Writers about religion and science
The relationship between religion and science involves discussions that interconnect the study of the natural world, history, philosophy, and theology. Even though the ancient and medieval worlds did not have conceptions resembling the modern understandings of "science" or of "religion", certain elements of modern ideas on the subject recur throughout history.
12 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CulturePhilosophyScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyAnglican saintsOntologistsSocial philosophersPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers 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 SocietyEpistemologistsAphoristsCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsRecipients of the Copley MedalAge of EnlightenmentAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophers20th-century atheistsForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesJewish philosophersMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesMetaphilosophersNobel laureates in LiteraturePantheistsPhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematicsWriters from Paris17th-century English male writersAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish people of Scottish descentExistentialistsFrench atheistsGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesLogiciansMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of sexualityUniversity of Paris alumni19th-century atheists20th-century French philosophersAmerican male non-fiction writersCatholic philosophersCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureLiteracy and society theoristsMembers of the French Academy of SciencesPhilosophers of artPhilosophers of languagePolitical philosophers17th-century English writers19th-century German essayists20th-century essayistsAmerican people of English descentAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsChristian ethicistsCritics of religionsEnglish agnosticsGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsJewish agnosticsLutheran saintsMembers of the Académie FrançaisePhilosophers of technologyRoyal Medal winnersSimple living advocatesTheoretical historiansVirtue ethicists18th-century German male writersAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of scienceGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceHumboldt University of Berlin alumniIrony theoristsJewish socialistsLeipzig University alumniMarxist theoristsMembers of the Order of MeritMembers of the Prussian Academy of SciencesMetaphysics writersPeople associated with electricityPhilosophers of warRationalistsRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)Rhetoric theoristsScholastic philosophersWriters about globalization17th-century English philosophers18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayists19th-century British physicists19th-century German male musicians19th-century German non-fiction writers20th-century British philosophers20th-century English philosophersAlumni of the University of EdinburghAmerican political philosophersAngelic visionariesBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersClassical theismCritical theoristsCritics of JudaismCritics of atheismDeist philosophersEnglish inventorsEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish physicistsEnglish political philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsFellows of the British AcademyFreethought writersFrench male non-fiction writersFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsGerman Marxist writersGerman critics of ChristianityGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionHeidelberg University alumniIndependent scientistsIrish AnglicansMedieval Latin-language poetsPhenomenologistsUtilitarians13th-century philosophers13th-century writers in Latin17th-century Anglo-Irish people18th-century American writers, Founding Fathers of the United States, People of the American Enlightenment18th-century British essayists18th-century British philosophers18th-century German writers18th-century pseudonymous writers19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers19th-century German historians19th-century German novelists19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educators19th-century mystics20th-century British essayists20th-century English mathematiciansAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinActivists for African-American civil rightsAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeAmerican autobiographersAmerican deistsAmerican male journalistsAmerican philosophers of cultureAmerican philosophers of educationAmerican philosophers of religionAmerican slave ownersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageBurials at Highgate CemeteryCambridge University Moral Sciences ClubConsequentialistsConservatismCriticism of rationalismDeterministsDiscoverers of chemical elementsDoctors of the ChurchEnglish logiciansEnglish political writersExperimental physicistsFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeFrench epistemologistsGeorgistsGerman agnosticsGerman epistemologistsGerman idealistsGerman nationalistsGerman revolutionariesGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourHumor researchersIdealistsIntellectual historyJerusalem Prize recipientsJewish atheistsKnights BachelorLecturersLinguistic turnLycée Condorcet alumniOptical physicistsPamphleteersPeople associated with the University of BaselPeople from the Province of SaxonyPeople of the Age of EnlightenmentPhilosophers of linguisticsPhilosophers of timePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietySocialist feministsStateless people18th-century American politicians, Signers of the United States Constitution, American Freemasons19th-century British chemists19th-century English mathematicians19th-century English scientists19th-century German journalists19th-century Prussian people20th-century French male writers20th-century French memoiristsAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAction theoristsAnti-imperialistsBritish atheism activistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish male non-fiction writersBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsBurials at the Dorotheenstadt CemeteryChristian apologistsCorresponding fellows of the British AcademyCreators of writing