In Our Time Archive: Philosophy
The history of ideas discussed by Melvyn Bragg and guests including Philosophy, science, literature, religion and the influence these ideas have on us today.
- Updated:
-
Episodes available:
Indefinitely
All episodes (62)
Malthusianism
Wed, 22 Jun 11
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg discusses the ideas of Thomas Malthus, the Victorian clergyman whose work, 'An Essay on the Principle of Population', forecast that soon the population would outstrip food supply. His philosophy regarding population became known as 'Malthusianism'. But was there any truth in his predictions and what impact did his essay have at the time? Melvyn is joined by Karen O’Brien, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at the University of Birmingham; Mark Philp, Lecturer in Politics at the University of Oxford; and Emma Griffin, Senior Lecturer in History at the University of East Anglia.
Cogito Ergo Sum
Thu, 28 Apr 11
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and his guests discuss one of the most famous statements in philosophy: "Cogito ergo sum" or "I think therefore I am". With Susan James, John Cottingham and Stephen Mulhall.
Free Will
Thu, 10 Mar 11
Duration:
43 minsDo we have the freedom to control our actions? Melvyn Bragg discusses free will with Simon Blackburn, Helen Beebee and Galen Strawson.
Aristotle's Poetics
Thu, 27 Jan 11
Duration:
42 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the seminal work of literary criticism by Aristotle, his 'Poetics'. Full of advice about how to write and appreciate tragedy and epic poetry, the book had a huge influence on French renaissance drama and beyond. Melvyn is joined by Angie Hobbs, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Senior Fellow in the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Warwick; Nick Lowe is Reader in Classical Literature at Royal Holloway, University of London; and Stephen Halliwell, Professor of Greek at the University of St. Andrews.
Daoism
Wed, 15 Dec 10
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ancient religion and philosophy, Daoism. Said to date from the 6th century BC when a wise man called Laozi wrote the 'Scripture of the Way and its Power', the 'Daodejing'; Daoism plays a significant role in Chinese culture in general and is now one of the most influential religions worldwide. Melvyn is joined by Tim Barrett, Professor of East Asian History at SOAS; Martin Palmer, Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture; and Hilde De Weerdt,Fellow and Tutor in Chinese History at Pembroke College, University of Oxford.
Edmund Burke
Thu, 3 Jun 10
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosopher, politician and writer Edmund Burke. With guests Karen O’Brien, Richard Bourke and John Keane.
William Hazlitt
Thu, 8 Apr 10
Duration:
42 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and works of the essayist William Hazlitt. With Jonathan Bate, Anthony Grayling and Uttara Natarajan.
Ibn Khaldun
Thu, 4 Feb 10
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 14th-century Arab philosopher of history Ibn Khaldun. With Hugh Kennedy, Robert Irwin and Robert Hoyland.
The Frankfurt School
Thu, 14 Jan 10
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas and influence of the Frankfurt School. Guests include Jonathon Rée, Esther Leslie and Raymond Geuss.
Mary Wollstonecraft
Thu, 31 Dec 09
Duration:
42 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and ideas of Mary Wollstonecraft. With John Mullan, Barbara Taylor and Karen O’Brien.
Schopenhauer
Thu, 29 Oct 09
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the pessimistic philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer. Guests include A.C. Grayling, Béatrice Han-Pile and Chris Janaway.
The School of Athens
Thu, 26 Mar 09
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss Raphael's depiction of Plato and Aristotle. With Angie Hobbs, Jill Kraye and Valery Rees.
Thoreau and the American Idyll
Thu, 15 Jan 09
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau. With Kathy Burk, Stephen Fender and Tim Morris.
The Consolation of Philosophy
Thu, 1 Jan 09
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the consolation of Philosophy. Guests include AC Grayling, Roger Scruton and Melissa Lane.
Aristotle’s Politics
Thu, 6 Nov 08
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss Aristotle’s ‘Politics’. With Annabel Brett, Angie Hobbs and Paul Cartledge.
The Translation Movement
Thu, 2 Oct 08
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss classical Greek ideas in the Arabic and the Islamic world. Guests include Peter Adamson, Amira Bennison and Peter Pormann.
Materialism
Thu, 24 Apr 08
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss Materialism in Philosophy. With AC Grayling, Anthony O’Hear and Caroline Warman.
Kierkegaard
Thu, 20 Mar 08
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg examines the rich and radical ideas of the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. With guests Jonathan Ree, Clare Carlisle and John Lippitt.
The Social Contract
Thu, 7 Feb 08
Duration:
42 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Social Contract; a key idea in political philosophy. Guests include Susan James, Karen O’Brien and Melissa Lane.
