Philosophers of literature
Philosophy and literature involves the literary treatment of philosophers and philosophical themes (the literature of philosophy), and the philosophical treatment of issues raised by literature (the philosophy of literature). Strictly speaking, the philosophy of literature is a branch of aesthetics, the branch of philosophy that deals with the question, "what is art"?
18 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CultureHistoryPhilosophyScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsEnglish male poetsSocial philosophersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceSonneteersEnlightenment 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 law20th-century atheistsNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersChristian humanistsExistentialistsGerman LutheransJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersPantheistsPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsPhilosophers of psychologyWriters from Paris20th-century French philosophersAristotelian philosophersEnglish male novelistsEnglish people of Scottish descentFrench atheistsFrench political philosophersGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsAmerican male non-fiction writersCatholic philosophersChristian radicalsCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish male short story writersEpic poetsGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureIslamic philosophersLiteracy and society theoristsPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languagePolitical philosophers19th-century German essayists19th-century pseudonymous writers20th-century essayistsAmerican people of English descentAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsBurials at Père Lachaise CemeteryChristian ethicistsCritics of religionsEnglish agnosticsEnglish satiristsEnglish travel writersFormer Roman CatholicsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of scienceGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationLiterary theoristsModernist writersPhilosophers of technologyRomantic poetsSimple living advocatesTheoretical historiansVirtue ethicists18th-century German male writers19th-century German male musicians19th-century male writers20th-century English novelists20th-century French novelists20th-century German philosophersAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationChristian poetsConversationalistsEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish short story writersEnglish socialistsFrench male non-fiction writersFrench philosophers of cultureFrench philosophers of historyFrench socialistsGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceHumboldt University of Berlin alumniIrony theoristsJewish socialistsLegion of Honour refusalsLeipzig University alumniMale essayistsMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesMembers of the Order of MeritMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesMetaphysics writersPeople associated with electricityPhenomenologistsPhilosophers of deathPhilosophers of warRationalistsRhetoric theoristsScholastic philosophersTrope theoristsUniversity of Göttingen alumniWriters about globalizationÉcole Normale Supérieure alumni18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayists18th-century classical composers19th-century French philosophers19th-century German non-fiction writers19th-century German writers19th-century deaths from tuberculosis20th-century British philosophers20th-century English philosophers20th-century translatorsAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeAmerican political philosophersBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersCritical theoristsCritics of JudaismCritics of atheismDeist philosophersEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish philosophersEnglish political philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsExilliteratur writersFabulistsFreethought writersFrench LGBTQ novelistsFrench Nobel laureatesFrench epistemologistsFrench literary criticsFrench philosophers of artFrench sociologistsGerman Marxist writersGerman critics of ChristianityGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionGerman untitled nobilityIndependent scientistsJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsLGBTQ Roman CatholicsLibertarian socialistsMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesMetaphor theoristsPhilosophers of pessimismUtilitarians13th-century philosophers13th-century writers in Latin18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American Enlightenment18th-century German educators, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 19th-century historians18th-century German writers18th-century pseudonymous writers19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers19th-century German historians19th-century German novelists19th-century essayists19th-century mystics19th-century non-fiction writers from the Russian Empire19th-century travel writers20th-century British essayists20th-century English mathematicians20th-century mysticsAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinActivists for African-American civil rightsAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordAmerican autobiographersAmerican deistsAmerican male journalistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of educationAmerican philosophers of religionAmerican slave ownersAnarchist writersAnthologistsAutobiographersBlind writersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryBurials at the Panthéon, ParisColor scientistsConsequentialistsContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)Corresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesCritics of ChristianityCritics of deismDeterministsEnglish emigrants to the United StatesEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersEpigrammatistsFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeFrench Resistance membersFrench Roman Catholic writersFrench anarchists, French anti-capitalists, French anti-fascistsFrench communistsFrench humanistsGeorgistsGerman FreemasonsGerman agnosticsGerman autobiographersGerman epistemologistsGerman idealistsGerman librariansGerman male dramatists and playwrights, German male poetsGerman monarchistsGerman nationalistsGerman travel writersHaiku poetsHumor researchersIdealistsJerusalem Prize recipientsJohann Wolfgang von Goethe, Sturm und DrangLecturersLinguistic turnLycée Condorcet alumniLycée Henri-IV alumniLycée Louis-le-Grand alumniMagic realism writersMembers of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsNew Age predecessorsPeople associated with the University of BaselPeople from the Province of SaxonyPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentPeople with hypochondriasisPhilosophers of linguisticsPhilosophers of timePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyStateless peopleSurrealist writersUniversity