Philosophers of social science
The philosophy of social science is the study of the logic, methods, and foundations of social sciences (psychology, cultural anthropology, sociology, etc...). Philosophers of social science are concerned with the differences and similarities between the social and the natural sciences, causal relationships between social phenomena, the possible existence of social laws, and the ontological significance of structure and agency.
10 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CultureHistoryPhilosophyScienceFellows 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 philosophersMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEpistemologistsAphoristsCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of law18th-century philosophers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophers20th-century atheistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersNobel laureates in LiteraturePantheistsPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsWriters from ParisAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish people of Scottish descentExistentialistsFrench atheistsGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersLogiciansMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of sexualityUniversity of Paris alumni19th-century atheists20th-century French philosophersCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsFrench political philosophersGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureLiteracy and society theoristsPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of language19th-century German essayists20th-century essayistsAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsCritics of religionsEnglish agnosticsEpic poetsGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsJewish agnosticsLiterary theoristsMembers of the Académie FrançaisePeople whose existence is disputedPhilosophers of technologyTheoretical historiansVirtue ethicists18th-century German male writers20th-century French novelistsAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of scienceGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceIrony theoristsLegion of Honour refusalsLeipzig University alumniMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesMembers of the Order of MeritMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesMetaphysics writersPhilosophers of deathPhilosophers of warPolitical realistsRationalistsRhetoric theoristsRomantic poetsWriters about globalization18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayists19th-century German male musicians19th-century German non-fiction writers20th-century British philosophers20th-century English philosophersAlumni of the University of EdinburghBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersCritical theoristsDeist philosophersEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish political philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsFabulistsFreethought writersFrench Nobel laureatesFrench literary criticsFrench male non-fiction writersFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsFrench socialistsGerman critics of ChristianityGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionLibertarian socialistsMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesPhenomenologistsUtilitariansÉcole Normale Supérieure alumni18th-century British essayists18th-century British philosophers18th-century German writers19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers19th-century German historians19th-century German novelists19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educators19th-century travel writers20th-century British essayists20th-century English mathematiciansAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBisexual male writersBlind writersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubColor scientistsConsequentialistsConservatismCriticism of rationalismDeterministsEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersEpigrammatistsFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeFrench Resistance membersFrench anarchists, French anti-fascists, French anti-capitalistsFrench communistsFrench epistemologistsFrench philosophers of artGeorgistsGerman FreemasonsGerman agnosticsGerman autobiographersGerman epistemologistsGerman idealistsGerman librariansGerman male poets, German male dramatists and playwrightsGerman nationalistsGerman travel writersGerman untitled nobilityGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourHumor researchersIdealistsIntellectual historyJerusalem Prize recipientsJewish atheistsLecturersLinguistic turnLycée Condorcet alumniLycée Henri-IV alumniMilitary theoristsPeople associated with the University of BaselPeople from the Province of SaxonyPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentPeople with post-traumatic stress disorderPhilosophers of linguisticsPhilosophers of timePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyStateless peopleSturm und Drang, Johann Wolfgang von GoetheUniversity of Strasbourg alumniWittgensteinian philosophers19th-century English mathematicians19th-century German journalists19th-century Prussian people20th-century British non-fiction writers20th-century French male writers20th-century French memoirists6th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty philosophers, Deified Chinese men, Chinese political philosophers, 5th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty writersAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAction theoristsAustro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I, Austrian people of Jewish descentBertrand Russell Professors of PhilosophyBisexual military personnelBritish atheism activistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish male non-fiction writersBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionContinental philosophersCorresponding fellows of the British AcademyDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish humanistsEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsFree love advocatesFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench essayistsFrench ethicists, French biographersFrench humanists, 20th-century French dramatists and playwrightsFrench scientists with disabilitiesGerman bibliophiles, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century travel writers, Writers from Weimar, 19th-century German diplomats, 18th-century German novelists, German diplomats, 18th-century German historians, German male novelists, 19th-century German poets, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German civil servants, Writers from Frankfurt, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century German civil servantsGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersGerman music criticsJewish historiansJourney to the West charactersKantianismLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophersLinguists from FranceNaturalised 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 agnosticsOrdinary language philosophyPeople from MonmouthshirePeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentPhilosophers of identityPhilosophers of nihilismScholars of antisemitismSecular humanistsSet theoristsSkeptic philosophersThe New School facultyUniversal basic income writersUniversity of Bonn alumniUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansWriters about communism
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
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Mike Beaney, Hilary Greaves
PhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and scienceEnglish essayistsAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social sciencePhilosophers of mathematics20th-century atheistsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsNobel laureates in LiteratureAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of loveLogiciansPhilosophers of sexualityEnglish people of Scottish descent19th-century atheistsEmpiricistsCritics of work and the work ethicAnalytic philosophersEnglish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyAnti-nationalistsMembers of the Order of MeritBritish critics of religionsRhetoric theoristsEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsMetaphysics writersWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of education20th-century English philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsBritish philosophers of mindEnglish people of Welsh descentBritish ethicistsUtilitariansEnglish political philosophersFreethought writersBritish political philosophersBritish philosophers of languagePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyBritish historians of philosophy20th-century English mathematiciansEnglish logicians19th-century English philosophersJerusalem Prize recipientsGeorgists19th-century English essayistsAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsConsequentialistsEnglish political writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish free speech activistsLinguistic turnUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultySet theoristsEnglish humanistsBritish atheism activistsUniversal basic income writersEnglish anti-fascistsWriters about communismPeople from Monmouthshire19th-century English mathematiciansBritish critics of ChristianityEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsFree love advocatesBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionSecular humanistsUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureDavid Hume
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work of David Hume, the philosopher and leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment.
6 October 2011
Featuring: Peter Millican, Helen Beebee, James Harris
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophy writersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersEpistemologistsCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and sciencePhilosophers of social sciencePhilosophers of mathematicsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of artEmpiricistsVirtue ethicistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationDeist philosophersAlumni of the University of EdinburghFreethought writers18th-century British philosophersConservatismBritish consciousness researchers and theorists18th-century British essayistsCriticism of rationalismAction theoristsPeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentSkeptic philosophersSecular humanistsBritish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of identityGoethe
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
CulturePhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnlightenment philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of social sciencePantheists19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyNatural philosophersPhilosophers of sexualityLiteracy and society theoristsGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureEpic poetsLiterary theorists19th-century German essayistsRomantic poetsLeipzig University alumni18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceMembers of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences19th-century German non-fiction writersMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesFabulistsFreethought writersEpigrammatists19th-century German novelistsGerman FreemasonsUniversity of Strasbourg alumniPhilosophers of linguisticsGerman untitled nobilityGerman librariansGerman travel writers19th-century travel writersColor scientistsGerman autobiographers19th-century German historiansGerman philosophers of education, German ethicists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman male poets, German male dramatists and playwrights19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educatorsSturm und Drang, Johann Wolfgang von GoetheGerman bibliophiles, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century travel writers, Writers from Weimar, 19th-century German diplomats, 18th-century German novelists, German diplomats, 18th-century German historians, German male novelists, 19th-century German poets, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German civil servants, Writers from Frankfurt, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century German civil servantsGoethe 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
SciencePhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnlightenment philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of social sciencePantheists19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyNatural philosophersPhilosophers of sexualityLiteracy and society theoristsGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureEpic poetsLiterary theorists19th-century German essayistsRomantic poetsLeipzig University alumni18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceMembers of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences19th-century German non-fiction writersMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesFabulistsFreethought writersEpigrammatists19th-century German novelistsGerman FreemasonsUniversity of Strasbourg alumniPhilosophers of linguisticsGerman untitled nobilityGerman librariansGerman travel writers19th-century travel writersColor scientistsGerman autobiographers19th-century German historiansGerman philosophers of education, German ethicists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman male poets, German male dramatists and playwrights19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educatorsSturm und Drang, Johann Wolfgang von GoetheGerman bibliophiles, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century travel writers, Writers from Weimar, 19th-century German diplomats, 18th-century German novelists, German diplomats, 18th-century German historians, German male novelists, 19th-century German poets, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German civil servants, Writers from Frankfurt, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century German civil servantsKant's Copernican Revolution
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Kant's ideas on how the world depends on us, on the limits of human knowledge and why we are bound to ask questions we cannot answer.
3 June 2021
Featuring: Fiona Hughes, Anil Gomes, John Callanan
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnlightenment philosophersWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersMetaphilosophersGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of sexualityGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureTheoretical historians19th-century German essayistsRationalistsMembers of the Prussian Academy of Sciences18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of sciencePhilosophers of war19th-century German non-fiction writersGerman agnostics18th-century German writersGerman idealistsIdealistsGerman epistemologistsGerman nationalistsHumor researchersLecturersPeople of the Age of Enlightenment19th-century Prussian peopleKantianismGerman philosophers of education, German ethicists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersLévi-Strauss
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work of French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss.