Avicenna
Thu, 8 Nov 07
Duration:
42 minsMelvyn Bragg discusses the Persian Islamic philosopher Avicenna. With Peter Adamson, Nader El-Bizri and Amira Bennison.
Guilt
Thu, 1 Nov 07
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests take a long hard look at the idea of guilt. Guests include Miranda Fricker, Stephen Mulhall and Oliver Davies.
Socrates
Thu, 27 Sep 07
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the iconic Greek philosopher, Socrates. With Angie Hobbs, David Sedley and Paul Millett.
Common Sense Philosophy
Thu, 21 Jun 07
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss common sense philosophy. Guests include Alexander Broadie, A.C Grayling and Melissa Lane.
Spinoza
Thu, 3 May 07
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg discusses the Dutch, Jewish and Christian Philosopher, Baruch Spinoza. With Jonathan Ree, John Cottingham and Sarah Hutton.
Popper
Thu, 8 Feb 07
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg discusses the Anglo-Austrian philosopher Karl Popper. With guests John Worrall, Anthony O’Hear and Nancy Cartwright.
Anarchism
Thu, 7 Dec 06
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the political creed of Anarchism. With Peter Marshall, John Keane and Ruth Kinna.
Altruism
Thu, 23 Nov 06
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss philosophical and evolutionary arguments over altruism. Guests include Richard Dawkins, Miranda Fricker and John Dupre.
Averroes
Thu, 5 Oct 06
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 12th century Islamic philosopher, Averroes. Guests include Peter Adamson, Anthony Kenny and Amira Bennison.
Mill
Thu, 18 May 06
Duration:
43 minsThe life and ideas of the 19th century political philosopher John Stuart Mill. With guests A C Grayling, Alan Ryan and Janet Radcliffe Richards.
Friendship
Thu, 2 Mar 06
Duration:
42 minsMelvyn Bragg explores the concept of friendship; ‘a single soul dwelling in two bodies’. With guests Angie Hobbs, Mark Vernon and John Mullan.
The Oath
Thu, 5 Jan 06
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests explore the importance of the oath in the Classical World. Guests include Alan Sommerstein, Paul Cartledge and Mary Beard.
Hobbes
Thu, 1 Dec 05
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the great 17th century philosopher Thomas Hobbes. Guests include Quentin Skinner, David Wootton and Annabel Brett.
Pragmatism
Thu, 17 Nov 05
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests examine the American philosophy of pragmatism. Guests include AC Grayling, Julian Baggini and Miranda Fricker.
Cynicism
Thu, 20 Oct 05
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Cynics, the performance artists of philosophy. Guests include Angie Hobbs, Miriam Griffin and John Moles.
Marx
Thu, 14 Jul 05
Duration:
43 minsThe life and ideas of Karl Marx who changed the world with his Communist Manifesto. With Gareth Stedman-Jones, Francis Wheen and AC Grayling.
Beauty
Thu, 19 May 05
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the qualities of beauty and the history of aesthetics. Guests include Angie Hobbes, Sue James and Julian Baggini.
Stoicism
Fri, 4 Mar 05
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg explores Stoicism, the most influential philosophy in the Ancient World. With Jonathan Ree, Angie Hobbs and David Sedley.
Jung
Thu, 2 Dec 04
Duration:
29 minsThe extraordinary mind and theories of the psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung. With Brett Kahr, Andrew Samuels and Ronald Hayman.
Rhetoric
Thu, 14 Oct 04
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discusses rhetoric; supported by Aristotle but reviled by Plato. Guests include Angie Hobbs, Ceri Sullivan and Tom Healy.
The Han Synthesis
Thu, 14 Oct 04
Duration:
28 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Han Synthesis philosophies of China. Guests include Chris Cullen, Carol Michaelson and Roel Sterckx.
Empiricism
Thu, 10 Jun 04
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg examines the 17th century idea that all knowledge arises from experience. With guests Murray Pittock, Jonathan Ree and Judith Hawley.
Heroism
Thu, 6 May 04
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg explores what defines a hero, and their place in classical society. With Paul Cartledge, AC Grayling and Angie Hobbs.
Wittgenstein
Thu, 4 Dec 03
Duration:
43 minsThe life, work and legacy of the 20th century philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. With Ray Monk, Marie McGinn and Barry Smith.
Duty
Thu, 13 Nov 03
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg examines duty, a concept that has excited philosophers through history. With guests AC Grayling, Angie Hobbs and Annabel Brett.
The Art of War
Thu, 12 Jun 03
Duration:
43 minsThe history and philosophy of warfare throughout the ages. With guests Michael Howard, Angie Hobbs and Jeremy Black.
Freedom
Thu, 4 Jul 02
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg considers what it is to be free and how freedom became such a powerful value. With John Keane, Annabel Brett and Bernhard Williams.