of Strasbourg alumni12th-century Muslim theologians18th-century American politicians, American Freemasons, Signers of the United States Constitution18th-century German civil servants, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century German historians, 18th-century German novelists, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century travel writers, 19th-century German civil servants, 19th-century German diplomats, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German poets, German bibliophiles, German diplomats, German male novelists, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, Writers from Frankfurt, Writers from Weimar18th-century male musicians19th-century English mathematicians19th-century French LGBTQ people, 20th-century French LGBTQ people19th-century German journalists19th-century Prussian people19th-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 British non-fiction writers20th-century French dramatists and playwrights20th-century French essayists, 20th-century French short story writers20th-century German male writers20th-century letter writersAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAlumni of Balliol College, OxfordAnti-natalistsArabic-language commentators on AristotleBlind poetsBritish atheism activistsBritish atheistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish parodistsBritish people of Irish descentBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionBritish women philosophersCatholic clergy scientistsChristian anarchists, Nonviolence advocatesChristian vegetariansClassical-period composersCommanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of GermanyContinental philosophersConverts to Roman Catholicism from Calvinism, Romantic philosophersCreators of writing systemsDeaths from pneumonia in France, Prix Goncourt winnersDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyDuke University facultyEnglish alchemistsEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish humanistsEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsEnglish science fiction writersEnglish translators, Medieval orientalistsExistentialist theologiansFrankfurter Zeitung peopleFree love advocatesFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench biographers, French ethicistsFrench essayistsFrench magazine foundersFrench scientists with disabilitiesFrench short story writersGerman eugenicistsGerman literary criticsGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersGerman military personnel of the Franco-Prussian WarGerman music criticsGerman philologistsGerman philosophers of technologyGerman writers on atheismGrammarians of LatinIndependent scholarsIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyKantianismLost Generation writersMasonic grand mastersPeople educated at Eton CollegePeople from Córdoba, SpainPeople from MonmouthshirePhilosophers from MassachusettsPhilosophers from al-AndalusPhilosophers of identityPhilosophers of nihilismPlatonistsPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaPostmodern writers, Recipients of the Legion of HonourProto-evolutionary biologistsRecreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston, Writers from PhiladelphiaRussian anarchistsRussian male journalistsScholars of antisemitismSecular humanistsSet theoristsSpanish-language poetsUniversal basic income writersUniversity of Bonn alumniUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyUniversity of Copenhagen alumniWriters about communismWriters from Berlin
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Aldous Huxley's dystopian 1932 novel Brave New World and its vision of a future of test tube babies, free love and round-the-clock surveillance.
9 April 2009
Featuring: David Bradshaw, Daniel Pick, Michèle Barrett
CultureEnglish agnosticsEnglish male novelistsEnglish emigrants to the United StatesAlumni of Balliol College, OxfordBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsEnglish science fiction writersEnglish essayists20th-century British essayists20th-century mysticsPeople educated at Eton CollegeEnglish male poetsEnglish short story writersJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsAnti-consumeristsPhilosophers of technologyEnglish male short story writersMale essayistsNew Age predecessorsBritish philosophers of mindLost Generation writersEnglish satiristsDuke University faculty20th-century English novelists20th-century English philosophersEnglish travel writersPhilosophers of literature20th centuryAverroes
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
PhilosophyPhilosophers from al-AndalusPeople from Córdoba, SpainPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of religionCritics of deismPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of languageCritics of atheismIslamic philosophersAristotelian philosophersEpistemologistsPhilosophers of psychology12th-century Muslim theologiansPolitical philosophersCritics of ChristianityPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of historyLogiciansArabic-language commentators on AristotleOntologistsSocial philosophersPhilosophers of literature12th centuryIslamLanguagePsychologyTheologyBenjamin 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
Featuring: Simon Middleton, Simon Newman, Patricia Fara
CultureHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesPeople associated with electricityAmerican philosophers of educationHumor researchersActivists for African-American civil rightsAmerican philosophers of cultureCreators of writing systemsWriters about religion and scienceAmerican slave ownersRhetoric theoristsRecreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston, Writers from PhiladelphiaAmerican male non-fiction writersIndependent scientistsIndependent scholarsAmerican people of English descentAmerican deistsWriters about activism and social changeSimple living advocatesAmerican political philosophers18th-century American politicians, American Freemasons, Signers of the United States ConstitutionPhilosophy writersAmerican autobiographersAmerican philosophers of religionHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesPhilosophers of technologyMasonic grand mastersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of historyRecipients of the Copley MedalPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaPhilosophers from Massachusetts18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American EnlightenmentAmerican male journalistsSocial philosophersMembers of the American Philosophical Society18th-century pseudonymous writersAphoristsAge of EnlightenmentPhilosophers of literatureFellows of the Royal Society18th centuryAmericaBertrand 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 centuryEconomicsLanguageMathematicsGoethe
Melvyn Bragg discusses the great German polymath Johann Wolfgang Goethe - novelist, dramatist, poet, humanist, scientist and philosopher.
