Philosophy writers
Philosophy (from Greek: φιλοσοφία, philosophia, 'love of wisdom') is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved.
19 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CultureHistoryPhilosophyScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsSocial philosophersFellows 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 essayistsRecipients of the Copley MedalWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophers20th-century atheistsChristian humanistsJewish 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 philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheists20th-century French philosophersAmerican male non-fiction writersChristian radicalsCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish non-fiction writersFrench political philosophersGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureLiteracy and society theoristsPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languagePolitical philosophers19th-century German essayists19th-century pseudonymous writers20th-century essayistsAmerican people of English descentAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsChristian ethicistsCritics of religionsEnglish agnosticsEpic poetsGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsJewish agnosticsLiterary theoristsPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarPhilosophers of technologySimple living advocatesTheoretical historiansVirtue ethicists17th-century writers in Latin18th-century German male writers19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English writers19th-century male writers20th-century French novelists20th-century German philosophersAncient Greek philosophers of mindAncient Roman adopteesAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationChristian poetsEnglish atheistsEnglish feminists, English feminist writersEnglish 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 Prussian Academy of SciencesPeople associated with electricityPhilosophers of deathPhilosophers of warRationalistsRhetoric theoristsRomantic poetsUniversity of Göttingen alumniWomen religious writers18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayists19th-century German male musicians19th-century German non-fiction writers19th-century German writers20th-century British philosophers20th-century English philosophersAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeAlumni of the University of EdinburghAmerican political philosophersAncient Roman philhellenesBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersCritical theoristsCritics of JudaismDeist philosophersEnglish libertariansEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansEuropean democratic socialistsFabulistsFellows of the British AcademyFreethought writersFrench Nobel laureatesFrench literary criticsFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsFrench socialistsGerman critics of ChristianityGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionHeidelberg University alumniHistorians of the French RevolutionIndependent scientistsLibertarian socialistsMembers of the American Academy of Arts and LettersMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesPhenomenologistsPhilosophers of pessimismRoman pharaohsScholars of feminist philosophyUtilitariansÉcole Normale Supérieure alumni18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American Enlightenment18th-century British essayists18th-century British philosophers18th-century German writers18th-century pseudonymous writers19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers19th-century German historians19th-century German novelists19th-century deaths from tuberculosis19th-century essayists19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educators19th-century mystics19th-century non-fiction writers from the Russian Empire19th-century travel writers20th-century British essayistsAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinActivists for African-American civil rightsAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeAmerican autobiographersAmerican deistsAmerican male journalistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of educationAmerican philosophers of religionAmerican slave ownersAnarchist writersBisexual male writersBlind writersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsBurials at Montparnasse CemeteryCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubColor scientistsConsequentialistsConservatismCourt physiciansCriticism of rationalismDeified Roman emperorsDeterministsEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersEnglish suffragistsEnglish women philosophersEpigrammatistsExilliteratur writersFellows of Somerville College, OxfordFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeFrench Resistance membersFrench anarchists, French anti-fascists, French anti-capitalistsFrench communistsFrench epistemologistsFrench philosophers of artGerman Ashkenazi JewsGerman FreemasonsGerman agnosticsGerman autobiographersGerman epistemologistsGerman idealistsGerman librariansGerman male poets, German male dramatists and playwrightsGerman nationalistsGerman travel writersGerman untitled nobilityGerman women philosophersHumor researchersIdealistsJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesLecturersLinguistic turnLycée Henri-IV alumniPeople associated with the University of BaselPeople from the Province of SaxonyPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentPeople with post-traumatic stress disorderPhilosophers of Roman ItalyPhilosophers of linguisticsPhilosophers of timeRussian atheistsStateless peopleSturm und Drang, Johann Wolfgang von GoetheUniversity of Strasbourg alumniWittgensteinian philosophers18th-century American politicians, Signers of the United States Constitution, American Freemasons19th-century German journalists19th-century Prussian