Philosophers of science
Philosophy of science is a branch of philosophy concerned with the foundations, methods, and implications of science. The central questions of this study concern what qualifies as science, the reliability of scientific theories, and the ultimate purpose of science.
15 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CultureHistoryPhilosophyScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsSocial philosophersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionEnlightenment 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 writersPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German philosophersExistentialistsJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersPantheistsPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsPhilosophers of psychologyAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish people of Scottish descentFrench political philosophersGerman political philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesLogiciansMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of sexualityPhilosophy of science19th-century atheistsAmerican male non-fiction writersCatholic philosophersCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish non-fiction writersIslamic philosophersPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languagePolitical philosophers17th-century English writers17th-century writers in LatinAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeAlumni of Trinity College DublinAmerican people of English descentAnti-consumeristsCritics of religionsEnglish agnosticsGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationJewish agnosticsMarxist theoristsPhilosophers of technologySimple living advocatesVirtue ethicists19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English writers20th-century German philosophersAlumni of the University of EdinburghAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationEnglish feminist writers, English feministsEnglish socialistsHeidelberg University alumniHumboldt University of Berlin alumniIrish AnglicansJewish socialistsMetaphysics writersPeople associated with electricityPolitical realistsRationalistsRhetoric theoristsScholastic philosophersWomen religious writersWriters about globalization17th-century English philosophers18th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish male writers18th-century classical composersAmerican political philosophersBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersClassical humanistsCritics of JudaismCritics of atheismDeist philosophersDiscoverers of chemical elementsEnglish libertariansEnglish philosophersEnglish physicistsEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansEuropean democratic socialistsExilliteratur writersFreethought writersGerman Marxist writersIndependent scientistsMembers of the American Academy of Arts and LettersNaturalized citizens of the United StatesScholars of feminist philosophyUtilitarians13th-century philosophers13th-century writers in Latin17th-century Anglo-Irish people18th-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 English essayists19th-century English philosophers19th-century German historians20th-century American male writersAction theoristsActivists for African-American civil rightsAlbert EinsteinAlchemists of the medieval Islamic worldAmerican autobiographersAmerican deistsAmerican humanistsAmerican male journalistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of educationAmerican philosophers of religionAmerican slave ownersAnglican philosophersAutobiographersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsBurials at Highgate CemeteryBurials at the Panthéon, ParisConsequentialistsConservatismContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)Court physiciansCriticism of rationalismCritics of ChristianityCritics of deismDeterministsEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersEnglish suffragistsGerman Ashkenazi JewsGerman agnosticsGerman revolutionariesGerman women philosophersHumor researchersIdealistsIntellectual historyJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesNobel laureates in PhysicsPamphleteersPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentPeople with hypochondriasisRecipients of Franklin MedalScholars of Trinity College DublinSocialist feministsStateless peopleWinners of the Max Planck Medal12th-century Muslim theologians17th-century Anglican theologians18th-century American politicians, American Freemasons, Signers of the United States Constitution18th-century Anglican theologians18th-century Irish philosophers18th-century male musicians20th-century American engineers20th-century American essayists20th-century American inventors, Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences20th-century American philosophers20th-century American women writers20th-century German non-fiction writers20th-century German women writers9th-century philosophersAcademic staff of ETH ZurichAcademics of Trinity College DublinAmerican Ashkenazi Jews, American Zionists, American agnostics, German ZionistsAnglo-ScotsAnti-imperialistsArabic-language commentators on AristotleAstronomers of the medieval Islamic worldBaruch SpinozaBritish classical liberal economistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish male non-fiction writersBritish philosophers of logicBritish social liberalsCatholic clergy scientistsClassical-period composersConverts to Roman Catholicism from Calvinism, Romantic philosophersCreators of writing systemsCritics of political economyEconomic historians, German sociologistsEnglish alchemistsEnglish autobiographersEnglish theologiansEnglish translators, Medieval orientalistsFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsFluid dynamicistsGerman anti-capitalists, German socialist feminists, Jewish communistsGerman writers on atheismGrammarians of LatinHistory of calculusHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghIndependent scholarsInfectious disease deaths in FranceIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyIranian ethicists, Iranian logiciansJewish German physicists, Jewish scientistsJewish existentialistsJewish translators of the BibleMasonic grand mastersMaterialistsMedieval Iranian pharmacologists, Transoxanian Islamic scholarsMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationMusic theorists of the medieval Islamic worldNaturalised citizens of AustriaPeople educated at Eton CollegePeople educated at Kilkenny CollegePeople from Córdoba, SpainPeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentPhilosophers from MassachusettsPhilosophers from al-AndalusPhilosophers of identityPhilosophical anthropologyPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaPrinceton University facultyProto-evolutionary biologistsRecreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston, Writers from PhiladelphiaRectors of the University of St AndrewsScholars of antisemitismSecular humanistsSkeptic philosophersThe New School facultyThomas HobbesUK MPs 1865–1868University of Bonn alumniUniversity of Jena alumniUniversity of Marburg alumniVoting theorists
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
PhilosophyMusic theorists of the medieval Islamic worldAlchemists of the medieval Islamic worldPhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of logicMetaphysics writersIslamic philosophersAstronomers of the medieval Islamic worldAristotelian philosophersEpistemologistsPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of artIntellectual historyPhilosophers of psychologyMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of mathematics9th-century philosophersPhilosophers of scienceArabic-language commentators on AristotleOntologists9th centuryAstronomyIslamLanguageMathematicsMedicinePsychologyAlbert Einstein
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Einstein's impact on the world of physics after his 'miraculous year' in 1905 and why he went on to become so very famous after World War One.
