Annabel Brett
Professor of Political Thought and History at the University of Cambridge
6 episodes
Appears in multiple episodes with: Angie Hobbs
Covers topics in categories such as:
Marsilius of Padua
Melvyn Bragg & guests discuss one of the first to argue that political power came from the people, not from God or hereditary monarchy, and they could elect or remove their rulers.
30 May 2024
Also featuring: George Garnett, Serena Ferente
St Thomas Aquinas
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss St Thomas Aquinas, the Catholic Church's foremost western philosopher and theologian.
17 September 2009
Also featuring: Martin Palmer, John Haldane
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)Aristotle's Politics
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the most important works of political philosophy ever written - Aristotle’s ‘Politics.
6 November 2008
Also featuring: Angie Hobbs, Paul Cartledge
Hobbes
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
Also featuring: Quentin Skinner, David Wootton
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 theologiansMaterialistsDuty
Melvyn Bragg discusses duty; the concept that others have a claim over our actions has been at the heart of the history of civilised society.
13 November 2003
Also featuring: Angie Hobbs, A. C. Grayling
Freedom
Melvyn Bragg discusses what it is to be free, how freedom became such a powerful value and whether there is such a thing as natural freedom or if it is always culturally defined.
4 July 2002
Also featuring: John Keane, Bernard Williams