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 socialistsExilliteratur writersFellows 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 educationAustro-Hungarian military personnel of World War IBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish historians of philosophyCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubDeaths from cancer in EnglandFellows 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 philosophersWriters from Vienna20th-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 Kingdom20th-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 descentBertrand 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 alumniUniversity of Vienna 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
ScienceJewish German physicists, Jewish scientistsAmerican humanistsAmerican male non-fiction writersGerman male non-fiction writersEuropean democratic socialistsNaturalised citizens of AustriaAlbert EinsteinGerman agnosticsAcademic staff of ETH ZurichMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesGerman Ashkenazi JewsRecipients of Franklin MedalStateless peopleNobel laureates in Physics20th-century American male writersJewish socialistsWinners of the Max Planck MedalJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesPhilosophers of mathematicsNaturalized citizens of the United StatesAmerican Ashkenazi Jews, American Zionists, American agnostics, German ZionistsPhilosophers of science20th-century American inventors, Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences20th-century American engineersJewish agnosticsMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyPhilosophy of sciencePantheistsAnti-nationalists20th centuryGermanyMathematicsHannah 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
PhilosophyScholars of antisemitismAmerican philosophers of educationThe New School facultyPhilosophers of cultureExilliteratur writersMembers of the American Academy of Arts and LettersPrinceton University facultyGerman women philosophersGerman agnostics20th-century German women writers20th-century German non-fiction writersJewish existentialistsGerman Ashkenazi JewsAmerican political philosophersPhilosophy writers20th-century American essayistsGerman political philosophersPhilosophers of lawPolitical philosophersJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesPhilosophers of technologyGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationAmerican Ashkenazi Jews, American Zionists, American agnostics, German ZionistsFellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences20th-century German philosophersPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of history20th-century American women writersHeidelberg University alumni20th-century American philosophersJewish agnosticsUniversity of Marburg alumniSocial philosophersWomen religious writersIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyExistentialists20th centuryAmericaGermanyPaul 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 February 2023
Featuring: Colva Roney-Dougal, Timothy Gowers, Andrew Treglown
ScienceForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesSet theoristsJewish atheistsInstitute for Advanced Study visiting scholarsForeign members of the Royal SocietyMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesJewish agnosticsAcademics of the Victoria University of ManchesterMental calculatorsPrinceton University faculty20th centuryPopper
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
PhilosophyUniversity of Vienna alumniPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of mindWriters about globalizationJewish ethicistsWriters about religion and scienceBritish historians of philosophyPhilosophers of religionBritish male non-fiction writersBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicKnights BachelorAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceMetaphysics writers20th-century British essayists20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United KingdomWriters about activism and social changeAristotelian philosophersEpistemologistsBritish philosophers of educationPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyCritics of religionsMetaphysiciansPolitical philosophersRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtWriters from ViennaPhilosophers of technologyFellows of the British AcademyBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsPhilosophers of mathematics20th-century British philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyJewish philosophersRationalistsBritish social liberalsBritish ethicistsLogiciansBritish political philosophersForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesPhilosophers of economicsJewish agnosticsMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourSocial philosophersCritics of MarxismCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Ontologists20th centuryEconomicsMathematicsMedicineRosalind Franklin
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the achievements of the pioneering scientist Rosalind Franklin.
22 February 2018
Featuring: Patricia Fara, Jim Naismith, Judith Howard
ScienceJewish British scientistsJewish women scientistsEnglish agnostics20th-century British biologists20th-century British chemists, British biophysicists, British crystallographersAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeJewish agnosticsDeaths from cancer in EnglandAcademics of King's College London20th centuryWittgenstein
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
PhilosophyPhilosophers of cultureOrdinary language philosophyPhilosophers of mindMetaphilosophersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of languageAnalytic philosophersPeople with post-traumatic stress disorder20th-century British essayists20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United KingdomBertrand Russell Professors of PhilosophyAlumni of Trinity College, Cambridge20th-century British non-fiction writersEpistemologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of artMetaphysiciansWriters from ViennaPhilosophers of mathematicsAustro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I20th-century British philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationJewish philosophersBisexual military personnelBisexual male writersAustrian people of Jewish descentLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophersPhilosophers of social scienceWittgensteinian philosophersJewish agnosticsSocial philosophersCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubOntologistsLinguistic turn20th centuryLanguageMathematicsMedicineWar