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 SocietyOntologistsPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changeEnglish male poetsMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEpistemologistsSonneteersAphoristsCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsRecipients of the Copley MedalWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German philosophers20th-century atheistsChristian humanistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersPantheistsPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematics17th-century English male writersAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsExistentialistsGerman political philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesLogiciansNatural law ethicistsPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of psychology19th-century atheistsAmerican male non-fiction writersCatholic philosophersChristian radicalsCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsEnglish non-fiction writersFrench political philosophersIslamic philosophersLiteracy and society theoristsPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languagePolitical philosophers17th-century English poets17th-century English writers19th-century pseudonymous writers20th-century essayistsAlumni of St John's College, CambridgeAmerican people of English descentAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsChristian ethicistsClassical liberalismCritics of religionsEpic poetsFounders of religionsGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsJewish agnosticsLiterary theoristsPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarPhilosophers of technologySimple living advocatesVirtue ethicists17th-century English dramatists and playwrights17th-century writers in Latin18th-century English male writers19th-century English writers19th-century male writers20th-century German philosophersAlumni of Trinity College DublinAncient Roman adopteesAnglican poetsAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationChristian poetsHumboldt University of Berlin alumniIrony theoristsJewish socialistsMale essayistsMarxist theoristsMetaphysics writersPeople associated with electricityPeople from the City of LondonPhilosophers of deathPolitical realistsRationalistsRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Rhetoric theoristsWomen religious writersWriters about globalization17th-century English philosophers18th-century English writers18th-century classical composers20th-century British philosophersAlumni of the University of EdinburghAmerican political philosophersAncient Greek political philosophersAncient Roman philhellenesBritish ethicistsBritish political philosophersClassical humanistsCritics of JudaismCritics of atheismDeist philosophersEnglish inventorsEnglish libertariansEnglish physicistsEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansFellows of the British AcademyFreethought writersGerman Marxist writersHeidelberg University alumniHistorians of the French RevolutionIndependent scientistsIrish AnglicansMembers of the American Academy of Arts and LettersMetaphor theoristsNeoclassical writersRoman pharaohsWriters from London18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American Enlightenment18th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish writers, 18th-century Irish male writers18th-century British essayists18th-century British philosophers18th-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 historiansActivists for African-American civil rightsAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeAmerican autobiographersAmerican deistsAmerican male journalistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of educationAmerican philosophers of religionAmerican slave ownersAnarchist writersAncient Athenian generalsAncient Athenian philosophersAnglican philosophersAttic Greek writersAutobiographersBisexual male writersBlind writersBritish 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 theoristsEnglish people of Irish descentEnglish writers with disabilitiesExilliteratur writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGeorgistsGerman Ashkenazi JewsGerman agnosticsGerman revolutionariesGerman women philosophersHumor researchersJewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United StatesKnights BachelorLinguistic turnMembers of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies, British MPs 1780–1784Members of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsMiracle workersMythopoeic writersPamphleteersPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentPeople with hypochondriasisPeople with post-traumatic stress disorderPhilosophers of Roman ItalyPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyRussian atheistsSocialist feministsStateless peopleStreathamitesWittgensteinian philosophersWriters from Dublin (city)12th-century Muslim theologians17th-century English educators18th-century American male writers, American foreign policy writers18th-century American politicians, Signers of the United States Constitution, American Freemasons18th-century English people18th-century English philosophers18th-century Irish philosophers18th-century male musicians19th-century American writers19th-century short story writers from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian short story writers, Russian opinion journalists, Philanthropists from the Russian Empire, Novelists from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian dramatists and playwrights, Russian-language writers, Russian male novelists, Russian male dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century dramatists and playwrights from the Russian Empire20th-century American essayists20th-century American philosophers20th-century American women writers20th-century British non-fiction writers20th-century German non-fiction writers20th-century German women writers20th-century letter writers6th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty philosophers, Deified Chinese men, Chinese political philosophers, 5th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty writers6th-century BC religious leaders, 5th-century BC religious leadersAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAction theoristsAeliiAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeAmerican religious skeptics, American nationalistsAncient Athenian historians, Ostracized AtheniansAnti-Catholicism in the United KingdomAnti-imperialistsAnti-monarchistsArabic-language commentators on AristotleAsceticsAugurs of the Roman EmpireAustro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I, Austrian people of Jewish descentBaruch SpinozaBertrand Russell Professors of PhilosophyBisexual military personnelBlind poetsBritish MPs 1774–1780British MPs 1790–1796, British MPs 1784–1790British critics of ChristianityBritish deistsBritish male non-fiction writersBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsBurials at Novodevichy CemeteryChristian vegetariansClassical-period composersCreators of writing systemsCritics of MarxismCritics of political economyDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomDeputies to the French National ConventionEconomic historians, German sociologistsEmigrants 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 Anglican theologiansEnglish DissentersEnglish theologiansExistentialist theologiansFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsGerman Zionists, American Ashkenazi Jews, American agnostics, American ZionistsGerman anti-capitalists, Jewish communists, German socialist feministsGerman writers on atheismHuman geographersIndependent scholarsIrish Freemasons, Irish people of English descent, Irish libertariansJewish 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 HonourMemoiristsNaturalised 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 agnosticsNaturalized citizens of FranceNerva–Antonine dynastyNonviolence advocates, Christian anarchistsOrdinary 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 SocratesRadicalsRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtRectors of the University of GlasgowRhetoriciansRoman-era Stoic philosophersRomantic philosophers, Converts to Roman Catholicism from CalvinismRussian anarchistsRussian male journalistsScholars of antisemitismSecular humanistsSkeptic philosophersThe New School facultyThomas HobbesUniversal basic income writersUniversity of Bonn alumniUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansUniversity of Copenhagen alumniUniversity of Jena alumniUniversity of Marburg alumniWriters from Philadelphia, Recreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston
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
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsAristotelian philosophersLogiciansPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of psychologyPolitical philosophersPhilosophers of languageIslamic philosophersCritics of atheismCritics of ChristianityCritics of deismPeople from Córdoba, Spain12th-century Muslim theologiansArabic-language commentators on AristotlePhilosophers from al-AndalusBenjamin 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 FreemasonsConfucius
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
PhilosophySocial philosophersPhilosophers of cultureAphoristsPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of educationFounders of religionsClassical humanists5th-century BC historians6th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty philosophers, Deified Chinese men, Chinese political philosophers, 5th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty writers6th-century BC religious leaders, 5th-century BC religious leadersDavid 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 identityEdmund 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
PhilosophySocial philosophersPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of education18th-century philosophersPhilosophers of economicsNatural law ethicistsPolitical philosophersPhilosophers of artVirtue ethicistsClassical liberalism18th-century English male writersAlumni of Trinity College DublinHistorians of the French Revolution18th-century English writersEnglish libertariansIrish AnglicansBritish political philosophersEnglish people of Irish descentWriters from Dublin (city)StreathamitesAnglican philosophersConservatismCritics of deismRectors of the University of GlasgowBritish MPs 1774–178018th-century English philosophers18th-century Irish philosophersMembers of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies, British MPs 1780–178418th-century Anglo-Irish people, 18th-century Irish writers, 18th-century Irish male writersBritish MPs 1790–1796, British MPs 1784–1790Irish Freemasons, Irish people of English descent, Irish libertariansHannah 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 historiansHobbes
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
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsCritics of the Catholic ChurchPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of mathematics17th-century English male writersNatural law ethicistsPhilosophers of languageEmpiricistsAlumni of St John's College, Cambridge17th-century English writers17th-century writers in LatinBritish critics of religionsRhetoric theoristsPolitical realistsBritish philosophers of education17th-century English philosophersEnglish physicistsEnglish political philosophersBritish critics of ChristianityThomas HobbesEnglish theologiansMaterialistsKierkegaard
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
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
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Francis Wheen, Gareth Stedman Jones
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEpistemologistsWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of education19th-century German philosophersPhilosophers of economicsGerman political philosophers19th-century atheistsCritics of work and the work ethicAnti-consumeristsPhilosophers of technologyCritics of religionsMarxist theoristsAnti-nationalistsJewish socialistsHumboldt University of Berlin alumniWriters about globalizationGerman Marxist writersCritics of JudaismStateless peoplePamphleteersGerman revolutionariesBurials at Highgate CemeterySocialist feminists19th-century German historiansMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationUniversity of Bonn alumniGerman writers on atheismFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsUniversity of Jena alumniMaterialistsAnti-imperialistsCritics of political economyPhilosophical anthropologyGerman anti-capitalists, Jewish communists, German socialist feministsEconomic historians, German sociologistsMilton