23 May 2013
Featuring: Adam Kuper, Christina Howells, Vincent Debaene
CultureOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of social scienceForeign associates of the National Academy of Sciences20th-century atheistsJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersWriters from ParisFrench atheistsUniversity of Paris alumniMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesLiteracy and society theorists20th-century French philosophersPhilosophers of languageMembers of the Académie Française20th-century essayistsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of scienceMetaphysics writersWriters about globalizationFrench male non-fiction writersPhenomenologistsCritical theoristsJewish atheistsLycée Condorcet alumniFrench epistemologistsGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourIntellectual historyPhilosophers of linguisticsAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceThe New School faculty20th-century French memoiristsJewish historians20th-century French male writersCorresponding fellows of the British AcademyFrench essayistsLinguists from FranceWriters about communismFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsNietzsche's Genealogy of Morality
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Nietzsche's influential ideas about what it means to be moral.
12 January 2017
Featuring: Stephen Mulhall, Fiona Hughes, Keith Ansell-Pearson
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and scienceAphoristsGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersMetaphilosophersGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyPhilosophers of sexualityExistentialistsPhilosophers of psychologyGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureCritics of work and the work ethicAnti-consumeristsCritics of religionsAnti-nationalistsLeipzig University alumniIrony theorists19th-century German male musicians19th-century German non-fiction writersCritical theoristsGerman critics of ChristianityPeople associated with the University of BaselStateless peopleGerman epistemologistsDeterministsPeople from the Province of Saxony19th-century German novelistsPhilosophers of time19th-century Prussian people19th-century German journalistsGerman music criticsPhilosophers of nihilismUniversity of Bonn alumniDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionSartre
Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and works of French novelist, playwright and philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.
7 October 2004
Featuring: Jonathan Rée, Benedict O'Donohoe, Christina Howells
CultureOntologistsPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindMetaphysiciansAphoristsAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of social science20th-century atheistsWriters from ParisNobel laureates in LiteratureFrench atheistsPhilosophers of sexualityExistentialistsFrench political philosophers20th-century French philosophersLegion of Honour refusalsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of science20th-century French novelistsPhilosophers of deathFrench socialistsÉcole Normale Supérieure alumniPhenomenologistsFrench Nobel laureatesLibertarian socialistsFrench literary criticsCritical theoristsFrench epistemologistsFrench Resistance membersBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryFrench communistsFrench philosophers of artLycée Henri-IV alumniBlind writersFrench scientists with disabilitiesScholars of antisemitismPhilosophers of nihilismContinental philosophersFree love advocatesFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsFrench anarchists, French anti-fascists, French anti-capitalistsFrench ethicists, French biographersFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench humanists, 20th-century French dramatists and playwrightsSun Tzu and The Art of War
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Chinese military adviser Sun Tzu from the 6th century BC and the influential work of military strategy associated with him, The Art of War.
1 March 2018
Featuring: Hilde de Weerdt, Tim Barrett, Imre Galambos
HistoryPhilosophers of cultureAphoristsPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of social scienceTheoretical historiansPeople whose existence is disputedPhilosophers of warPolitical realistsMilitary theoristsJourney to the West characters6th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty philosophers, Deified Chinese men, Chinese political philosophers, 5th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty writersWittgenstein
Melvyn Bragg discusses how Ludwig Wittgenstein, one of the greatest philosophers of the modern age has influenced contemporary culture with his ideas on language.
4 December 2003
Featuring: Ray Monk, Barry Smith, Marie McGinn
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophy writersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of cultureEpistemologistsPhilosophers of social sciencePhilosophers of mathematicsJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languageAnalytic philosophersJewish agnostics20th-century British philosophersWittgensteinian philosophersCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubPeople with post-traumatic stress disorderAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeLinguistic turn20th-century British essayistsBisexual male writersBertrand Russell Professors of Philosophy20th-century British non-fiction writersOrdinary language philosophyBisexual military personnelAustro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I, Austrian people of Jewish descentLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophersNaturalised citizens of the United Kingdom, Austrian agnostics, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Austrian essayists, Writers from Vienna, British logicians, 20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian logicians, British agnostics