systemsCritics of MarxismCritics of political economyDeaths from choleraDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyDominican mysticsEconomic historians, German sociologistsEnglish ProtestantsEnglish alchemistsEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish humanistsEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsFellows of the Royal Society of ArtsFluid dynamicistsFree love advocatesFrench essayistsGerman anti-capitalists, Jewish communists, German socialist feministsGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersGerman music criticsGerman writers on atheismIndependent scholarsJewish ethicistsJewish historiansKantianismLinguists from FranceMagic (supernatural)MagneticiansMasonic grand mastersMaterialistsMembers of the International Workingmen's AssociationMembers of the Order of the Companions of HonourNaturalised 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 agnosticsPeople educated at Eton CollegePeople from MonmouthshirePeople of the Scottish EnlightenmentPhilosophers from MassachusettsPhilosophers of identityPhilosophers of nihilismPhilosophical anthropologyPolitical activists from PennsylvaniaRecipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and ArtSecular humanistsSet theoristsSkeptic philosophersSystematic theologiansThe New School facultyThomas AquinasUniversal basic income writersUniversity of Bonn alumniUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansUniversity of Jena alumniUniversity of Tübingen alumniWriters about communismWriters from Philadelphia, Recreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston
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
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 FreemasonsBertrand 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
PhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and scienceEnglish essayistsAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social sciencePhilosophers of mathematics20th-century atheistsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsNobel laureates in LiteratureAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of loveLogiciansPhilosophers of sexualityEnglish people of Scottish descent19th-century atheistsEmpiricistsCritics of work and the work ethicAnalytic philosophersEnglish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyAnti-nationalistsMembers of the Order of MeritBritish critics of religionsRhetoric theoristsEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsMetaphysics writersWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of education20th-century English philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsBritish philosophers of mindEnglish people of Welsh descentBritish ethicistsUtilitariansEnglish political philosophersFreethought writersBritish political philosophersBritish philosophers of languagePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyBritish historians of philosophy20th-century English mathematiciansEnglish logicians19th-century English philosophersJerusalem Prize recipientsGeorgists19th-century English essayistsAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsConsequentialistsEnglish political writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish free speech activistsLinguistic turnUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultySet theoristsEnglish humanistsBritish atheism activistsUniversal basic income writersEnglish anti-fascistsWriters about communismPeople from Monmouthshire19th-century English mathematiciansBritish critics of ChristianityEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsFree love advocatesBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionSecular humanistsUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureDavid 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 identityHegel's Philosophy of History
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Hegel's ideas on history as the progress of the consciousness of freedom, and whether we enjoy more freedom now than those in past centuries.
26 May 2022
Featuring: Sally Sedgwick, Robert Stern, Stephen Houlgate
PhilosophyPhilosophy writersMetaphysiciansEnlightenment philosophersWriters about religion and scienceGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPantheists19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyGerman philosophers of artTheoretical historians19th-century German essayists18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of languageHeidelberg University alumni19th-century mystics18th-century German writersAcademic staff of the Humboldt University of BerlinGerman idealistsBurials at the Dorotheenstadt CemeteryDeaths from choleraUniversity of Tübingen alumni18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religion19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educatorsKant's Copernican Revolution
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Kant's ideas on how the world depends on us, on the limits of human knowledge and why we are bound to ask questions we cannot answer.
3 June 2021
Featuring: Fiona Hughes, Anil Gomes, John Callanan
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnlightenment philosophersWriters about religion and scienceAge of EnlightenmentGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science18th-century philosophers19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersMetaphilosophersGerman LutheransGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyLogiciansNatural law ethicistsNatural philosophersPhilosophers of logicPhilosophers of sexualityGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureTheoretical historians19th-century German essayistsRationalistsMembers of the Prussian Academy of Sciences18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of sciencePhilosophers of war19th-century German non-fiction writersGerman agnostics18th-century German writersGerman idealistsIdealistsGerman epistemologistsGerman nationalistsHumor researchersLecturersPeople of the Age of Enlightenment19th-century Prussian peopleKantianismGerman philosophers of education, German ethicists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionGerman logicians, Kantian philosophersLévi-Strauss
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work of French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss.
