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
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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 SocietyBurials at Westminster AbbeyCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersRecipients of the Copley MedalWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersPhilosophers 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
PhilosophyBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyEnglish logiciansUniversal basic income writersEuropean democratic socialistsMetaphysics writersMembers of the Order of MeritEnglish anti-fascists19th-century atheistsBritish philosophers of educationEmpiricistsEnglish humanistsFree love advocatesGeorgistsBritish critics of religionsEnglish Nobel laureatesNobel laureates in LiteratureTheorists on Western civilizationBritish political philosophersPhilosophers of social scienceEnglish people of Scottish descentEnglish socialistsEnglish male non-fiction writersConsequentialistsFellows of the Royal SocietyLinguistic turnPhilosophers of sexualityRhetoric theoristsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of loveEnglish political philosophersCritics of work and the work ethicEnglish people of Welsh descent20th-century atheists20th-century English mathematiciansPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyUtilitariansBritish atheism activistsWriters about communismLogicians19th-century English essayistsSecular humanistsPhilosophers of economicsIntellectual historians, University of Chicago facultyOntologistsEnglish scepticsFreethought writersCritics of the Catholic Church19th-century English philosophersBritish critics of ChristianityPeople from MonmouthshireAristotelian philosophersJerusalem Prize recipientsPhilosophers of lawEnglish prisoners and detaineesBritish philosophers of languageSet theoristsPhilosophers of technologyBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsPhilosophers of mathematicsBritish philosophers of mind20th-century English philosophers19th-century English mathematiciansAnti-nationalistsPhilosophers of literatureEnglish agnosticsBritish philosophers of culture, English pacifistsWriters about globalizationWriters about religion and scienceFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeEnglish essayistsAnalytic philosophersAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceWriters about activism and social changeAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgePhilosophers of historyBritish philosophers of religionBritish ethicistsAtheist philosophersUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyBritish philosophers of logicEnglish political writers19th century20th centuryEconomicsLanguageMathematicsDarwin: 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 agnosticsHuman evolutionRoyal Medal winnersCharles DarwinIndependent scientistsEnglish scepticsEnglish Anglicans19th-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 LondonTheoretical biologistsMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesAlumni of the University of EdinburghCircumnavigators of the globeMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesUtilitariansMembers of the Lincean AcademyEnglish abolitionists19th-century AnglicansRecipients of the Copley MedalAlumni of Christ's College, Cambridge19th-century English writersMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyEnglish travel writersRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Fellows of the Royal SocietyBurials at Westminster AbbeyDeaths from coronary thrombosis19th centuryAnimalsDavid 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
PhilosophyEnglish agnosticsBritish free speech activistsPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of sexualityEnglish logiciansUK MPs 1865–1868Voting theoristsEnglish libertariansEnglish political philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish essayistsEuropean democratic socialists19th-century English philosophersScholars of feminist philosophyInfectious disease deaths in FranceHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghBritish socialistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of psychologyEnglish feminist writers, English feministsAnglo-ScotsEmpiricistsBritish philosophers of languageUtilitariansEnglish autobiographersBritish philosophers of mindRectors of the University of St AndrewsFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of scienceEnglish non-fiction writersPhilosophers of historyBritish social liberals19th-century English non-fiction writersLogiciansBritish ethicistsBritish political philosophers19th-century English writers19th-century English essayistsBritish philosophers of logicPhilosophers of economicsEnglish political writersEnglish people of Scottish descentEnglish socialistsEnglish male non-fiction writersBritish classical liberal economistsEnglish suffragistsEnglish republicansConsequentialists19th centuryEconomicsLanguageMedicinePsychology