people20th-century American essayists20th-century American philosophers20th-century American women writers20th-century British non-fiction writers20th-century German non-fiction writers20th-century German women writers2nd-century Greek philosophersAction theoristsAeliiAncient Greek logiciansAnglo-ScotsAnti-natalistsAugurs of the Roman EmpireAustro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I, Austrian people of Jewish descentBaruch SpinozaBertrand Russell Professors of PhilosophyBisexual military personnelBritish atheistsBritish classical liberal economistsBritish male non-fiction writersBritish parodistsBritish people of Irish descentBritish philosophers of logicBritish social liberalsBritish women philosophersBurials at Novodevichy CemeteryBurials at the Dorotheenstadt CemeteryContinental philosophersCreators of writing systemsDeaths from choleraDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyEmigrants from the Russian Empire to the United Kingdom, 19th-century philosophers from the Russian Empire, Russian communists, 20th-century Russian philosophers, Russian revolutionaries, Emigrants from the Russian Empire to SwitzerlandEnglish autobiographersExistentialist theologiansFree love advocatesFrench Marxists, French anti-war activistsFrench ethicists, French biographersFrench humanists, 20th-century French dramatists and playwrightsFrench scientists with disabilitiesGerman Zionists, American Ashkenazi Jews, American agnostics, American ZionistsGerman 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 eugenicistsGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersGerman monarchistsGerman music criticsGerman philologistsGerman writers on atheismHerbalistsHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghHuman geographersIndependent scholarsInfectious disease deaths in FranceJewish existentialistsJewish translators of the BibleKantianismLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophersMasonic grand mastersMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationMoral realistsNaturalised 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 agnosticsNerva–Antonine dynastyOrdinary language philosophyPeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentPhilosophers from MassachusettsPhilosophers of identityPhilosophers of nihilismPlatonistsPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaPrinceton University facultyRectors of the University of St AndrewsRoman-era Stoic philosophersRussian anarchistsScholars of antisemitismSecular humanistsSkeptic philosophersThe New School facultyUK MPs 1865–1868University of Bonn alumniUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansUniversity of Copenhagen alumniUniversity of Marburg alumniUniversity of Tübingen alumniVoting theoristsWriters from Philadelphia, Recreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston
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
Featuring: Simon Middleton, Simon Newman, Patricia Fara
CultureFellows of the Royal SocietySocial philosophersPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of scienceMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyWriters about religion and scienceRecipients of the Copley MedalAphoristsAge of EnlightenmentHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesAmerican male non-fiction writersAmerican people of English descentSimple living advocatesPhilosophers of technologyPeople associated with electricityRhetoric theoristsAmerican political philosophersIndependent scientistsAmerican male journalistsHumor researchers18th-century pseudonymous writersActivists for African-American civil rightsAmerican slave ownersAmerican autobiographersAmerican philosophers of educationAmerican deistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of religionIndependent scholarsMasonic grand mastersPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaCreators of writing systemsPhilosophers from Massachusetts18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American EnlightenmentWriters from Philadelphia, Recreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston18th-century American politicians, Signers of the United States Constitution, American FreemasonsDavid 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 identityGalen
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Roman physician and medical theorist Galen.
10 October 2013
Featuring: Vivian Nutton, Helen King, Caroline Petit
Goethe
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 servantsHannah 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
PhilosophySocial philosophersPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of sciencePhilosophers of lawGerman political philosophersExistentialistsPolitical philosophersJewish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyWomen religious writers20th-century German philosophersHeidelberg University alumniMembers of the American Academy of Arts and LettersAmerican political philosophersExilliteratur writersGerman agnosticsGerman Ashkenazi JewsJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesGerman women philosophersAmerican philosophers of educationPrinceton University faculty20th-century American essayists20th-century American women writers20th-century German women writers20th-century American philosophers20th-century German non-fiction writersJewish existentialistsThe New School facultyScholars of antisemitismUniversity of Marburg alumniGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsGerman Zionists, American Ashkenazi Jews, American agnostics, American ZionistsUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansHegel's Philosophy of History
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Hegel's ideas on history as the progress of the consciousness of freedom, and whether we enjoy more freedom now than those in past centuries.
