Rationalists
In philosophy, rationalism is the epistemological view that "regards reason as the chief source and test of knowledge" or "any view appealing to reason as a source of knowledge or justification". More formally, rationalism is defined as a methodology or a theory "in which the criterion of the truth is not sensory but intellectual and deductive".In an old controversy, rationalism was opposed to empiricism, where the rationalists believed that reality has an intrinsically logical structure.
5 episodes
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PhilosophyOntologistsSocial 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 religionPhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersEpistemologistsAge of EnlightenmentCritics of the Catholic ChurchPhilosophers of educationWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesGerman LutheransJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersPantheistsPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsUniversity of Paris alumniAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsFrench atheistsGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of sexualityGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureMembers of the French Academy of SciencesPolitical philosophers17th-century writers in Latin19th-century German essayistsCritics of religionsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of scienceGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationJewish agnosticsMembers of the Académie FrançaisePhilosophers of technologyRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Theoretical historians18th-century German male writersAncient Greek philosophers of mindBritish philosophers of educationFrench male non-fiction writersFrench philosophers of cultureFrench philosophers of historyGerman philosophers of scienceKnights BachelorMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesMetaphysics writersPhilosophers of deathPhilosophers of warWriters about globalization18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayists19th-century German non-fiction writers20th-century British philosophersAncient Greek political philosophersBritish ethicistsBritish political philosophersClassical theismCritics of JudaismFellows of the British AcademyFrench feministsFrench sociologistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionScholars of feminist philosophy18th-century French male writers18th-century French mathematicians18th-century French writers18th-century German writers20th-century British essayistsAncient Athenian philosophersAncient Greek epistemologists, Ancient Greek ethicistsAncient Greek metaphysiciansAncient Greek physicistsAttic Greek writersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish historians of philosophyBurials at the Panthéon, ParisCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubDeterministsGerman agnosticsGerman epistemologistsGerman idealistsGerman nationalistsHumor researchersIdealistsLecturersPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtWriters from Vienna19th-century Prussian people20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United KingdomAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAncient Greek logiciansAncient Greek slaves and freedmenBaruch SpinozaBritish male non-fiction writersBritish social liberalsCritics of MarxismDeputies to the French National ConventionEpigrammatists of the Greek AnthologyFrench abolitionistsFrench biographers, French ethicistsFrench political scientistsGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersJewish ethicistsJewish translators of the BibleKantianismMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourMoral realistsPeople killed in the French RevolutionPlatonismProto-feministsPupils of SocratesUniversity of Vienna alumniVoting theorists
Condorcet
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the influential French philosopher and mathematician who tried to apply his Enlightenment ideas on the benefit of education to the French Revolution.
11 January 2024
Featuring: Rachel Hammersley, Richard Whatmore, Tom Hopkins
PhilosophyFrench sociologistsFrench philosophers of education18th-century French writers18th-century French mathematiciansFrench biographers, French ethicistsVoting theoristsPhilosophers of religionUniversity of Paris alumniFrench male non-fiction writersFrench feministsFrench philosophers of scienceScholars of feminist philosophy18th-century philosophersBurials at the Panthéon, ParisPeople killed in the French RevolutionFrench abolitionists18th-century French male writersMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesMembers of the Académie FrançaiseHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesProto-feministsFrench philosophers of historyTheoretical historiansFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesRationalistsAtheist philosophersEnlightenment philosophersMembers of the French Academy of SciencesDeputies to the French National ConventionAge of EnlightenmentFrench political scientistsFrench philosophers of cultureFrench atheists18th centuryFranceMathematicsKant'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 centuryGermanyPlato's Gorgias
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss arguably the most personal of Plato's dialogues in which he examines the values that led to the execution of his mentor Socrates by drinking hemlock
25 November 2021
Featuring: Angie Hobbs, Frisbee Sheffield, Fiona Leigh
PhilosophyMoral realistsAncient Greek metaphysiciansAncient Greek political philosophersPhilosophers of loveAncient Greek epistemologists, Ancient Greek ethicistsClassical theismAncient Greek physicistsNatural philosophersAncient Greek slaves and freedmenEpigrammatists of the Greek AnthologyPhilosophers of educationAttic Greek writersPupils of SocratesAncient Greek philosophers of mindAncient Greek logiciansTheorists on Western civilizationRationalistsLogiciansIdealistsPlatonismPhilosophers of deathNatural law ethicistsAncient Athenian philosophersOntologistsGreeceMedicinePopper
Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosopher Karl Popper, author of The Open Society and a seminal thinker about science.
8 February 2007
Featuring: John Worrall, Anthony O'Hear, Nancy Cartwright
PhilosophyUniversity of Vienna alumniPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of mindWriters about globalizationJewish ethicistsWriters about religion and scienceBritish historians of philosophyPhilosophers of religionBritish male non-fiction writersBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicKnights BachelorAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceMetaphysics writers20th-century British essayists20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United KingdomWriters about activism and social changeAristotelian philosophersEpistemologistsBritish philosophers of educationPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyCritics of religionsMetaphysiciansPolitical philosophersRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtWriters from ViennaPhilosophers of technologyFellows of the British AcademyBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsPhilosophers of mathematics20th-century British philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyJewish philosophersRationalistsBritish social liberalsBritish ethicistsLogiciansBritish political philosophersForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesPhilosophers of economicsJewish agnosticsMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourSocial philosophersCritics of MarxismCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Ontologists20th centuryEconomicsMathematicsMedicineSpinoza
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