Portrait of Lord Melvyn Bragg, host of In Our Time

Philosophers of history

Philosophy of history is the philosophical study of history and its discipline. The term was coined by French philosopher Voltaire.In contemporary philosophy a distinction has developed between speculative philosophy of history and critical philosophy of history, now referred to as analytic.

17 episodes

Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:

CultureHistoryPhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsSocial philosophersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEpistemologistsAge of EnlightenmentAphoristsCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of educationRecipients of the Copley MedalWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of law17th-century English male writers20th-century atheistsNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German philosophersExistentialistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersPantheistsPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsPhilosophers of psychologyAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish people of Scottish descentGerman political philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesLogiciansNatural law ethicistsPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsAmerican male non-fiction writersClassical liberalismCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish non-fiction writersIslamic philosophersPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languagePolitical philosophers17th-century English writers17th-century writers in Latin20th-century essayistsAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeAlumni of Trinity College DublinAmerican people of English descentAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsCritics of religionsEnglish agnosticsGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationJewish agnosticsMarxist theoristsPhilosophers of technologyRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Simple living advocatesTheoretical historiansVirtue ethicists18th-century English male writers19th-century American poets19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English writers19th-century male writers20th-century German philosophersAlumni of the University of EdinburghAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish feminist writers, English feministsEnglish socialistsHeidelberg University alumniHumboldt University of Berlin alumniIrish AnglicansJewish socialistsKnights BachelorMembers of the Order of MeritMetaphysics writersPeople associated with electricityPhilosophers of deathPhilosophers of warPolitical realistsRationalistsRhetoric theoristsWomen religious writersWriters about globalization17th-century English philosophers18th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish male writers18th-century English writers20th-century British philosophers20th-century English philosophersAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeAmerican male essayists, American male poetsAmerican political philosophersBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersCritics of JudaismCritics of atheismDeist philosophersEnglish inventorsEnglish libertariansEnglish people of Irish descentEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish physicistsEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansEuropean democratic socialistsFellows of the British AcademyFreethought writersGerman Marxist writersHistorians of the French RevolutionIndependent scientistsJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsMembers of the American Academy of Arts and LettersScholars of feminist philosophyStreathamitesUtilitarians18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American Enlightenment18th-century British essayists18th-century British philosophers18th-century Irish writers18th-century pseudonymous writers19th-century American essayists19th-century American philosophers19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers19th-century German historians19th-century deaths from tuberculosis19th-century essayists19th-century non-fiction writers from the Russian Empire20th-century British essayists20th-century English mathematiciansAction theoristsActivists for African-American civil rightsAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordAmerican autobiographersAmerican deistsAmerican lecturersAmerican male journalistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of educationAmerican philosophers of religionAmerican slave ownersAnarchist writersAnglican philosophersAsharis, Muslim critics of atheismAutobiographersBritish MPs 1780–1784, Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituenciesBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsBurials at Highgate CemeteryCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubConsequentialistsConservatismCorresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesCriticism of rationalismCritics of ChristianityCritics of deismDeterministsEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersEnglish suffragistsExilliteratur writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGeorgistsGerman Ashkenazi JewsGerman agnosticsGerman revolutionariesGerman women philosophersHumor researchersJerusalem Prize recipientsJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesLinguistic turnMembers of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsPamphleteersPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtSocialist feministsStateless peopleWriters from Dublin (city)12th-century Muslim theologians18th-century American male writers, American foreign policy writers18th-century American politicians, American Freemasons, Signers of the United States Constitution18th-century English people18th-century English philosophers18th-century Irish philosophers19th-century American non-fiction writers19th-century American writers19th-century English mathematicians19th-century dramatists and playwrights from the Russian Empire, 19th-century short story writers from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian dramatists and playwrights, 20th-century Russian short story writers, Novelists from the Russian Empire, Philanthropists from the Russian Empire, Russian male dramatists and playwrights, Russian male novelists, Russian opinion journalists, Russian-language writers20th-century American essayists20th-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 Kingdom, Writers from Vienna20th-century British non-fiction writers20th-century German non-fiction writers20th-century German women writers20th-century letter writersAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAmerican Ashkenazi Jews, American Zionists, American agnostics, German ZionistsAmerican nationalists, American religious skepticsAmerican philosophers of mind, American philosophers of scienceAmerican spiritual writersAnglo-ScotsAnti-imperialistsAnti-monarchistsArabic-language commentators on AristotleBaruch SpinozaBritish MPs 1774–1780British MPs 1784–1790, British MPs 1790–1796British atheism activistsBritish atheistsBritish classical liberal economistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish deistsBritish male non-fiction writersBritish parodistsBritish people of Irish descentBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsBritish women philosophersChristian anarchists, Nonviolence advocatesChristian vegetariansCorresponding fellows of the British AcademyCreators of writing systemsCritics of MarxismCritics of political economyDeputies to the French National ConventionEconomic historians, German sociologistsEconomists of the medieval Islamic world, MujaddidEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish autobiographersEnglish humanistsEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsEnglish theologiansFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsFree love advocatesGerman anti-capitalists, German socialist feminists, Jewish communistsGerman writers on atheismHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghIndependent scholarsInfectious disease deaths in FranceIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyIrish Freemasons, Irish libertarians, Irish people of English descentJewish ethicistsJewish existentialistsJewish translators of the BibleMasonic grand mastersMaterialistsMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourNaturalized citizens of FrancePeople from Córdoba, SpainPeople from MonmouthshirePeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentPhilosophers from MassachusettsPhilosophers from al-AndalusPhilosophers of identityPhilosophical anthropologyPlatonistsPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaPrinceton University facultyPsychologists of religionRadicalsRecreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston, Writers from PhiladelphiaRectors of the University of GlasgowRectors of the University of St AndrewsRussian anarchistsRussian male journalistsScholars of antisemitismSecular humanistsSet theoristsSkeptic philosophersThe New School facultyThomas HobbesUK MPs 1865–1868Underground Railroad peopleUniversal basic income writersUniversity of Bonn alumniUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyUniversity of Jena alumniUniversity of Marburg alumniUniversity of al-Qarawiyyin alumniVoting theoristsWilliam JamesWriters about communism
  1. Averroes

