Ontologists
In metaphysics, ontology is the philosophical study of being, as well as related concepts such as existence, becoming, and reality. Ontology addresses questions of how entities are grouped into categories and which of these entities exist on the most fundamental level.
20 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CulturePhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietySocial philosophersPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEpistemologistsAphoristsCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophers20th-century atheistsChristian humanistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersNobel laureates in LiteraturePantheistsPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsWriters from Paris17th-century English male writersAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish people of Scottish descentExistentialistsFrench atheistsGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesLogiciansMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of sexualityUniversity of Paris alumni19th-century atheists20th-century French philosophersChristian radicalsCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsFrench political philosophersGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureIslamic philosophersLiteracy and society theoristsPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languagePolitical philosophers17th-century English writers19th-century German essayists19th-century pseudonymous writers20th-century essayistsAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsChristian ethicistsCritics of religionsEnglish agnosticsGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsJewish agnosticsMembers of the Académie FrançaisePeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarPhilosophers of technologySimple living advocatesTheoretical historiansVirtue ethicists17th-century writers in Latin18th-century German male writers19th-century male writers20th-century French novelistsAncient Greek philosophers of mindAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationChristian poetsEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of scienceGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceHumboldt University of Berlin alumniIrony theoristsJewish socialistsLegion of Honour refusalsLeipzig University alumniMarxist theoristsMembers of the Order of MeritMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesMetaphysics writersPhilosophers of deathPhilosophers of warPolitical realistsRationalistsRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Rhetoric theoristsUniversity of Göttingen alumniWriters about globalization17th-century English philosophers18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayists19th-century German male musicians19th-century German non-fiction writers19th-century German writers20th-century British philosophers20th-century English philosophersAlumni of the University of EdinburghAncient Greek political philosophersBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersClassical humanistsClassical theismCritical theoristsCritics of JudaismCritics of atheismDeist philosophersEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish physicistsEnglish political philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsFellows of the British AcademyFreethought writersFrench Nobel laureatesFrench literary criticsFrench male non-fiction writersFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsFrench socialistsGerman Marxist writersGerman critics of ChristianityGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionLibertarian socialistsMembers of the American Academy of Arts and LettersPhenomenologistsPhilosophers of pessimismUtilitariansÉcole Normale Supérieure alumni18th-century British essayists18th-century British philosophers18th-century German writers19th-century American philosophers19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers19th-century German historians19th-century German novelists19th-century deaths from tuberculosis19th-century essayists19th-century non-fiction writers from the Russian Empire20th-century British essayists20th-century English mathematicians5th-century BC Greek philosophers6th-century BC Greek philosophersAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinAlchemists of the medieval Islamic worldAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeAmerican philosophers of religionAnarchist writersAncient Athenian philosophersAncient Greek ethicists, Ancient Greek epistemologistsAncient Greek metaphysiciansAncient Greek physicistsAttic Greek writersBisexual male writersBlind writersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageBurials at Highgate CemeteryBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubConsequentialistsConservatismCorresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesCourt physiciansCriticism of rationalismCritics of ChristianityCritics of deismDeterministsEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeFrench Resistance membersFrench anarchists, French anti-fascists, French anti-capitalistsFrench communistsFrench epistemologistsFrench philosophers of artGeorgistsGerman agnosticsGerman epistemologistsGerman idealistsGerman nationalistsGerman revolutionariesGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourHumor researchersIdealistsIntellectual historyJerusalem Prize recipientsJewish atheistsKnights BachelorLecturersLinguistic turnLycée Condorcet alumniLycée Henri-IV alumniMembers of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsPamphleteersPeople associated with the University of BaselPeople from the Province of SaxonyPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentPeople with post-traumatic stress disorderPhilosophers of linguisticsPhilosophers of timePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietySocialist feministsStateless peopleWittgensteinian philosophers12th-century Muslim theologians19th-century American writers19th-century English mathematicians19th-century German journalists19th-century Prussian people19th-century short story writers from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian short story writers, Russian opinion journalists, Philanthropists from the Russian Empire, Novelists from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian dramatists and playwrights, Russian-language