14 September 2023
Featuring: Richard Staley, Diana Kormos Buchwald, John Heilbron
ScienceJewish German physicists, Jewish scientistsAmerican humanistsAmerican male non-fiction writersGerman male non-fiction writersEuropean democratic socialistsNaturalised citizens of AustriaAlbert EinsteinGerman agnosticsAcademic staff of ETH ZurichMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesGerman Ashkenazi JewsRecipients of Franklin MedalStateless peopleNobel laureates in Physics20th-century American male writersJewish socialistsWinners of the Max Planck MedalJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesPhilosophers of mathematicsNaturalized citizens of the United StatesAmerican Ashkenazi Jews, American Zionists, American agnostics, German ZionistsPhilosophers of science20th-century American inventors, Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences20th-century American engineersJewish agnosticsMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyPhilosophy of sciencePantheistsAnti-nationalists20th centuryGermanyMathematicsAverroes
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 centuryIslamLanguagePsychologyTheologyAvicenna
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
PhilosophyPhilosophers of logicLogiciansClassical humanistsCritics of atheismPhilosophers of psychologyIslamic philosophersMusic theorists of the medieval Islamic worldMedieval Iranian pharmacologists, Transoxanian Islamic scholarsPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of mathematicsAlchemists of the medieval Islamic worldCourt physiciansIranian ethicists, Iranian logiciansAristotelian philosophersEpistemologistsOntologistsPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of religionIslamMathematicsMedicinePsychologyBenjamin 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 centuryAmericaBishop Berkeley
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the philosopher George Berkeley, one of the most significant thinkers of the 18th century.
20 March 2014
Featuring: Peter Millican, Tom Stoneham, Michela Massimi
PhilosophyScholars of Trinity College Dublin17th-century Anglo-Irish people18th-century Irish philosophers18th-century Irish writersEmpiricistsAlumni of Trinity College DublinIdealistsPeople educated at Kilkenny College18th-century Anglican theologiansAcademics of Trinity College DublinEnlightenment philosophers18th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish male writers17th-century Anglican theologiansEpistemologistsAnglican philosophersHistory of calculusPhilosophers of science17th century18th centuryIrelandMathematicsTheologyDavid 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
PhilosophyCritics of the Catholic ChurchPhilosophers of mind18th-century British essayistsWriters about religion and scienceVirtue ethicistsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of religionBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicCriticism of rationalismWriters about activism and social changeAlumni of the University of EdinburghEpistemologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of artBritish philosophers of educationPhilosophers of psychology18th-century British philosophersEmpiricistsPhilosophers of identityBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish critics of religionsPhilosophers of mathematicsDeist philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of historySkeptic philosophersPeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentPhilosophers of social scienceConservatismSecular humanistsPhilosophers of economicsEnlightenment philosophersAction theoristsSocial philosophersBritish male non-fiction writersOntologistsFreethought writers18th centuryEconomicsMathematicsPsychologyScotlandHannah 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
Featuring: Lyndsey Stonebridge, Frisbee Sheffield, Robert Eaglestone
PhilosophyScholars of antisemitismAmerican philosophers of educationThe New School facultyPhilosophers of cultureExilliteratur writersMembers of the American Academy of Arts and LettersPrinceton University facultyGerman women philosophersGerman agnostics20th-century German women writers20th-century German non-fiction writersJewish existentialistsGerman Ashkenazi JewsAmerican political philosophersPhilosophy writers20th-century American essayistsGerman political philosophersPhilosophers of lawPolitical philosophersJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesPhilosophers of technologyGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationAmerican Ashkenazi Jews, American Zionists, American agnostics, German ZionistsFellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences20th-century German philosophersPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of history20th-century American women writersHeidelberg University alumni20th-century American philosophersJewish agnosticsUniversity of Marburg alumniSocial philosophersWomen religious writersIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyExistentialists20th centuryAmericaGermanyHobbes
