Utilitarians
In ethical philosophy, utilitarianism is a family of normative ethical theories that prescribe actions that maximize happiness and well-being for all affected individuals. Although different varieties of utilitarianism admit different characterizations, the basic idea behind all of them is, in some sense, to maximize utility, which is often defined in terms of well-being or related concepts.
4 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
HistoryPhilosophyScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersRecipients of the Copley MedalWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersBurials at Westminster AbbeyPhilosophers of law20th-century atheistsMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of social scienceMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsPhilosophers of psychologyAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish AnglicansEnglish people of Scottish descentLogiciansMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish non-fiction writersAnalytic philosophersEnglish agnosticsEnglish travel writersPhilosophers of technologyRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Royal Medal winners19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English writersAlumni of the University of EdinburghAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationCharles DarwinEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish feminist writers, English feministsEnglish socialistsMembers of the Order of MeritMetaphysics writersRhetoric theoristsWriters about globalization20th-century English philosophersAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersEnglish abolitionistsEnglish libertariansEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansEuropean democratic socialistsFreethought writersIndependent scientistsScholars of feminist philosophy19th-century Anglicans19th-century British economists19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers20th-century English mathematiciansBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsConsequentialistsDeaths from coronary thrombosisEnglish UnitariansEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersEnglish suffragistsFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeGeorgistsHuman evolutionJerusalem Prize recipientsLinguistic turnPresidents of the Aristotelian Society19th-century British biologists, 19th-century English naturalists, British evolutionary biologists, Fellows of the Linnean Society of London, Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society, Fellows of the Zoological Society of London19th-century English mathematiciansAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeAnglo-ScotsBritish atheism activistsBritish classical liberal economistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsCircumnavigators of the globeEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish autobiographersEnglish humanistsEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsFree love advocatesHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghInfectious disease deaths in FranceIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyJewish British scientistsMembers of the Lincean AcademyPeople from MonmouthshireRectors of the University of St AndrewsSecular humanistsSet theoristsTheoretical biologistsUK MPs 1818–1820, UK MPs 1820–1826UK MPs 1865–1868Universal basic income writersUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyVoting theoristsWriters about communism
Bertrand Russell
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the influential 20th-century British thinker Bertrand Russell, widely regarded as one of the founders of Analytical philosophy.
6 December 2012
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Mike Beaney, Hilary Greaves
PhilosophyNobel laureates in LiteratureBritish philosophers of languageGeorgistsEnglish political writersFree love advocatesSet theoristsAristotelian philosophersWriters about religion and scienceJerusalem Prize recipientsFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeEnglish logiciansPhilosophers of mathematicsBritish historians of philosophyEmpiricistsOntologistsMetaphysics writersBritish political philosophersFellows of the Royal SocietyMetaphilosophersTheorists on Western civilizationBritish ethicistsPhilosophers of literatureBritish free speech activists20th-century English philosophersAnalytic philosophersEnglish humanistsRhetoric theoristsAtheist philosophersEnglish political philosophersEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish people of Scottish descentPhilosophers of historyEnglish agnostics20th-century atheistsConsequentialistsEnglish socialistsPhilosophers of social scienceBritish philosophers of religionPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyLogiciansPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of sexuality19th-century English mathematiciansCritics of work and the work ethicSecular humanistsPhilosophers of technologyPhilosophers of economicsWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of educationBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsBritish philosophers of logicCritics of the Catholic ChurchPeople from MonmouthshireAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeLinguistic turnPhilosophers of loveEuropean democratic socialistsBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsWriters about activism and social changeEnglish Nobel laureatesMembers of the Order of MeritEnglish prisoners and detaineesUtilitariansIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyEnglish scepticsBritish critics of ChristianityEnglish people of Welsh descentUniversal basic income writersBritish philosophers of mind19th-century English philosophersBritish critics of religionsAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of science19th-century atheistsUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyAnti-nationalists20th-century English mathematiciansEnglish essayistsFreethought writersBritish atheism activistsWriters about communism19th-century English essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersDarwin: On the Origins of Charles Darwin
Melvyn Bragg presents a series about the life and work of Charles Darwin. Darwin's early life and time at Cambridge, where his interests shifted from religion to natural science.
5 January 2009
Featuring: Jim Moore, Steve Jones, David Norman, Colin Higgins
ScienceEnglish travel writersTheoretical biologistsFellows of the Royal SocietyMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesEnglish AnglicansUtilitariansEnglish abolitionists19th-century British biologists, 19th-century English naturalists, British evolutionary biologists, Fellows of the Linnean Society of London, Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society, Fellows of the Zoological Society of LondonBurials at Westminster AbbeyEnglish sceptics19th-century AnglicansRecipients of the Copley MedalAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeEnglish agnosticsCharles DarwinAlumni of the University of Edinburgh19th-century English writersCircumnavigators of the globeRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Members of the American Philosophical SocietyDeaths from coronary thrombosisMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesMembers of the Lincean AcademyIndependent scientistsHuman evolutionRoyal Medal winnersDavid Ricardo
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Ricardo's argument that Britain's economy was being held back by the interests of landlords and protectionism, and his call for free trade.
25 March 2021
Featuring: Matthew Watson, Helen Paul, Richard Whatmore
Mill
Melvyn Bragg discusses the 19th century political philosopher John Stuart Mill and his treatise On Liberty which is one of the sacred texts of liberalism.
18 May 2006
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Janet Radcliffe Richards, Alan Ryan
PhilosophyBritish political philosophersHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghEnglish libertariansBritish philosophers of languageConsequentialistsInfectious disease deaths in FranceEnglish socialistsUtilitariansEnglish suffragistsTheorists on Western civilizationBritish ethicistsBritish socialistsEnglish political writersLogiciansEnglish feminist writers, English feministsBritish free speech activistsPhilosophers of sexualityPhilosophy writersBritish classical liberal economistsPhilosophers of economicsBritish social liberals19th-century English non-fiction writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of cultureRectors of the University of St AndrewsPhilosophers of psychologyBritish philosophers of mindEnglish logicians19th-century English philosophersBritish philosophers of logicEnglish autobiographersAnglo-ScotsUK MPs 1865–1868Empiricists19th-century English writersVoting theoristsEuropean democratic socialistsEnglish essayistsEnglish political philosophers19th-century English essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersEnglish non-fiction writersPhilosophers of scienceEnglish people of Scottish descentPhilosophers of historyEnglish republicansScholars of feminist philosophyEnglish agnosticsBritish male essayists