6 April 2006
Featuring: Tim Blanning, Sarah Colvin, W. Daniel Wilson
18th-century German male writersMembers of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences19th-century German non-fiction writersGerman philosophers of language19th-century travel writersMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesPhilosophers of sexualityLiteracy and society theoristsGerman autobiographersGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersEpigrammatistsJohann Wolfgang von Goethe, Sturm und DrangEpic poetsPhilosophers of linguistics18th-century German civil servants, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century German historians, 18th-century German novelists, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century travel writers, 19th-century German civil servants, 19th-century German diplomats, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German poets, German bibliophiles, German diplomats, German male novelists, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, Writers from Frankfurt, Writers from WeimarGerman untitled nobilityNatural philosophersWriters about activism and social changeRomantic poetsGerman travel writersGerman librariansPhilosophy writersGerman political philosophersFabulists19th-century German novelistsGerman FreemasonsColor scientistsGerman philosophers of culture18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsFreethought writersGerman philosophers of science19th-century German philosophersGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationTheorists on Western civilizationLiterary theoristsUniversity of Strasbourg alumniLeipzig University alumni19th-century German historiansGerman male dramatists and playwrights, German male poetsPhilosophers of social science19th-century German essayists19th-century German male writersGerman male essayistsEnlightenment philosophers18th-century German educators, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 19th-century historiansPantheistsPhilosophers of literatureGerman philosophers of art18th century19th centuryGermanyLanguageGoethe and the Science of the Enlightenment
Melvyn Bragg assesses the scientific legacy of the 18th century German poet and thinker Goethe, who gave us the term morphology and is sometimes even credited with inventing biology itself.
10 February 2000
Featuring: Nicholas Boyle, Simon Schaffer
Science18th-century German male writersMembers of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences19th-century German non-fiction writersGerman philosophers of language19th-century travel writersMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesPhilosophers of sexualityLiteracy and society theoristsGerman autobiographersGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersEpigrammatistsJohann Wolfgang von Goethe, Sturm und DrangEpic poetsPhilosophers of linguistics18th-century German civil servants, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century German historians, 18th-century German novelists, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century travel writers, 19th-century German civil servants, 19th-century German diplomats, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German poets, German bibliophiles, German diplomats, German male novelists, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, Writers from Frankfurt, Writers from WeimarGerman untitled nobilityNatural philosophersWriters about activism and social changeRomantic poetsGerman travel writersGerman librariansPhilosophy writersGerman political philosophersFabulists19th-century German novelistsGerman FreemasonsColor scientistsGerman philosophers of culture18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsFreethought writersGerman philosophers of science19th-century German philosophersGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationTheorists on Western civilizationLiterary theoristsUniversity of Strasbourg alumniLeipzig University alumni19th-century German historiansGerman male dramatists and playwrights, German male poetsPhilosophers of social science19th-century German essayists19th-century German male writersGerman male essayistsEnlightenment philosophers18th-century German educators, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 19th-century historiansPantheistsPhilosophers of literatureGerman philosophers of art18th century19th centuryGermanyLanguageIris 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
Featuring: Anil Gomes, Anne Rowe, Miles Leeson
CulturePhilosophers of cultureBritish historians of philosophyVirtue ethicistsAnalytic philosophersPlatonistsBritish atheists20th-century atheists20th-century British non-fiction writersBritish socialistsAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordPhilosophy writersJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipients20th-century British philosophersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of historyBritish ethicistsAtheist philosophersBritish women philosophersAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeBritish parodistsBritish people of Irish descentPhilosophers of literature20th centuryJorge 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 centuryLanguageMathematicsKant'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