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
PhilosophyCritics of the Catholic ChurchPhilosophers of culture17th-century writers in LatinPhilosophers of mind17th-century English writersRhetoric theoristsPhilosophers of religionMaterialistsEnglish political philosophersPhilosophers of languageBritish critics of ChristianityPolitical realistsEpistemologistsBritish philosophers of educationPhilosophers of lawEmpiricistsMetaphysiciansBritish critics of religionsPhilosophers of mathematics17th-century English male writersAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of historyThomas HobbesSocial philosophersNatural law ethicistsEnglish theologians17th-century English philosophersEnglish physicistsOntologists17th centuryLanguageMathematicsMedicineTheologyMarx
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
PhilosophyGerman writers on atheismPhilosophers of cultureUniversity of Bonn alumniPhilosophers of mindCritics of political economyWriters about globalizationWriters about religion and sciencePhilosophers of religionSocialist feministsMaterialistsGerman male non-fiction writersCritics of work and the work ethicEconomic historians, German sociologistsFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsPhilosophical anthropologyGerman Marxist writersMarxist theoristsWriters about activism and social change19th-century atheistsEpistemologistsPhilosophers of educationGerman political philosophersStateless peopleCritics of religionsPhilosophers of lawAnti-consumeristsMetaphysiciansJewish socialistsPhilosophers of technologyHumboldt University of Berlin alumniUniversity of Jena alumniAnti-imperialists19th-century German philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of historyCritics of JudaismBurials at Highgate Cemetery19th-century German historiansAtheist philosophersMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationPhilosophers of economicsGerman anti-capitalists, German socialist feminists, Jewish communistsSocial philosophersPamphleteersGerman revolutionariesAnti-nationalistsOntologists19th centuryEconomicsGermanyMedicineMill
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
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Janet Radcliffe Richards, Alan Ryan
PhilosophyEnglish agnosticsBritish free speech activistsPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of sexualityEnglish logiciansUK MPs 1865–1868Voting theoristsEnglish libertariansEnglish political philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish essayistsEuropean democratic socialists19th-century English philosophersScholars of feminist philosophyInfectious disease deaths in FranceHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghBritish socialistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of psychologyEnglish feminist writers, English feministsAnglo-ScotsEmpiricistsBritish philosophers of languageUtilitariansEnglish autobiographersBritish philosophers of mindRectors of the University of St AndrewsFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of scienceEnglish non-fiction writersPhilosophers of historyBritish social liberals19th-century English non-fiction writersLogiciansBritish ethicistsBritish political philosophers19th-century English writers19th-century English essayistsBritish philosophers of logicPhilosophers of economicsEnglish political writersEnglish people of Scottish descentEnglish socialistsEnglish male non-fiction writersBritish classical liberal economistsEnglish suffragistsEnglish republicansConsequentialists19th centuryEconomicsLanguageMedicinePsychologyRobert Boyle
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the life and work of Robert Boyle, a pioneering scientist and one of the first Fellows of the Royal Society.
12 June 2014
Featuring: Simon Schaffer, Michael Hunter, Anna Marie Roos
Science17th-century Anglo-Irish peopleIndependent scientistsFluid dynamicistsEnglish alchemistsIrish AnglicansDiscoverers of chemical elementsPeople educated at Eton College17th-century English male writers17th-century English writersWriters about religion and science17th-century English philosophersEnglish physicistsPhilosophers of science17th centuryIrelandRoger 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 centuryEconomicsFranceMusicSpinoza
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
PhilosophyCritics of the Catholic ChurchPhilosophers of culture17th-century writers in LatinPhilosophers of mindMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of religionJewish translators of the BibleBaruch SpinozaEpistemologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of educationDeterministsMetaphysiciansJewish philosophersPhilosophers of scienceRationalistsPhilosophers of historyCritics of JudaismEnlightenment philosophersSocial philosophersPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentPantheistsAge of EnlightenmentOntologists17th century18th centuryMedicine