23 May 2013
Featuring: Adam Kuper, Christina Howells, Vincent Debaene
CultureOntologistsTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of mindWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of religionMetaphysiciansMembers of the American Philosophical SocietyWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersPhilosophers of social scienceForeign associates of the National Academy of Sciences20th-century atheistsJewish philosophersMetaphilosophersWriters from ParisFrench atheistsUniversity of Paris alumniMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesLiteracy and society theorists20th-century French philosophersPhilosophers of languageMembers of the Académie Française20th-century essayistsFrench philosophers of educationFrench philosophers of historyFrench philosophers of scienceMetaphysics writersWriters about globalizationFrench male non-fiction writersPhenomenologistsCritical theoristsJewish atheistsLycée Condorcet alumniFrench epistemologistsGrand Cross of the Legion of HonourIntellectual historyPhilosophers of linguisticsAcademic staff of the Collège de FranceThe New School faculty20th-century French memoiristsJewish historians20th-century French male writersCorresponding fellows of the British AcademyFrench essayistsLinguists from FranceWriters about communismFrench philosophers of culture, French sociologistsMarx
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 sociologistsMichael Faraday
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Michael Faraday, the most famous British scientist of the 19th century.
25 December 2015
Featuring: Geoffrey Cantor, Laura Herz, Frank James
ScienceFellows of the Royal SocietyFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesWriters about religion and scienceRecipients of the Copley MedalMembers of the Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesForeign associates of the National Academy of SciencesHonorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of SciencesMembers of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesMembers of the French Academy of SciencesRoyal Medal winnersPeople associated with electricityRecipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)English inventors19th-century British physicistsEnglish physicistsOptical physicistsExperimental physicistsBurials at Highgate CemeteryEnglish Protestants19th-century British chemists19th-century English scientistsMagneticiansNietzsche's Genealogy of Morality
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Nietzsche's influential ideas about what it means to be moral.
12 January 2017
Featuring: Stephen Mulhall, Fiona Hughes, Keith Ansell-Pearson
PhilosophyOntologistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeMetaphysiciansCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and scienceAphoristsGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersMetaphilosophersGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyPhilosophers of sexualityExistentialistsPhilosophers of psychologyGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureCritics of work and the work ethicAnti-consumeristsCritics of religionsAnti-nationalistsLeipzig University alumniIrony theorists19th-century German male musicians19th-century German non-fiction writersCritical theoristsGerman critics of ChristianityPeople associated with the University of BaselStateless peopleGerman epistemologistsDeterministsPeople from the Province of Saxony19th-century German novelistsPhilosophers of time19th-century Prussian people19th-century German journalistsGerman music criticsPhilosophers of nihilismUniversity of Bonn alumniDeaths from pneumonia in GermanyGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsGerman philosophers of mind, German philosophers of religionPopper
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 agnosticsRobert Boyle
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the life and work of Robert Boyle, a pioneering scientist and one of the first Fellows of the Royal Society.
12 June 2014
Featuring: Simon Schaffer, Michael Hunter, Anna Marie Roos
SciencePhilosophers of scienceWriters about religion and science17th-century English male writers17th-century English writers17th-century English philosophersEnglish physicistsIrish AnglicansIndependent scientistsDiscoverers of chemical elements17th-century Anglo-Irish peopleEnglish alchemistsPeople educated at Eton CollegeFluid dynamicistsSt Thomas Aquinas
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss St Thomas Aquinas, the Catholic Church's foremost western philosopher and theologian.
17 September 2009
Featuring: Martin Palmer, John Haldane, Annabel Brett
PhilosophyAnglican saintsMetaphysiciansWriters about religion and sciencePhilosophers of lawUniversity of Paris alumniAristotelian philosophersNatural law ethicistsCatholic philosophersVirtue ethicistsChristian ethicistsLutheran saintsScholastic philosophersClassical theismMedieval Latin-language poetsAngelic visionariesCritics of atheism13th-century writers in Latin13th-century philosophersDoctors of the ChurchSystematic theologiansChristian apologistsDominican mysticsThomas AquinasMagic (supernatural)