Philosophy18th-century German male writersGerman logicians, Kantian philosophers19th-century German non-fiction writersHumor researchersGerman LutheransPhilosophers of sexualityWriters about religion and scienceGerman nationalistsMetaphilosophersGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writers19th-century Prussian peoplePhilosophers of logicGerman idealistsGerman agnostics18th-century philosophersNatural philosophersWriters about activism and social changeMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesPhilosophy writers18th-century German writersGerman political philosophersKantianismPhilosophers of lawGerman philosophers of culture18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsLecturersGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationGerman philosophers of science19th-century German philosophersTheoretical historiansTheorists on Western civilizationRationalistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionGerman epistemologistsLogiciansIdealistsPhilosophers of social science19th-century German essayists19th-century German male writersGerman male essayistsEnlightenment philosophersOntologistsNatural law ethicistsPhilosophers of warPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentAge of EnlightenmentPhilosophers of literatureGerman philosophers of art18th century19th centuryGermanyKierkegaard
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
PhilosophyChristian humanistsPhilosophers of cultureExistentialist theologiansPhilosophers of mindMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of religion19th-century male writers19th-century pseudonymous writersChristian poetsEpistemologistsChristian ethicistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of artChristian radicalsPhilosophers of psychologyIrony theorists19th-century essayistsMetaphysiciansPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarUniversity of Copenhagen alumni19th-century deaths from tuberculosisPhilosophers of deathOntologistsSocial philosophersAphoristsExistentialistsPhilosophers of literature19th centuryMedicinePsychologyTheologyNietzsche'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
PhilosophyCritics of the Catholic Church19th-century German male musicians19th-century German journalistsPhilosophers of timeUniversity of Bonn alumni19th-century German non-fiction writersPhilosophers of sexualityWriters about religion and scienceMetaphilosophersGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersCritics of work and the work ethicGerman critics of Christianity19th-century Prussian peopleGerman music criticsWriters about activism and social changeStateless peoplePhilosophy writersIrony theoristsDeterministsPhilosophers of psychology19th-century German novelistsPeople from the Province of SaxonyCritics of religionsCritical theoristsAnti-consumeristsMetaphysiciansGerman philosophers of culturePeople associated with the University of BaselGerman military personnel of the Franco-Prussian WarGerman ethicists, German philosophers of education19th-century German philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionGerman epistemologistsPhilosophers of nihilismLeipzig University alumniPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writersGerman male essayistsOntologistsAphoristsExistentialistsAnti-nationalistsPhilosophers of literatureGerman philosophers of art19th centuryGermanyMedicineMusicPsychologyWarProust
Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and achievements of the 19th century French novelist Marcel Proust whose 3000 page work À La Recherche du Temps Perdu has been called the definitive modern novel.
17 April 2003
Featuring: Jacqueline Rose, Malcolm Bowie, Robert Fraser
Lycée Condorcet alumniDeaths from pneumonia in France, Prix Goncourt winnersFrench literary criticsConversationalistsFrench essayistsFrench male non-fiction writersFormer Roman Catholics20th-century mystics20th-century atheistsFrench short story writers20th-century French philosophers19th-century atheistsPeople with hypochondriasisModernist writersBurials at Père Lachaise Cemetery19th-century French philosophersFrench philosophers of art20th-century French novelistsFrench Roman Catholic writersFrench LGBTQ novelistsWriters from Paris19th-century French LGBTQ people, 20th-century French LGBTQ people20th-century French essayists, 20th-century French short story writersLGBTQ Roman CatholicsAphorists19th-century mysticsFrench atheistsPhilosophers of literature19th century20th centuryFranceRoger Bacon
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss medieval English scholar Roger Bacon, an early pioneer of science who became known as Doctor Mirabilis.
