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 scienceMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEpistemologistsSonneteersAphoristsCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science20th-century atheistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsWriters from ParisAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish people of Scottish descentFrench atheistsLogiciansMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of sexualityUniversity of Paris alumni19th-century atheists20th-century French philosophersCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsIslamic philosophersLiteracy and society theoristsPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languagePolitical philosophers20th-century essayistsAnalytic philosophersCritics of religionsEnglish agnosticsJewish agnosticsLiterary theoristsMembers of the Académie FrançaisePhilosophers of technologyAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of scienceMembers of the Order of MeritRationalistsRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Rhetoric theoristsTrope theoristsWriters about globalization20th-century British philosophers20th-century English philosophersBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersCritical theoristsEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish political philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsFellows of the British AcademyFreethought writersFrench male non-fiction writersFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsMetaphor theoristsPhenomenologistsPhilosophers of pessimismUtilitarians19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers20th-century British essayists20th-century English mathematicians20th-century mystics20th-century translatorsAlchemists of the medieval Islamic worldAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeAnthologistsBlind writersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubConsequentialistsEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeFrench epistemologistsGeorgistsGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourIntellectual historyJerusalem Prize recipientsJewish atheistsKnights BachelorLecturersLinguistic turnLycée Condorcet alumniPhilosophers of linguisticsPhilosophers of timePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietySurrealist writers19th-century English mathematicians20th-century French male writers20th-century French memoirists9th-century philosophersAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceAcademics 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 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 pacifists, British philosophers of cultureEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsFree love advocatesFrench essayistsHaiku poetsJewish ethicistsJewish historiansLinguists from FranceMagic realism writersMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourMusic theorists of the medieval Islamic worldNaturalised citizens of the United Kingdom, Austrian agnostics, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Austrian essayists, Writers from Vienna, British logicians, 20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian logicians, British agnosticsPeople from MonmouthshirePhilosophers of identityRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtSecular humanistsSet theoristsSpanish-language poetsThe New School facultyUniversal basic income writersUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansWriters 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
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of mathematicsAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of artIslamic philosophersMetaphysics writersIntellectual historyAlchemists of the medieval Islamic world9th-century philosophersArabic-language commentators on AristotleAstronomers of the medieval Islamic worldMusic theorists of the medieval Islamic worldBertrand 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
PhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and scienceEnglish essayistsAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social sciencePhilosophers of mathematics20th-century atheistsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsNobel laureates in LiteratureAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of loveLogiciansPhilosophers of sexualityEnglish people of Scottish descent19th-century atheistsEmpiricistsCritics of work and the work ethicAnalytic philosophersEnglish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyAnti-nationalistsMembers of the Order of MeritBritish critics of religionsRhetoric theoristsEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsMetaphysics writersWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of education20th-century English philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsBritish philosophers of mindEnglish people of Welsh descentBritish ethicistsUtilitariansEnglish political philosophersFreethought writersBritish political philosophersBritish philosophers of languagePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyBritish historians of philosophy20th-century English mathematiciansEnglish logicians19th-century English philosophersJerusalem Prize recipientsGeorgists19th-century English essayistsAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsConsequentialistsEnglish political writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish free speech activistsLinguistic turnUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultySet theoristsEnglish humanistsBritish atheism activistsUniversal basic income writersEnglish anti-fascistsWriters about communismPeople from Monmouthshire19th-century English mathematiciansBritish critics of ChristianityEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsFree love advocatesBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionSecular humanistsUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureJorge 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
CulturePhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of cultureSonneteersAphoristsPhilosophers of mathematicsLiteracy and society theoristsPhilosophers of artLiterary theorists20th-century essayistsTrope theoristsMetaphysics writersMetaphor theoristsPhilosophers of pessimismSurrealist writersLecturers20th-century translatorsPhilosophers of timeJerusalem Prize recipients20th-century mysticsAnthologistsBlind writersCommanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of GermanySpanish-language poetsHaiku poetsMagic realism writersPhilosophers of identityBlind poetsLévi-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 sociologistsPopper
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
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of cultureEpistemologistsWriters about religion and sciencePhilosophers of mathematicsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersPhilosophers of economicsAristotelian philosophersLogiciansBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicPolitical philosophersJewish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyCritics of religionsRationalistsRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Metaphysics writersWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of educationFellows of the British Academy20th-century British philosophersBritish ethicistsBritish political philosophersCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyBritish historians of philosophyKnights BachelorBritish consciousness researchers and theorists20th-century British essayistsRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtCritics of MarxismBritish male non-fiction writersJewish ethicistsBritish social liberalsMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceNaturalised citizens of the United Kingdom, Austrian agnostics, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Austrian essayists, Writers from Vienna, British logicians, 20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian logicians, British agnostics