writers, Russian male novelists, Russian male dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century dramatists and playwrights from the Russian Empire20th-century American philosophers20th-century British non-fiction writers20th-century French male writers20th-century French memoirists20th-century letter writers9th-century philosophersAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAction theoristsAmerican philosophers of science, American philosophers of mindAncient Greek logiciansAncient Greek slaves and freedmenAncient Greeks from the Achaemenid EmpireAnti-imperialistsAnti-natalistsArabic-language commentators on AristotleAstronomers of the medieval Islamic worldAustro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I, Austrian people of Jewish descentBaruch SpinozaBertrand Russell Professors of PhilosophyBisexual military personnelBritish atheism activistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish male non-fiction writersBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsChristian vegetariansContinental philosophersCorresponding fellows of the British AcademyCritics of MarxismCritics of political economyDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyEconomic historians, German sociologistsEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish humanistsEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsEnglish theologiansEpigrammatists of the Greek AnthologyExistentialist theologiansFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsFree love advocatesFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench essayistsFrench ethicists, French biographersFrench humanists, 20th-century French dramatists and playwrightsFrench scientists with disabilitiesGerman anti-capitalists, Jewish communists, German socialist feministsGerman eugenicistsGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersGerman monarchistsGerman music criticsGerman philologistsGerman writers on atheismIranian logicians, Iranian ethicistsJewish ethicistsJewish historiansJewish translators of the BibleKantianismLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophersLinguists from FranceMaterialistsMedieval Iranian pharmacologists, Transoxanian Islamic scholarsMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourMoral realistsMusic 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 agnosticsNonviolence advocates, Christian anarchistsOrdinary language philosophyPeople from Córdoba, SpainPeople from MonmouthshirePeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentPhilosophers from al-AndalusPhilosophers of identityPhilosophers of nihilismPhilosophical anthropologyPlatonismPsychologists of religionPupils of SocratesRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtRussian anarchistsRussian male journalistsScholars of antisemitismSecular humanistsSet theoristsSkeptic philosophersThe New School facultyThomas HobbesUniversal basic income writersUniversity of Bonn alumniUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansUniversity of Copenhagen alumniUniversity of Jena alumniWilliam JamesWriters 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 worldAverroes
Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosopher Averroes who worked to reconcile the theology of Islam with the rationality of Aristotle, achieving both fame and infamy.
5 October 2006
Featuring: Amira Bennison, Peter Adamson, Anthony Kenny
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsAristotelian philosophersLogiciansPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of psychologyPolitical philosophersPhilosophers of languageIslamic philosophersCritics of atheismCritics of ChristianityCritics of deismPeople from Córdoba, Spain12th-century Muslim theologiansArabic-language commentators on AristotlePhilosophers from al-AndalusAvicenna
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Avicenna, among the most important philosophers in the history of Islam.
8 November 2007
Featuring: Peter Adamson, Amira Bennison, Nader El-Bizri
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsPhilosophers of mathematicsAristotelian philosophersLogiciansPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of psychologyIslamic philosophersClassical humanistsCritics of atheismCourt physiciansAlchemists of the medieval Islamic worldMusic theorists of the medieval Islamic worldIranian logicians, Iranian ethicistsMedieval Iranian pharmacologists, Transoxanian Islamic scholarsBertrand 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 cultureDavid Hume
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work of David Hume, the philosopher and leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment.
6 October 2011
Featuring: Peter Millican, Helen Beebee, James Harris
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophy writersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersEpistemologistsCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and sciencePhilosophers of social sciencePhilosophers of mathematicsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of artEmpiricistsVirtue ethicistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationDeist philosophersAlumni of the University of EdinburghFreethought writers18th-century British philosophersConservatismBritish consciousness researchers and theorists18th-century British essayistsCriticism of rationalismAction theoristsPeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentSkeptic philosophersSecular humanistsBritish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of identityHeraclitus
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the ancient Greek thinker Heraclitus, immortalised by later scholars as the Weeping Philosopher.
8 December 2011
Featuring: Angie Hobbs, Peter Adamson, James Warren
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophers of religionNatural philosophersAncient Greek philosophers of mindAncient Greek political philosophers6th-century BC Greek philosophersAncient Greek metaphysiciansAncient Greek physicistsPhilosophers of time5th-century BC Greek philosophersAncient Greeks from the Achaemenid EmpireAncient Greek ethicists, Ancient Greek epistemologistsHobbes
Melvyn Bragg discusses Thomas Hobbes, the great 17th century philosopher who famously said that ungoverned man lived a life that was ‘solitary, poor, brutish and short’.