    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

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    Featuring: Amira Bennison, Peter Adamson, Anthony Kenny

     
  2. Benjamin Franklin

    Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the life and work of the scientist, writer, printer, diplomat and American founding father Benjamin Franklin.

    1 March 2012

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    Featuring: Simon Middleton, Simon Newman, Patricia Fara

     
  3. 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

     
    PhilosophyNobel laureates in LiteratureBritish philosophers of languageGeorgistsEnglish political writersFree love advocatesSet theoristsAristotelian philosophersWriters about religion and scienceJerusalem Prize recipientsFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeEnglish logiciansPhilosophers of mathematicsBritish historians of philosophyEmpiricistsOntologistsMetaphysics writersBritish political philosophersFellows of the Royal SocietyMetaphilosophersTheorists on Western civilizationBritish ethicistsPhilosophers of literatureBritish free speech activists20th-century English philosophersAnalytic philosophersEnglish humanistsRhetoric theoristsAtheist philosophersEnglish political philosophersEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish people of Scottish descentPhilosophers of historyEnglish agnostics20th-century atheistsConsequentialistsEnglish socialistsPhilosophers of social scienceBritish philosophers of religionPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyLogiciansPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of sexuality19th-century English mathematiciansCritics of work and the work ethicSecular humanistsPhilosophers of technologyPhilosophers of economicsWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of educationBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsBritish philosophers of logicCritics of the Catholic ChurchPeople from MonmouthshireAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeLinguistic turnPhilosophers of loveEuropean democratic socialistsBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsWriters about activism and social changeEnglish Nobel laureatesMembers of the Order of MeritEnglish prisoners and detaineesUtilitariansIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyEnglish scepticsBritish critics of ChristianityEnglish people of Welsh descentUniversal basic income writersBritish philosophers of mind19th-century English philosophersBritish critics of religionsAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of science19th-century atheistsUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyAnti-nationalists20th-century English mathematiciansEnglish essayistsFreethought writersBritish atheism activistsWriters about communism19th-century English essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writers
  4. 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

     
  5. 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

     
  6. Hannah 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

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    Featuring: Lyndsey Stonebridge, Frisbee Sheffield, Robert Eaglestone

     
  7. Hobbes

    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

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    Featuring: Quentin Skinner, David Wootton, Annabel Brett

     
  8. 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

     
  9. Iris Murdoch

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the growing prominence of the philosophy of one of the most celebrated novelists of the 20th century, who developed her ideas in response to WWII.

    21 October 2021

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    Featuring: Anil Gomes, Anne Rowe, Miles Leeson

     
  10. 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

     
  11. 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

     
  12. 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

     
    PhilosophyBritish political philosophersEpistemologistsCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesTheorists on Western civilizationBritish ethicistsPhilosophers of logicKnights BachelorLogiciansPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietySocial philosophersPhilosophers of technologyRationalistsAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of economicsWriters about religion and scienceWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of educationBritish social liberalsRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtBritish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of mathematicsBritish historians of philosophyJewish agnosticsAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceCritics of religions20th-century British philosophers20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom, Writers from ViennaOntologistsPhilosophers of mindRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)MetaphysiciansJewish philosophersPolitical philosophersPhilosophers of religionBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsJewish ethicistsMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourWriters about activism and social change20th-century British essayistsCritics of MarxismPhilosophers of historyFellows of the British AcademyMetaphysics writersBritish male essayists
  13. Spinoza

    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

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    Featuring: Jonathan Rée, Sarah Hutton, John Cottingham

     
  14. Thomas Paine's Common Sense

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense, which was published in 1776 and bolstered support for American independence.

    21 January 2016

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    Featuring: Kathleen Burk, Nicholas Guyatt, Peter Thompson

     
  15. Thoreau and the American Idyll

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the American 19th century writer and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau

    15 January 2009

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    Featuring: Kathleen Burk, Tim Morris, Stephen Fender

     
  16. Tolstoy

    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

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    Featuring: A. N. Wilson, Catriona Kelly, Sarah Hudspith

     
  17. William 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

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    Featuring: Jonathan Rée, John Haldane, Gwen Griffith-Dickson