orthodox Jewish authorities would accept an atheist born to a Jewish mother as fully Jewish.
6 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
PhilosophyScienceOntologistsSocial philosophersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEpistemologistsWriters about religion and scienceGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social scienceExistentialistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersPantheistsPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsGerman political philosophersLogiciansMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of logicPhilosophy of scienceAmerican male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languagePolitical philosophersAnalytic philosophersCritics of religionsEnglish agnosticsGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationPhilosophers of technologyRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)20th-century German philosophersAnti-nationalistsBritish philosophers of educationHeidelberg University alumniJewish socialistsKnights BachelorMetaphysics writersRationalistsWomen religious writersWriters about globalization20th-century British philosophersAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeAmerican political philosophersBisexual male writersBritish ethicistsBritish political philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsFellows of the British AcademyForeign members of the Royal SocietyMembers of the American Academy of Arts and LettersNaturalized citizens of the United StatesPeople with post-traumatic stress disorder20th-century American male writers20th-century British biologists20th-century British essayistsAlbert EinsteinAmerican humanistsAmerican philosophers of educationBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish historians of philosophyCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubDeaths from cancer in EnglandExilliteratur writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGerman Ashkenazi JewsGerman agnosticsGerman women philosophersInstitute for Advanced Study visiting scholarsJewish atheistsJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesJewish women scientistsLinguistic turnMental calculatorsNobel laureates in PhysicsPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyRecipients of Franklin MedalRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtStateless peopleWinners of the Max Planck MedalWittgensteinian philosophers20th-century American engineers20th-century American essayists20th-century American inventors, Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences20th-century American philosophers20th-century American women writers20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom, Writers from Vienna20th-century British chemists, British biophysicists, British crystallographers20th-century British non-fiction writers20th-century German non-fiction writers20th-century German women writersAcademic staff of ETH ZurichAcademics of King's College LondonAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAcademics of the Victoria University of ManchesterAmerican Ashkenazi Jews, American Zionists, American agnostics, German ZionistsAustrian people of Jewish descent, Austro-Hungarian military personnel of World War IBertrand Russell Professors of PhilosophyBisexual military personnelBritish male non-fiction writersBritish social liberalsCritics of MarxismIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyJewish British scientistsJewish German physicists, Jewish scientistsJewish ethicistsJewish existentialistsLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophersMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourNaturalised citizens of AustriaOrdinary language philosophyPrinceton University facultyScholars of antisemitismSet theoristsThe New School facultyUniversity of Marburg alumni
Albert Einstein
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Einstein's impact on the world of physics after his 'miraculous year' in 1905 and why he went on to become so very famous after World War One.
14 September 2023
Featuring: Richard Staley, Diana Kormos Buchwald, John Heilbron
ScienceMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophy of science20th-century American male writersAmerican male non-fiction writersStateless peopleNaturalised citizens of Austria20th-century American inventors, Members of the United States National Academy of SciencesAmerican humanistsNobel laureates in PhysicsRecipients of Franklin MedalJewish German physicists, Jewish scientistsPhilosophers of mathematicsJewish agnosticsGerman agnosticsGerman Ashkenazi JewsAmerican Ashkenazi Jews, American Zionists, American agnostics, German Zionists20th-century American engineersAcademic staff of ETH ZurichJewish socialistsAnti-nationalistsEuropean democratic socialistsNaturalized citizens of the United StatesPantheistsAlbert EinsteinMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyWinners of the Max Planck MedalJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesPhilosophers of scienceGerman male non-fiction writersHannah Arendt
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas of Hannah Arendt who examined totalitarianism and politics and, when covering the Eichmann trial, explored 'the banality of evil'.
2 February 2017
Featuring: Lyndsey Stonebridge, Frisbee Sheffield, Robert Eaglestone
PhilosophyPrinceton University facultyGerman political philosophersExistentialists20th-century American women writersIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyUniversity of Marburg alumniJewish existentialistsWomen religious writersPhilosophers of lawMembers of the American Academy of Arts and LettersSocial philosophersPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of technologyAmerican political philosophers20th-century German women writersGerman women philosophersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of cultureThe New School faculty20th-century American essayistsExilliteratur writersJewish agnosticsGerman agnosticsGerman Ashkenazi JewsAmerican Ashkenazi Jews, American Zionists, American agnostics, German Zionists20th-century German philosophers20th-century American philosophers20th-century German non-fiction writersGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationHeidelberg University alumniPolitical philosophersJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesPhilosophers of scienceScholars of antisemitismPhilosophers of historyAmerican philosophers of educationPaul Erdős
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and work of the highly prolific, itinerant 20th century Hungarian mathematician, who enjoyed an unrivalled reputation for problem-solving.
23 Feb 2023
Featuring: Colva Roney-Dougal, Timothy Gowers, Andrew Treglown
SciencePrinceton University facultyInstitute for Advanced Study visiting scholarsSet theoristsAcademics of the Victoria University of ManchesterMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesForeign members of the Royal SocietyMental calculatorsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish agnosticsJewish atheistsPopper
Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosopher Karl Popper, author of The Open Society and a seminal thinker about science.
8 February 2007
Featuring: John Worrall, Anthony O'Hear, Nancy Cartwright
PhilosophyBritish political philosophersEpistemologistsCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesTheorists on Western civilizationBritish ethicistsPhilosophers of logicKnights BachelorLogiciansPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietySocial philosophersPhilosophers of technologyRationalistsAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of economicsWriters about religion and scienceWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of educationBritish social liberalsRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtBritish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of mathematicsBritish historians of philosophyJewish agnosticsAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceCritics of religions20th-century British philosophers20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom, Writers from ViennaOntologistsPhilosophers of mindRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)MetaphysiciansJewish philosophersPolitical philosophersPhilosophers of religionBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsJewish ethicistsMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourWriters about activism and social change20th-century British essayistsCritics of MarxismPhilosophers of historyFellows of the British AcademyMetaphysics writersBritish male essayistsRosalind Franklin
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the achievements of the pioneering scientist Rosalind Franklin.
22 February 2018
Featuring: Patricia Fara, Jim Naismith, Judith Howard
Wittgenstein
Melvyn Bragg discusses how Ludwig Wittgenstein, one of the greatest philosophers of the modern age has influenced contemporary culture with his ideas on language.
4 December 2003
Featuring: Ray Monk, Barry Smith, Marie McGinn
PhilosophyEpistemologistsCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of social scienceTheorists on Western civilizationWittgensteinian philosophersPhilosophers of logicAnalytic philosophersPeople with post-traumatic stress disorderBisexual male writersSocial philosophersPhilosophy writersOrdinary language philosophyFellows of Trinity College, CambridgePhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of languageLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophersPhilosophers of artBertrand Russell Professors of PhilosophyPhilosophers of mathematicsJewish agnostics20th-century British philosophersAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeLinguistic turnOntologistsPhilosophers of mindAustrian people of Jewish descent, Austro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom, Writers from ViennaMetaphysiciansJewish philosophersBisexual military personnel20th-century British essayists20th-century British non-fiction writersBritish male essayists