1 December 2005
Featuring: Quentin Skinner, David Wootton, Annabel Brett
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsCritics of the Catholic ChurchPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of mathematics17th-century English male writersNatural law ethicistsPhilosophers of languageEmpiricistsAlumni of St John's College, Cambridge17th-century English writers17th-century writers in LatinBritish critics of religionsRhetoric theoristsPolitical realistsBritish philosophers of education17th-century English philosophersEnglish physicistsEnglish political philosophersBritish critics of ChristianityThomas HobbesEnglish theologiansMaterialistsKant's Copernican Revolution
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Kant's ideas on how the world depends on us, on the limits of human knowledge and why we are bound to ask questions we cannot answer.
3 June 2021
Featuring: Fiona Hughes, Anil Gomes, John Callanan
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnlightenment philosophersWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersMetaphilosophersGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of sexualityGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureTheoretical historians19th-century German essayistsRationalistsMembers of the Prussian Academy of Sciences18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of sciencePhilosophers of war19th-century German non-fiction writersGerman agnostics18th-century German writersGerman idealistsIdealistsGerman epistemologistsGerman nationalistsHumor researchersLecturersPeople of the Age of Enlightenment19th-century Prussian peopleKantianismGerman philosophers of education, German ethicists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersKierkegaard
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the rich and radical ideas of Soren Kierkegaard, often called the father of Existentialism.
20 March 2008
Featuring: Jonathan Rée, Clare Carlisle, John Lippitt
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of cultureEpistemologistsAphoristsMetaphilosophersChristian humanistsPhilosophers of loveExistentialistsPhilosophers of psychologyChristian radicalsPhilosophers of artChristian ethicists19th-century pseudonymous writersPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarChristian poets19th-century male writersPhilosophers of deathIrony theorists19th-century essayists19th-century deaths from tuberculosisExistentialist theologiansUniversity of Copenhagen alumniLévi-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 sociologistsMarx
Melvyn Bragg discusses Karl Marx who once said that while other philosophers wanted to interpret the world, he wanted to change it. And he changed the world with his Communist Manifesto.
14 July 2005
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Francis Wheen, Gareth Stedman Jones
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of education19th-century German philosophersPhilosophers of economicsGerman political philosophers19th-century atheistsCritics of work and the work ethicAnti-consumeristsPhilosophers of technologyCritics of religionsMarxist theoristsAnti-nationalistsJewish socialistsHumboldt University of Berlin alumniWriters about globalizationGerman Marxist writersCritics of JudaismStateless peoplePamphleteersGerman revolutionariesBurials at Highgate CemeterySocialist feminists19th-century German historiansMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationUniversity of Bonn alumniGerman writers on atheismFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsUniversity of Jena alumniMaterialistsAnti-imperialistsCritics of political economyPhilosophical anthropologyGerman anti-capitalists, Jewish communists, German socialist feministsEconomic historians, German sociologistsNietzsche's Genealogy of Morality
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Nietzsche's influential ideas about what it means to be moral.