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
CultureSocial philosophersWriters about activism and social changeEnglish male poetsEnlightenment philosophersSonneteersCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsChristian humanists17th-century English male writersEnglish non-fiction writersLiteracy and society theoristsEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsEpic poets17th-century English poetsLiterary theorists17th-century English writersAnglican poetsChristian poetsPeople from the City of London17th-century writers in LatinRhetoric theorists17th-century English dramatists and playwrightsMale essayistsMetaphor theoristsWriters from London17th-century English philosophersEnglish republicansEnglish political philosophersNeoclassical writersPamphleteersEnglish writers with disabilitiesEnglish educational theoristsCalvinist and Reformed poetsMythopoeic writersAnglican philosophersBritish free speech activistsBlind writersDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomEnglish Anglican theologians17th-century English educatorsRhetoriciansBritish philosophers of religionEnglish DissentersAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeBlind poetsEnglish theologiansAnti-Catholicism in the United KingdomPeter 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 SwitzerlandPopper
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
PhilosophySocial philosophersOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of cultureEpistemologistsWriters about religion and sciencePhilosophers of mathematicsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersPhilosophers of economicsAristotelian philosophersLogiciansBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of logicPolitical philosophersJewish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyCritics of religionsRationalistsRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Metaphysics writersWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of educationFellows of the British Academy20th-century British philosophersBritish ethicistsBritish political philosophersCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyBritish historians of philosophyKnights BachelorBritish consciousness researchers and theorists20th-century British essayistsRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtCritics of MarxismBritish male non-fiction writersJewish ethicistsBritish social liberalsMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceNaturalised 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 agnosticsRousseau 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
PhilosophySocial philosophersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersAge of EnlightenmentPhilosophers of education18th-century philosophersPhilosophers of economicsCatholic philosophersFrench political philosophersPhilosophers of artSimple living advocatesDeist philosophers18th-century classical composersBurials at the Panthéon, ParisContributors to the Encyclopédie (1751–1772)AutobiographersPeople with hypochondriasisClassical-period composers18th-century male musiciansProto-evolutionary biologistsRomantic philosophers, Converts to Roman Catholicism from CalvinismSpinoza
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 SpinozaThe 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
HistorySocial philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEnlightenment philosophers18th-century philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesAmerican male non-fiction writersClassical liberalism19th-century male writers18th-century English male writers19th-century English writersDeist philosophers18th-century English writersEnglish inventorsEnglish libertariansAmerican political philosophersCritics of JudaismEnglish republicansAmerican philosophers of education19th-century American philosophersAmerican deistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of religionDeputies to the French National Convention18th-century English people19th-century American writersAnti-monarchistsBritish deistsNaturalized citizens of FranceRadicalsPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaUniversal basic income writers18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American EnlightenmentAmerican religious skeptics, American nationalists18th-century American male writers, American foreign policy writersTolstoy
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
CultureSocial philosophersOntologistsPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansPhilosophers of cultureEpistemologistsPhilosophers of educationHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesPolitical philosophers20th-century essayistsMembers of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts19th-century essayists19th-century non-fiction writers from the Russian EmpireAnarchist writersCorresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesGeorgistsRussian anarchistsChristian vegetarians20th-century letter writersRussian male journalists19th-century short story writers from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian short story writers, Russian opinion journalists, Philanthropists from the Russian Empire, Novelists from the Russian Empire, 20th-century Russian dramatists and playwrights, Russian-language writers, Russian male novelists, Russian male dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century dramatists and playwrights from the Russian EmpireNonviolence advocates, Christian anarchistsWittgenstein
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 agnosticsXenophon
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