Portrait of Lord Melvyn Bragg, host of In Our Time

Philosophers of economics

Philosophy and economics studies topics such as public economics, behavioural economics, rationality, justice, history of economic thought, rational choice, the appraisal of economic outcomes, institutions and processes, the status of highly idealized economic models, the ontology of economic phenomena and the possibilities of acquiring knowledge of them.It is useful to divide philosophy of economics in this way into three subject matters which can be regarded respectively as branches of action theory, ethics (or normative social and political philosophy), and philosophy of science. Economic theories of rationality, welfare, and social choice defend substantive philosophical theses often informed by relevant philosophical literature and of evident interest to those interested in action theory, philosophical psychology, and social and political philosophy.

9 episodes

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HistoryPhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsSocial 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 philosophersEpistemologistsCritics 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 atheistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of mathematicsAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish people of Scottish descentGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersLogiciansNatural law ethicistsPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsCatholic philosophersCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish non-fiction writersFrench political philosophersGerman philosophers of cultureIslamic philosophersPhilosophers of artPolitical philosophersAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsClassical liberalismCritics of religionsEnglish agnosticsJewish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologySimple living advocatesTheoretical historiansVirtue ethicists18th-century English male writers19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English writers20th-century German philosophersAlumni of Trinity College DublinAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish feminists, English feminist writersEnglish socialistsGerman philosophers of scienceHumboldt University of Berlin alumniJewish socialistsMarxist theoristsMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesMembers of the Order of MeritMetaphysics writersRationalistsRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Rhetoric theoristsUniversity of Göttingen alumniWriters about globalization18th-century English writers18th-century classical composers19th-century German writers20th-century British philosophers20th-century English philosophersAlumni of the University of EdinburghBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersCritics of JudaismDeist philosophersEnglish libertariansEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansEuropean democratic socialistsFellows of the British AcademyFreethought writersGerman Marxist writersHeidelberg University alumniHistorians of the French RevolutionIrish AnglicansScholars of feminist philosophyUtilitarians18th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish writers, 18th-century Irish male writers18th-century British essayists18th-century British philosophers19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers19th-century German historians20th-century British essayists20th-century English mathematiciansAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeAnglican philosophersAutobiographersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsBurials at Highgate CemeteryBurials at the Panthéon, ParisCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubConsequentialistsConservatismContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)Criticism of rationalismCritics of deismEnglish logiciansEnglish people of Irish descentEnglish political writersEnglish suffragistsFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGeorgistsGerman nationalistsGerman revolutionariesJerusalem Prize recipientsKnights BachelorLinguistic turnMembers of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies, British MPs 1780–1784Muslim critics of atheism, AsharisPamphleteersPeople from the Province of SaxonyPeople with hypochondriasisPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietySocialist feministsStateless peopleStreathamitesUniversity of Strasbourg alumniWriters from Dublin (city)18th-century English philosophers18th-century Irish philosophers18th-century male musicians19th-century English mathematiciansAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAction theoristsAnglo-ScotsAnti-imperialistsBritish MPs 1774–1780British MPs 1790–1796, British MPs 1784–1790British atheism activistsBritish classical liberal economistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish male non-fiction writersBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsClassical-period composersContinental philosophersCritics of MarxismCritics of political economyDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyEconomic historians, German sociologistsEconomic sociologistsEconomists of the medieval Islamic world, MujaddidEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish autobiographersEnglish humanistsEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsFree love advocatesGerman anti-capitalists, Jewish communists, German socialist feministsGerman philosophers of technologyGerman writers on atheismHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghInfectious disease deaths in FranceIrish Freemasons, Irish people of English descent, Irish libertariansJewish ethicistsMaterialistsMax WeberMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourNaturalised 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 MonmouthshirePeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentPhilosophers of identityPhilosophical anthropologyProto-evolutionary biologistsRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtRectors of the University of GlasgowRectors of the University of St AndrewsRomantic philosophers, Converts to Roman Catholicism from CalvinismSecular humanistsSet theoristsSkeptic philosophersUK MPs 1865–1868Universal basic income writersUniversity of Bonn alumniUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansUniversity of Jena alumniUniversity of al-Qarawiyyin alumniVoting theoristsWriters about communism
  1. Bertrand 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

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    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 culture
  2. David Hume

    Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work of David Hume, the philosopher and leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment.

    6 October 2011

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    Featuring: Peter Millican, Helen Beebee, James Harris

     
  3. Edmund Burke

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the work of the philosopher, politician and writer Edmund Burke, whose views on revolution in America and France were hugely influential.

    3 June 2010

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    Featuring: Karen O'Brien, Richard Bourke, John Keane

     
  4. Ibn Khaldun

    Melvyn Bragg and guests Robert Hoyland, Robert Irwin and Hugh Kennedy discuss the life and ideas of the 14th-century Arab philosopher of history Ibn Khaldun.

    4 February 2010

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    Featuring: Robert Hoyland, Robert Graham Irwin, Hugh N. Kennedy

     
  5. Marx

    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

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    Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Francis Wheen, Gareth Stedman Jones

     
  6. Mill

    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 19th century political philosopher John Stuart Mill and his treatise On Liberty which is one of the sacred texts of liberalism.

    18 May 2006

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    Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Janet Radcliffe Richards, Alan Ryan

     
  7. Popper

    Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosopher Karl Popper, author of The Open Society and a seminal thinker about science.

    8 February 2007

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    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
  8. Rousseau on Education

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Rousseau's ideas on how to educate children so they retain their natural selves and are not corrupted by society.

    10 October 2019

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    Featuring: Richard Whatmore, Caroline Warman, Denis McManus

     
  9. Weber's The Protestant Ethic

    Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Max Weber's book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.

    27 March 2014

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    Featuring: Peter Ghosh, Sam Whimster, Linda Woodhead