26 May 2022
Featuring: Sally Sedgwick, Robert Stern, Stephen Houlgate
PhilosophyPhilosophy writersMetaphysiciansEnlightenment philosophersWriters about religion and scienceGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPantheists19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyGerman philosophers of artTheoretical historians19th-century German essayists18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of languageHeidelberg University alumni19th-century mystics18th-century German writersAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinGerman idealistsBurials at the Dorotheenstadt CemeteryDeaths from choleraUniversity of Tübingen alumni18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religion19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educatorsIris 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
CulturePhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of cultureAtheist philosophers20th-century atheistsAnalytic philosophersVirtue ethicists20th-century British philosophersAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeBritish ethicistsAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordBritish socialistsJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsBritish historians of philosophyBritish atheistsBritish women philosophers20th-century British non-fiction writersBritish parodistsBritish people of Irish descentPlatonistsKant'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 philosophersKierkegaard
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
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of cultureEpistemologistsAphoristsMetaphilosophersChristian humanistsPhilosophers of loveExistentialistsPhilosophers of psychologyChristian radicalsPhilosophers of artChristian ethicists19th-century pseudonymous writersPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarChristian poets19th-century male writersPhilosophers of deathIrony theorists19th-century essayists19th-century deaths from tuberculosisExistentialist theologiansUniversity of Copenhagen alumniMarcus Aurelius
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life, meditations and reputation of this stoic and philosopher king, who Machiavelli called the last of the 'Five Good Emperors'.
25 February 2021
Featuring: Simon Goldhill, Angie Hobbs, Catharine Edwards
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
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Janet Radcliffe Richards, Alan Ryan
PhilosophyPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of economicsLogiciansBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of sexualityEnglish people of Scottish descentPhilosophers of psychologyEnglish non-fiction writersEmpiricistsEnglish agnostics19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English writersEnglish socialistsScholars of feminist philosophyEuropean democratic socialistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish ethicistsUtilitariansEnglish libertariansEnglish republicansEnglish political philosophersBritish political philosophersBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsEnglish logicians19th-century English philosophersEnglish suffragists19th-century English essayistsConsequentialistsEnglish political writersBritish free speech activistsUK MPs 1865–1868Voting theoristsBritish classical liberal economistsEnglish autobiographersRectors of the University of St AndrewsBritish philosophers of logicBritish social liberalsAnglo-ScotsHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghInfectious disease deaths in FranceEnglish feminists, English feminist writersNietzsche'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 religionPeter Kropotkin
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and ideas of the Russian prince who became an anarchist and who argued that mutual aid was the key to evolution not survival of the fittest
24 February 2022
Featuring: Ruth Kinna, Lee Dugatkin, Simon Dixon
HistorySocial philosophersPhilosophy writers20th-century atheists19th-century atheists20th-century essayistsAnti-consumeristsHistorians of the French Revolution19th-century essayists19th-century non-fiction writers from the Russian EmpireAnarchist writersRussian atheistsBurials at Novodevichy CemeteryHuman geographersMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationRussian anarchistsEmigrants from the Russian Empire to the United Kingdom, 19th-century philosophers from the Russian Empire, Russian communists, 20th-century Russian philosophers, Russian revolutionaries, Emigrants from the Russian Empire to SwitzerlandPhilippa Foot
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the most notable philosophers of the 20th century, who explored why it mattered to be moral and why humans needed virtues to flourish.
16 May 2024
Featuring: Anil Gomes, Sophie Grace Chappell, Rachael Wiseman
PhilosophyPhilosophy writersAtheist philosophersAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of loveAnalytic philosophersVirtue ethicistsEnglish atheists20th-century English philosophersFellows of the British AcademyAlumni of Somerville College, OxfordEnglish women philosophersFellows of Somerville College, OxfordWittgensteinian philosophersBritish atheistsMoral realistsUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultySartre
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 playwrightsSchopenhauer
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
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationAphoristsAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of loveGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyLogiciansPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of psychologyGerman philosophers of art19th-century atheistsGerman philosophers of culture19th-century German essayistsSimple living advocatesCritics of religionsGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceUniversity of Göttingen alumniPhenomenologistsPhilosophers of pessimism19th-century German writersCritical theoristsGerman critics of ChristianityCritics of JudaismAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinGerman idealistsGerman epistemologistsAnti-natalistsGerman writers on atheismGerman eugenicistsGerman monarchistsGerman philologistsGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersSpinoza
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
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersEpistemologistsCritics of the Catholic ChurchAge of EnlightenmentPhilosophers of educationPantheistsJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersRationalists17th-century writers in LatinCritics of JudaismPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentDeterministsJewish translators of the BibleBaruch SpinozaWittgenstein
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