12 January 2017
Featuring: Stephen Mulhall, Fiona Hughes, Keith Ansell-Pearson
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and scienceAphoristsGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersMetaphilosophersGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyPhilosophers of sexualityExistentialistsPhilosophers of psychologyGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureCritics of work and the work ethicAnti-consumeristsCritics of religionsAnti-nationalistsLeipzig University alumniIrony theorists19th-century German male musicians19th-century German non-fiction writersCritical theoristsGerman critics of ChristianityPeople associated with the University of BaselStateless peopleGerman epistemologistsDeterministsPeople from the Province of Saxony19th-century German novelistsPhilosophers of time19th-century Prussian people19th-century German journalistsGerman music criticsPhilosophers of nihilismUniversity of Bonn alumniDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionPlato's Gorgias
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss arguably the most personal of Plato's dialogues in which he examines the values that led to the execution of his mentor Socrates by drinking hemlock
25 November 2021
Featuring: Angie Hobbs, Frisbee Sheffield, Fiona Leigh
PhilosophyOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of loveLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersRationalistsAncient Greek philosophers of mindPhilosophers of deathAncient Greek political philosophersClassical theismAncient Athenian philosophersAncient Greek metaphysiciansAncient Greek physicistsAttic Greek writersIdealistsMoral realistsPlatonismAncient Greek logiciansAncient Greek slaves and freedmenEpigrammatists of the Greek AnthologyPupils of SocratesAncient Greek ethicists, Ancient Greek epistemologistsPopper
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 agnosticsSartre
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
CultureOntologistsPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindMetaphysiciansAphoristsAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of social science20th-century atheistsWriters from ParisNobel laureates in LiteratureFrench atheistsPhilosophers of sexualityExistentialistsFrench political philosophers20th-century French philosophersLegion of Honour refusalsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of science20th-century French novelistsPhilosophers of deathFrench socialistsÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniPhenomenologistsFrench Nobel laureatesLibertarian socialistsFrench literary criticsCritical theoristsFrench epistemologistsFrench Resistance membersBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryFrench communistsFrench philosophers of artLycée Henri-IV alumniBlind writersFrench scientists with disabilitiesScholars of antisemitismPhilosophers of nihilismContinental philosophersFree love advocatesFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsFrench anarchists, French anti-fascists, French anti-capitalistsFrench ethicists, French biographersFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench humanists, 20th-century French dramatists and playwrightsSchopenhauer
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the pessimistic philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer and his extraordinary influence.
29 October 2009
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Beatrice Han-Pile, Christopher Janaway
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationAphoristsAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of loveGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyLogiciansPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of psychologyGerman philosophers of art19th-century atheistsGerman philosophers of culture19th-century German essayistsSimple living advocatesCritics of religionsGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceUniversity of Göttingen alumniPhenomenologistsPhilosophers of pessimism19th-century German writersCritical theoristsGerman critics of ChristianityCritics of JudaismAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinGerman idealistsGerman epistemologistsAnti-natalistsGerman writers on atheismGerman eugenicistsGerman monarchistsGerman philologistsGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersSpinoza
Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosopher Spinoza whose profound and complex ideas about God had him celebrated as an atheist in the 18th century.
3 May 2007
Featuring: Jonathan Rée, Sarah Hutton, John Cottingham
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersEpistemologistsCritics of the Catholic ChurchAge of EnlightenmentPhilosophers of educationPantheistsJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersRationalists17th-century writers in LatinCritics of JudaismPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentDeterministsJewish translators of the BibleBaruch SpinozaTolstoy
Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and times of the 19th century Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, whose novels such as War and Peace gave expression to the compelling moral and social questions of their day.
25 April 2002
Featuring: A. N. Wilson, Catriona Kelly, Sarah Hudspith
CultureSocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of cultureEpistemologistsPhilosophers of educationHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesPolitical philosophers20th-century essayistsMembers of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts19th-century essayists19th-century non-fiction writers from the Russian EmpireAnarchist writersCorresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesGeorgistsRussian anarchistsChristian vegetarians20th-century letter writersRussian male journalists19th-century short story writers from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian short story writers, Russian opinion journalists, Philanthropists from the Russian Empire, Novelists from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian dramatists and playwrights, Russian-language writers, Russian male novelists, Russian male dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century dramatists and playwrights from the Russian EmpireNonviolence advocates, Christian anarchistsWilliam James's The Varieties of Religious Experience
Melvyn Bragg and guests Jonathan Ree, John Haldane and Gwen Griffith-Dickson discuss The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James.
13 May 2010
Featuring: Jonathan Rée, John Haldane, Gwen Griffith-Dickson
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophers of historyExistentialistsAnalytic philosophersPhilosophers of deathPhilosophers of warMembers of the American Academy of Arts and Letters19th-century American philosophersAmerican philosophers of religion20th-century American philosophers19th-century American writersCorresponding fellows of the British AcademyWilliam JamesPsychologists of religionAmerican philosophers of science, American philosophers of mindWittgenstein
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
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophy writersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of cultureEpistemologistsPhilosophers of social sciencePhilosophers of mathematicsJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languageAnalytic philosophersJewish agnostics20th-century British philosophersWittgensteinian philosophersCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubPeople with post-traumatic stress disorderAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeLinguistic turn20th-century British essayistsBisexual male writersBertrand Russell Professors of Philosophy20th-century British non-fiction writersOrdinary language philosophyBisexual military personnelAustro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I, Austrian people of Jewish descentLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophersNaturalised 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