The Examined Life
Thu, 9 May 02
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg investigates how our preoccupations about how to live have altered over time. Including guests AC Grayling, Janet Radcliffe Richards and Julian Baggini.
Virtue
Thu, 28 Feb 02
Duration:
43 minsMelvyn Bragg explores the meaning and purpose of the philosophical concept of virtue. With guests Galen Strawson, Miranda Fricker and Roger Crisp.
Happiness
Thu, 24 Jan 02
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg considers whether 'happiness' means living a life of pleasure or of virtue. With Simon Blackburn, Angie Hobbs and AC Grayling.
Confucius
Thu, 1 Nov 01
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests examine the chinese philosophy of Confucianism. Guests include Tao Tao Liu, Frances Wood and Tim Barrett.
Evil
Thu, 3 May 01
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the notion of evil in western philosophy. With Jones Erwin, Stephen Mulhall and Margaret Atkins.
The Philosophy of Love
Thu, 29 Mar 01
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg examines the western understanding of the Philosophy of Love since Plato. With Roger Scruton, Angie Hobbes and Thomas Docherty .
Humanism
Thu, 8 Feb 01
Duration:
29 minsThe history and legacy of classical Humanism, invented by Cicero. With Simon Goldhill, Tony Davies and Lisa Jardine.
Nihilism
Thu, 16 Nov 00
Duration:
29 minsThe history of the philosophy that claims that truths are illusory. Including guests Rob Hopkins, Raymond Tallis and Catherine Belsey.
Economic Rights
Thu, 27 Jan 00
Duration:
28 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss the relationship between democracy and capitalism. With Amartya Sen and Will Hutton.
Consciousness
Thu, 25 Nov 99
Duration:
28 minsMelvyn Bragg examines why ideas about consciousness preoccupy philosophers and scientists. With Ted Hondrich and Roger Penrose.
Progress
Thu, 18 Nov 99
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg examines whether mankind has made as much moral as material progress. With Adam Phillips and Anthony O’Hear.
The Individual
Thu, 21 Oct 99
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg explores the concept of the individual from the Renaissance to today. With Richard Wollheim and Jonathan Dollimore.
Utopia
Thu, 7 Oct 99
Duration:
28 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss why we are as enthralled as ever by the idea of a Utopia. With John Carey and A.C. Grayling.
Just War
Thu, 3 Jun 99
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg looks at where the idea of a just war originated and asks if it can still exist. With John Keane and Niall Ferguson.
Good and Evil
Thu, 1 Apr 99
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg and guests discuss how we judge good and evil in modern western civilisation. With Leszek Kolakowski and Galen Strawson.
Cultural Rights in the 20th Century
Thu, 10 Dec 98
Duration:
29 minsMelvyn Bragg examines what impact globalisation has had on human rights, with Homi Bhabha and John Grey.
Terms of Use
The BBC Podcasts are for your personal non-commercial use only.
All title, ownership rights and intellectual property rights in and to the BBC Podcasts shall remain the property of the BBC or third parties. You may not edit, alter, adapt or add to the BBC Podcast in any way. The BBC Podcasts are made available by the BBC on an "as is" and "as available" basis and the BBC gives no warranty of any kind in relation to the BBC Podcast. To the maximum extent permitted by law the BBC will not be liable for any loss or damage which you may suffer as a result of, or connected to, the download or use of the BBC Podcasts.
Play episodes
- Malthusianism
- Cogito Ergo Sum
- Free Will
- Aristotle's Poetics
- Daoism
- Edmund Burke
- William Hazlitt
- Ibn Khaldun
- The Frankfurt School
- Mary Wollstonecraft
- Schopenhauer
- The School of Athens
- Thoreau and the American Idyll
- The Consolation of Philosophy
- Aristotle’s Politics
- The Translation Movement
- Materialism
- Kierkegaard
- The Social Contract
- Avicenna
- Guilt
- Socrates
- Common Sense Philosophy
- Spinoza
- Popper
- Anarchism
- Altruism
- Averroes
- Mill
- Friendship
- The Oath
- Hobbes
- Pragmatism
- Cynicism
- Marx
- Beauty
- Stoicism
- Jung
- Rhetoric
- The Han Synthesis
- Empiricism
- Heroism
- Wittgenstein
- Duty
- The Art of War
- Freedom
- The Examined Life
- Virtue
- Happiness
- Confucius
- Evil
- The Philosophy of Love
- Humanism
- Nihilism
- Economic Rights
- Consciousness
- Progress
- The Individual
- Utopia
- Just War
- Good and Evil
- Cultural Rights in the 20th Century
Related links
You may also like
Genres
Bookmark this page:
BBC iD
Sign inbbc.co.uk navigation
BBC links
BBC © 2012 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.