Metaphysics writers
The term Metaphysical poets was coined by the critic Samuel Johnson to describe a loose group of 17th-century English poets whose work was characterised by the inventive use of conceits, and by a greater emphasis on the spoken rather than lyrical quality of their verse. These poets were not formally affiliated and few were highly regarded until 20th century attention established their importance.
5 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CulturePhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsSocial philosophersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceSonneteersMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEpistemologistsAphoristsCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of educationWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of law20th-century atheistsNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of social scienceForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsPhilosophers of psychologyUniversity of Paris alumniWriters from Paris20th-century French philosophersAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish people of Scottish descentFrench atheistsLogiciansMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsIslamic philosophersLiteracy and society theoristsPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languagePolitical philosophers20th-century essayistsAnalytic philosophersCritics of religionsEnglish agnosticsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of scienceJewish agnosticsLiterary theoristsMembers of the Académie FrançaisePhilosophers of technologyRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Anti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsFrench male non-fiction writersFrench philosophers of cultureFrench philosophers of historyKnights BachelorMembers of the Order of MeritPhenomenologistsRationalistsRhetoric theoristsTrope theoristsWriters about globalization20th-century British philosophers20th-century English philosophers20th-century translatorsAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersCritical theoristsEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish political philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsFellows of the British AcademyFreethought writersFrench epistemologistsFrench sociologistsMetaphor theoristsPhilosophers of pessimismUtilitarians19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers20th-century British essayists20th-century English mathematicians20th-century mysticsAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceAlchemists of the medieval Islamic worldAnthologistsBlind writersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubConsequentialistsEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGeorgistsGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourHaiku poetsIntellectual historyJerusalem Prize recipientsJewish atheistsLecturersLinguistic turnLycée Condorcet alumniMagic realism writersPhilosophers of linguisticsPhilosophers of timePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtSurrealist writersWriters from Vienna19th-century English mathematicians20th-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 French male writers20th-century French memoirists9th-century philosophersAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceArabic-language commentators on AristotleAstronomers of the medieval Islamic worldBlind poetsBritish atheism activistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish male non-fiction writersBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsCommanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of GermanyCorresponding fellows of the British AcademyCritics of MarxismEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish humanistsEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsFree love advocatesFrench essayistsIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyJewish ethicistsJewish historiansLinguists from FranceMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourMusic theorists of the medieval Islamic worldPeople from MonmouthshirePhilosophers of identityPostmodern writers, Recipients of the Legion of HonourSecular humanistsSet theoristsSpanish-language poetsThe New School facultyUniversal basic income writersUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyUniversity of Vienna alumniWriters about communism
Al-Kindi
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the life and work of Al-Kindi, often described as the first philosopher in the Arabic tradition.
28 June 2012
Featuring: Hugh Kennedy, James Montgomery, Amira Bennison
PhilosophyMusic theorists of the medieval Islamic worldAlchemists of the medieval Islamic worldPhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of logicMetaphysics writersIslamic philosophersAstronomers of the medieval Islamic worldAristotelian philosophersEpistemologistsPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of artIntellectual historyPhilosophers of psychologyMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of mathematics9th-century philosophersPhilosophers of scienceArabic-language commentators on AristotleOntologists9th centuryAstronomyIslamLanguageMathematicsMedicinePsychologyBertrand Russell
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the influential 20th-century British thinker Bertrand Russell, widely regarded as one of the founders of Analytical philosophy.
6 December 2012
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Mike Beaney, Hilary Greaves
PhilosophyBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyEnglish logiciansUniversal basic income writersEuropean democratic socialistsMetaphysics writersMembers of the Order of MeritEnglish anti-fascists19th-century atheistsBritish philosophers of educationEmpiricistsEnglish humanistsFree love advocatesGeorgistsBritish critics of religionsEnglish Nobel laureatesNobel laureates in LiteratureTheorists on Western civilizationBritish political philosophersPhilosophers of social scienceEnglish people of Scottish descentEnglish socialistsEnglish male non-fiction writersConsequentialistsFellows of the Royal SocietyLinguistic turnPhilosophers of sexualityRhetoric theoristsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of loveEnglish political philosophersCritics of work and the work ethicEnglish people of Welsh descent20th-century atheists20th-century English mathematiciansPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyUtilitariansBritish atheism activistsWriters about communismLogicians19th-century English essayistsSecular humanistsPhilosophers of economicsIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyOntologistsEnglish scepticsFreethought writersCritics of the Catholic Church19th-century English philosophersBritish critics of ChristianityPeople from MonmouthshireAristotelian philosophersJerusalem Prize recipientsPhilosophers of lawEnglish prisoners and detaineesBritish philosophers of languageSet theoristsPhilosophers of technologyBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsPhilosophers of mathematicsBritish philosophers of mind20th-century English philosophers19th-century English mathematiciansAnti-nationalistsPhilosophers of literatureEnglish agnosticsBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsWriters about globalizationWriters about religion and scienceFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeEnglish essayistsAnalytic philosophersAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceWriters about activism and social changeAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgePhilosophers of historyBritish philosophers of religionBritish ethicistsAtheist philosophersUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyBritish philosophers of logicEnglish political writers19th century20th centuryEconomicsLanguageMathematicsJorge Luis Borges
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and work of the Argentinian master of the short story, Jorge Luis Borges.
4 January 2007
Featuring: Edwin Williamson, Efraín Kristal, Evelyn Fishburn
Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of GermanyPostmodern writers, Recipients of the Legion of HonourPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of timeSpanish-language poetsPhilosophers of mindSurrealist writersBlind poetsLiteracy and society theoristsPhilosophers of pessimismMetaphysics writers20th-century mysticsMetaphor theoristsSonneteersPhilosophers of artJerusalem Prize recipientsMagic realism writersTrope theoristsBlind writersPhilosophers of identityLecturersPhilosophers of mathematics20th-century translatorsHaiku poetsLiterary theoristsAnthologistsAphorists20th-century essayistsPhilosophers of literature20th centuryLanguageMathematicsLévi-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
CultureAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceFrench sociologistsLycée Condorcet alumniFrench philosophers of educationThe New School facultyJewish atheistsPhilosophers of mindWriters about globalizationWriters about religion and scienceFrench essayistsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of religionLiteracy and society theoristsUniversity of Paris alumniCorresponding fellows of the British AcademyPhilosophers of languageFrench male non-fiction writersMetaphysics writersGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourPhilosophers of linguisticsFrench philosophers of scienceMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesWriters about activism and social change20th-century atheists20th-century French philosophersIntellectual historyMembers of the Académie FrançaiseJewish historiansCritical theoristsMetaphysicians20th-century French male writersFrench philosophers of historyWriters about communismTheorists on Western civilizationJewish philosophersWriters from ParisFrench epistemologistsAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of social scienceForeign associates of the National Academy of Sciences20th-century French memoiristsMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyPhenomenologistsLinguists from France20th-century essayistsFrench atheistsOntologistsFrench philosophers of culture20th centuryFranceLanguageMedicinePopper
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 centuryEconomicsMathematicsMedicine