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
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
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 scienceSonneteersEnlightenment philosophersMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEpistemologistsAge 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 essayistsClassical liberalismEnglish 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 radicalsCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish non-fiction writersEpic poetsIslamic 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 religionsFounders 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 composers19th-century deaths from tuberculosis20th-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 disabilitiesExilliteratur writersFellows 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 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 writersAustro-Hungarian military personnel of World War IAutobiographersBlind 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 theoristsFellows 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)Writers from Vienna12th-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 Kingdom20th-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 descentBaruch 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 alumniUniversity of Vienna alumni
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
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 centuryIslamLanguagePsychologyTheologyBenjamin 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 centuryAmericaConfucius
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
Featuring: Frances Wood, Tim Barrett, Tao Tao Liu
PhilosophyFounders of religions5th-century BC Chinese writers, 6th-century BC Chinese writers, Chinese political philosophers, Deified Chinese men, Zhou dynasty philosophers, Zhou dynasty writersPhilosophers of lawClassical humanists5th-century BC historiansPhilosophers of cultureSocial philosophersAphorists5th-century BC religious leaders, 6th-century BC religious leadersPhilosophers of education5th century BC6th century BCChinaDavid 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 centuryEconomicsMathematicsPsychologyScotlandEdmund 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
Featuring: Karen O'Brien, Richard Bourke, John Keane
Philosophy18th-century Irish philosophers18th-century Irish writersPhilosophers of cultureIrish Freemasons, Irish libertarians, Irish people of English descentBritish MPs 1774–1780Rectors of the University of GlasgowBritish MPs 1784–1790, British MPs 1790–1796Virtue ethicistsPhilosophers of religionCritics of deismEnglish libertariansHistorians of the French RevolutionAlumni of Trinity College Dublin18th-century philosophersEnglish people of Irish descentPhilosophers of education18th-century English philosophersPhilosophers of art18th-century English male writersStreathamitesPolitical philosophersClassical liberalismPhilosophers of historyBritish MPs 1780–1784, Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituenciesWriters from Dublin (city)18th-century English writersBritish political philosophersIrish AnglicansConservatismPhilosophers of economicsSocial philosophersNatural law ethicists18th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish male writersAnglican philosophers18th centuryEconomicsFranceIrelandHannah 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 centuryLanguageMathematicsMedicineTheologyKierkegaard
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
PhilosophyChristian humanistsPhilosophers of cultureExistentialist theologiansPhilosophers of mindMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of religion19th-century male writers19th-century pseudonymous writersChristian poetsEpistemologistsChristian ethicistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of artChristian radicalsPhilosophers of psychologyIrony theorists19th-century essayistsMetaphysiciansPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarUniversity of Copenhagen alumni19th-century deaths from tuberculosisPhilosophers of deathOntologistsSocial philosophersAphoristsExistentialistsPhilosophers of literature19th centuryMedicinePsychologyTheologyMarcus 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
HistoryAncient Roman philhellenesRoman-era Stoic philosophersAncient Roman adopteesPhilosophers of lawDeified Roman emperorsPolitical philosophersAeliiPhilosophers of mindSocial philosophersAugurs of the Roman EmpireNerva–Antonine dynastyRoman pharaohsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of Roman ItalyRomeMarx
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 centuryEconomicsGermanyMedicineMilton
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
Featuring: John Carey, Lisa Jardine, Blair Worden
Critics of the Catholic ChurchChristian humanistsBritish free speech activistsNeoclassical writersRhetoricians17th-century writers in Latin17th-century English writersMythopoeic writersRhetoric theoristsEnglish Anglican theologiansLiteracy and society theoristsBlind poetsEnglish political philosophersEnglish essayistsEpic poets17th-century English poetsEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsMetaphor theoristsWriters about activism and social changeChristian poetsSonneteersEnglish male poetsCalvinist and Reformed poetsDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomAnglican philosophersAnglican poetsBlind writersAnti-Catholicism in the United KingdomMale essayistsWriters from LondonPeople from the City of London17th-century English male writersEnglish writers with disabilitiesEnglish non-fiction writersLiterary theoristsBritish philosophers of religionEnglish DissentersAlumni of Christ's College, Cambridge17th-century English educatorsEnlightenment philosophersSocial philosophersPamphleteersEnglish educational theorists17th-century English philosophers17th-century English dramatists and playwrightsEnglish theologiansEnglish republicans17th centuryTheologyPeter 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
History19th-century essayistsHistorians of the French RevolutionAnti-consumeristsMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationHuman geographers19th-century non-fiction writers from the Russian EmpireRussian anarchists20th-century atheistsSocial philosophers19th-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 essayists19th-century atheistsPhilosophy writersRussian atheistsBurials at Novodevichy CemeteryAnarchist writers19th century20th centuryFranceRussiaPopper
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 centuryEconomicsMathematicsMedicineRousseau 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 centuryMedicineThe 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
Featuring: Peter Harvey, Kate Crosby, Mahinda Deegalle
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
Featuring: Kathleen Burk, Nicholas Guyatt, Peter Thompson
HistoryHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesAmerican philosophers of educationRadicalsAmerican philosophers of culture19th-century male writersUniversal basic income writersEnglish libertariansAmerican male non-fiction writersAmerican deistsAnti-monarchists18th-century philosophersWriters about activism and social changeAmerican political philosophersNaturalized citizens of France19th-century American writers18th-century English male writers19th-century American philosophersEnglish inventorsAmerican philosophers of religionClassical liberalismDeist philosophers18th-century American male writers, American foreign policy writers18th-century English peopleTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of history18th-century English writersCritics of JudaismPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaAmerican nationalists, American religious skeptics18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American Enlightenment19th-century English writersEnlightenment philosophersSocial philosophersMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyDeputies to the French National ConventionEnglish republicansBritish deists18th century19th centuryAmericaTolstoy
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
Featuring: A. N. Wilson, Catriona Kelly, Sarah Hudspith
Philosophers of cultureRussian anarchistsPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of religion19th-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 writersAnarchist writersRussian male journalistsChristian vegetariansWriters about activism and social changeCorresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesEpistemologistsPhilosophers of education19th-century essayistsMetaphysiciansPolitical philosophersHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesGeorgistsPhilosophers of history19th-century non-fiction writers from the Russian EmpireOntologistsSocial philosophersChristian anarchists, Nonviolence advocates20th-century letter writers20th-century essayistsMembers of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsPhilosophers of literature19th century20th centuryLanguageMedicineRussiaWittgenstein
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
PhilosophyPhilosophers of cultureOrdinary language philosophyPhilosophers of mindMetaphilosophersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of languageAnalytic philosophersPeople with post-traumatic stress disorder20th-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 KingdomBertrand Russell Professors of PhilosophyAlumni of Trinity College, Cambridge20th-century British non-fiction writersEpistemologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of artMetaphysiciansWriters from ViennaPhilosophers of mathematicsAustro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I20th-century British philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationJewish philosophersBisexual military personnelBisexual male writersAustrian people of Jewish descentLGBTQ mathematicians, LGBTQ philosophersPhilosophers of social scienceWittgensteinian philosophersJewish agnosticsSocial philosophersCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubOntologistsLinguistic turn20th centuryLanguageMathematicsMedicineWarXenophon
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the life and work of the ancient Greek historian and soldier Xenophon.
26 May 2011
Featuring: Paul Cartledge, Edith Hall, Simon Goldhill