Portrait of Lord Melvyn Bragg, host of In Our Time

Social philosophers

Social philosophy examines questions about the foundations of social institutions, social behavior, and interpretations of society in terms of ethical values rather than empirical relations. Social philosophers emphasize understanding the social contexts for political, legal, moral and cultural questions, and the development of novel theoretical frameworks, from social ontology to care ethics to cosmopolitan theories of democracy, natural law, human rights, gender equity and global justice.

20 episodes

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CultureHistoryPhilosophyReligionFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsEnglish male poetsFellows 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 philosophersMembers of the American Philosophical SocietySonneteersEpistemologistsAge of EnlightenmentAphoristsCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsPhilosophers of educationRecipients of the Copley MedalWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of law17th-century English male writers20th-century atheistsPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German philosophersChristian humanistsExistentialistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersPantheistsPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsPhilosophers of psychologyAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsFrench political philosophersGerman political philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesLogiciansNatural law ethicistsPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of love17th-century English poets19th-century atheistsAmerican male non-fiction writersCatholic philosophersChristian radicalsClassical liberalismCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish non-fiction writersIslamic philosophersLiteracy and society theoristsPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languagePolitical philosophers17th-century English dramatists and playwrights17th-century English writers17th-century writers in Latin19th-century pseudonymous writers20th-century essayistsAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeAlumni of Trinity College DublinAmerican people of English descentAnalytic philosophersAnglican poetsAnti-consumeristsChristian ethicistsCritics of religionsEpic poetsFounders of religionsGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationJewish agnosticsLiterary theoristsMarxist theoristsPeople from the City of LondonPhilosophers of technologyRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Simple living advocatesVirtue ethicists18th-century English male writers19th-century English writers19th-century male writers20th-century German philosophersAlumni of the University of EdinburghAncient Roman adopteesAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationChristian poetsHeidelberg University alumniHumboldt University of Berlin alumniIrish AnglicansIrony theoristsJewish socialistsKnights BachelorMale essayistsMetaphysics writersPeople associated with electricityPhilosophers of deathPolitical realistsRationalistsRhetoric theoristsWomen religious writersWriters about globalization17th-century English philosophers18th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish male writers18th-century English writers18th-century classical composers20th-century British philosophersAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeAmerican political philosophersAncient Greek political philosophersAncient Roman philhellenesBisexual male writersBritish ethicistsBritish political philosophersClassical humanistsCritics of JudaismCritics of atheismDeist philosophersEnglish inventorsEnglish libertariansEnglish people of Irish descentEnglish physicistsEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansEnglish writers with disabilitiesFellows of the British AcademyFreethought writersGerman Marxist writersHistorians of the French RevolutionIndependent scientistsMembers of the American Academy of Arts and LettersMetaphor theoristsNeoclassical writersPeople with post-traumatic stress disorderRoman pharaohsStreathamitesWriters from London18th-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 American philosophers19th-century German historians19th-century deaths from tuberculosis19th-century essayists19th-century non-fiction writers from the Russian Empire20th-century British essayists5th-century BC historiansAction theoristsActivists for African-American civil rightsAmerican autobiographersAmerican deistsAmerican male journalistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of educationAmerican philosophers of religionAmerican slave ownersAnarchist writersAncient Athenian generalsAncient Athenian philosophersAnglican philosophersAttic Greek writersAutobiographersBlind writersBritish MPs 1780–1784, Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituenciesBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBurials at Highgate CemeteryBurials at the Panthéon, ParisCalvinist and Reformed poetsCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubClassical-era Greek historiansConservatismContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)Corresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesCriticism of rationalismCritics of ChristianityCritics of deismDeified Roman emperorsDeterministsEnglish educational theoristsExilliteratur writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGeorgistsGerman Ashkenazi JewsGerman agnosticsGerman revolutionariesGerman women philosophersHumor researchersJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesLinguistic turnMembers of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsMiracle workersMythopoeic writersPamphleteersPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentPeople with hypochondriasisPhilosophers of Roman ItalyPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtRussian atheistsSocialist feministsStateless peopleWittgensteinian philosophersWriters from Dublin (city)12th-century Muslim theologians17th-century English educators18th-century American male writers, American foreign policy writers18th-century American politicians, American Freemasons, Signers of the United States Constitution18th-century English people18th-century English philosophers18th-century Irish philosophers18th-century male musicians19th-century American writers19th-century dramatists and playwrights from the Russian Empire, 19th-century short story writers from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian dramatists and playwrights, 20th-century Russian short story writers, Novelists from the Russian Empire, Philanthropists from the Russian Empire, Russian male dramatists and playwrights, Russian male novelists, Russian opinion journalists, Russian-language writers19th-century philosophers from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian philosophers, Emigrants from the Russian Empire to Switzerland, Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United Kingdom, Russian communists, Russian revolutionaries20th-century American essayists20th-century American philosophers20th-century American women writers20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom, Writers from Vienna20th-century British non-fiction writers20th-century German non-fiction writers20th-century German women writers20th-century letter writers5th-century BC Chinese writers, 6th-century BC Chinese writers, Chinese political philosophers, Deified Chinese men, Zhou dynasty philosophers, Zhou dynasty writers5th-century BC religious leaders, 6th-century BC religious leadersAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAeliiAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeAmerican Ashkenazi Jews, American Zionists, American agnostics, German ZionistsAmerican nationalists, American religious skepticsAncient Athenian historians, Ostracized AtheniansAnti-Catholicism in the United KingdomAnti-imperialistsAnti-monarchistsArabic-language commentators on AristotleAsceticsAugurs of the Roman EmpireAustrian people of Jewish descent, Austro-Hungarian military personnel of World War IBaruch SpinozaBertrand Russell Professors of PhilosophyBisexual military personnelBlind poetsBritish MPs 1774–1780British MPs 1784–1790, British MPs 1790–1796British critics of ChristianityBritish deistsBritish male non-fiction writersBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsBurials at Novodevichy CemeteryChristian anarchists, Nonviolence advocatesChristian vegetariansClassical-period composersConverts to Roman Catholicism from Calvinism, Romantic philosophersCreators of writing systemsCritics of MarxismCritics of political economyDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomDeputies to the French National ConventionEconomic historians, German sociologistsEnglish Anglican theologiansEnglish DissentersEnglish theologiansExistentialist theologiansFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsGerman anti-capitalists, German socialist feminists, Jewish communistsGerman writers on atheismHuman geographersIndependent scholarsIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyIrish Freemasons, Irish libertarians, Irish people of English descentJewish ethicistsJewish existentialistsJewish translators of the BibleJourney to the West charactersLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophersMasonic grand mastersMaterialistsMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourMemoiristsNaturalized citizens of FranceNerva–Antonine dynastyOrdinary language philosophyPeople from Córdoba, SpainPeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentPhilosophers from MassachusettsPhilosophers from al-AndalusPhilosophers of identityPhilosophical anthropologyPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaPrinceton University facultyProto-evolutionary biologistsPupils of SocratesRadicalsRecreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston, Writers from PhiladelphiaRectors of the University of GlasgowRhetoriciansRoman-era Stoic philosophersRussian anarchistsRussian male journalistsScholars of antisemitismSecular humanistsSkeptic philosophersSupernatural beings identified with Christian saintsThe New School facultyThomas HobbesUniversal basic income writersUniversity of Bonn alumniUniversity of Copenhagen alumniUniversity of Jena alumniUniversity of Marburg alumni
  1. Averroes

    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

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    Featuring: Amira Bennison, Peter Adamson, Anthony Kenny

     
  2. 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

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    Featuring: Simon Middleton, Simon Newman, Patricia Fara

     
  3. Confucius

    Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosophy of Confucius, a body of ideas which, more than any other philosophy, has defined what it is to be Chinese.