20 April 2017
Featuring: Jack Cunningham, Amanda Power, Elly Truitt
HistoryEnglish philosophersPhilosophers of languageEmpiricistsEnglish alchemistsMetaphysiciansNatural philosophers13th-century writers in LatinCatholic philosophersPhilosophers of mindEnglish translators, Medieval orientalistsCatholic clergy scientistsScholastic philosophersPhilosophers of literature13th-century philosophersPhilosophers of scienceGrammarians of Latin13th centuryLanguageMedicineRousseau 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
Featuring: Richard Whatmore, Caroline Warman, Denis McManus
PhilosophyPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of mind18th-century classical composers18th-century philosophersWriters about activism and social changeSimple living advocatesBurials at the Panthéon, ParisContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)Proto-evolutionary biologistsPhilosophers of educationFrench political philosophersPhilosophers of artConverts to Roman Catholicism from Calvinism, Romantic philosophersPeople with hypochondriasisClassical-period composersDeist philosophersPhilosophers of scienceAutobiographersPhilosophers of economicsEnlightenment philosophersCatholic philosophers18th-century male musiciansSocial philosophersAge of EnlightenmentPhilosophers of literature18th centuryEconomicsFranceMusicSartre
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
PhilosophyScholars of antisemitismFrench sociologists20th-century French dramatists and playwrightsFrench magazine foundersFrench philosophers of educationFrench literary criticsFrench socialistsFrench biographers, French ethicistsPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of sexualityLegion of Honour refusalsFrench philosophers of scienceLycée Henri-IV alumni20th-century atheistsÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniFrench anarchists, French anti-capitalists, French anti-fascists20th-century French philosophersPhilosophy writersFrench political philosophersCritical theoristsMetaphysiciansBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryFrench communistsBlind writersFree love advocatesFrench philosophers of art20th-century French novelistsFrench philosophers of historyFrench Resistance membersContinental philosophersNobel laureates in LiteratureFrench humanistsFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesFrench Nobel laureatesFrench scientists with disabilitiesTheorists on Western civilizationFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsLycée Louis-le-Grand alumniWriters from ParisPhilosophers of nihilismFrench epistemologistsAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of social scienceLibertarian socialistsPhilosophers of deathOntologistsPhenomenologistsAphoristsExistentialistsPhilosophers of literatureFrench philosophers of cultureFrench atheists20th centuryFranceMedicineSchopenhauer
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
PhilosophyGerman writers on atheismGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersUniversity of Göttingen alumniGerman philosophers of languageGerman philologistsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of loveGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of pessimismPhilosophers of logicGerman critics of ChristianityGerman idealistsSimple living advocatesAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of Berlin19th-century atheistsPhilosophy writersGerman political philosophersPhilosophers of psychologyCritics of religionsCritical theoristsGerman eugenicistsGerman philosophers of culture19th-century German writersAnti-natalistsGerman monarchistsGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationGerman philosophers of science19th-century German philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionCritics of JudaismGerman epistemologistsLogiciansAtheist philosophers19th-century German essayists19th-century German male writersGerman male essayistsOntologistsPhenomenologistsAphoristsPhilosophers of literatureGerman philosophers of art19th centuryGermanyLanguagePsychologyTolstoy
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
Philosophers of cultureRussian anarchistsPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of religion19th-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 writersAnarchist writersRussian male journalistsChristian vegetariansWriters about activism and social changeCorresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesEpistemologistsPhilosophers of education19th-century essayistsMetaphysiciansPolitical philosophersHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesGeorgistsPhilosophers of history19th-century non-fiction writers from the Russian EmpireOntologistsSocial philosophersChristian anarchists, Nonviolence advocates20th-century letter writers20th-century essayistsMembers of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsPhilosophers of literature19th century20th centuryLanguageMedicineRussiaWalter Benjamin
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the remarkable philosopher and critic whose ideas, developed in the 1930s, became highly influential after his death while escaping the Holocaust.
10 February 2022
Featuring: Esther Leslie, Kevin McLaughlin, Carolin Duttlinger
PhilosophyWriters from BerlinFrankfurter Zeitung peopleJewish socialistsGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureGerman literary criticsGerman philosophers of languageGerman Marxist writersGerman male essayistsHumboldt University of Berlin alumniExilliteratur writers20th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of technology20th-century German philosophersPhilosophers of literatureGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersJewish philosophers20th centuryGermanyLanguage