    1 November 2001

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    Featuring: Frances Wood, Tim Barrett, Tao Tao Liu

     
  4. David Hume

    Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work of David Hume, the philosopher and leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment.

    6 October 2011

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    Featuring: Peter Millican, Helen Beebee, James Harris

     
  5. Edmund Burke

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the work of the philosopher, politician and writer Edmund Burke, whose views on revolution in America and France were hugely influential.

    3 June 2010

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    Featuring: Karen O'Brien, Richard Bourke, John Keane

     
  6. Hannah 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

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    Featuring: Lyndsey Stonebridge, Frisbee Sheffield, Robert Eaglestone

     
  7. Hobbes

    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

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    Featuring: Quentin Skinner, David Wootton, Annabel Brett

     
  8. Kierkegaard

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the rich and radical ideas of Soren Kierkegaard, often called the father of Existentialism.

    20 March 2008

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    Featuring: Jonathan Rée, Clare Carlisle, John Lippitt

     
  9. Marcus 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

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    Featuring: Simon Goldhill, Angie Hobbs, Catharine Edwards

     
  10. Marx

    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

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    Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Francis Wheen, Gareth Stedman Jones

     
  11. Milton

    Melvyn Bragg examines the literary and political career of the 17th century poet John Milton, examining work such as Paradise Lost as well as his role as propagandist during the English Civil War.

    7 March 2002

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    Featuring: John Carey, Lisa Jardine, Blair Worden

     
  12. Peter 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

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    Featuring: Ruth Kinna, Lee Dugatkin, Simon Dixon

     
  13. Popper

    Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosopher Karl Popper, author of The Open Society and a seminal thinker about science.

    8 February 2007

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    Featuring: John Worrall, Anthony O'Hear, Nancy Cartwright

     
    PhilosophyBritish political philosophersEpistemologistsCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesTheorists on Western civilizationBritish ethicistsPhilosophers of logicKnights BachelorLogiciansPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietySocial philosophersPhilosophers of technologyRationalistsAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of economicsWriters about religion and scienceWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of educationBritish social liberalsRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtBritish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of mathematicsBritish historians of philosophyJewish agnosticsAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceCritics of religions20th-century British philosophers20th-century Austrian philosophers, Austrian agnostics, Austrian essayists, Austrian logicians, British agnostics, British logicians, British people of Austrian-Jewish descent, Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom, Writers from ViennaOntologistsPhilosophers of mindRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)MetaphysiciansJewish philosophersPolitical philosophersPhilosophers of religionBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsJewish ethicistsMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourWriters about activism and social change20th-century British essayistsCritics of MarxismPhilosophers of historyFellows of the British AcademyMetaphysics writersBritish male essayists
  14. Rousseau 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

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    Featuring: Richard Whatmore, Caroline Warman, Denis McManus

     
  15. Spinoza

    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

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    Featuring: Jonathan Rée, Sarah Hutton, John Cottingham

     
  16. The Buddha

    Melvyn Bragg discusses the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the originator of Buddhism, and examines why his teachings have now become one of the fastest growing religions of the Western world.

    14 March 2002

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    Featuring: Peter Harvey, Kate Crosby, Mahinda Deegalle

     
  17. Thomas Paine's Common Sense

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense, which was published in 1776 and bolstered support for American independence.

    21 January 2016

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    Featuring: Kathleen Burk, Nicholas Guyatt, Peter Thompson

     
  18. Tolstoy

    Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and times of the 19th century Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, whose novels such as War and Peace gave expression to the compelling moral and social questions of their day.

    25 April 2002

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    Featuring: A. N. Wilson, Catriona Kelly, Sarah Hudspith

     
  19. Wittgenstein

    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

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    Featuring: Ray Monk, Barry Smith, Marie McGinn

     
  20. Xenophon

    Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the life and work of the ancient Greek historian and soldier Xenophon.

    26 May 2011

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    Featuring: Paul Cartledge, Edith Hall, Simon Goldhill