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Playing: Cantus Arcticus (Concerto for birds and orchestra) (Op.61) with taped birdsong by Einojuhani Rautavaara

Through the Night With John Shea. Featuring works by Adelbert Gyrowetz.

ON NEXT : 07:00 Breakfast

Free Thinking Festival

BBC Radio 3's Free Thinking Festival 2012, with Mary Robinson, Amos Oz, Antony Beevor, Philippa Gregory, Michael Ignatieff, Kevin Whately, Lee Hall, Polly Toynbee and many more.

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2012 Festival Philippa Gregory

Novelist Philippa Gregory talks to Rana Mitter at the 2012 Free Thinking festival.

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See all Free Thinking Festival episodes available (50)

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2012 Festival Aliens: The Ultimate Them and Us

From the 2012 Free Thinking festival, Matthew Sweet chairs a debate on aliens.

Mon 18 Feb 2013 22:00 BBC Radio 3

See all previous episodes from Free Thinking Festival

  • Mary Robinson

    Mary Robinson

    Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, delivers the opening lecture of the festival. She argues that women leaders are better placed than men to sort out the crises of the 21st Century.

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  • Aliens: The Ultimate Them and Us

    Aliens: The Ultimate Them and Us

    How might the discovery of alien life change the way we think about humanity? Would it fundamentally affect how we understand ourselves and should we prepare for the consequences? Matthew Sweet is joined by leading scientists to discuss Aliens at the Free Thinking Festival 2012.

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  • Evolution and Humanity - What Next?

    Mark Pagel

    Is the human race still evolving? Evolutionary biologist Mark Pagel has some fascinating theories about the future of humanity. Are we moving towards a world of one state and one language?

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  • Michael Ignatieff

    Michael Ignatieff and Matthew Sweet

    On the eve of the US election, Michael Ignatieff gives a talk on Enemies in Politics at the Radio 3 Free Thinking Festival 2012.

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  • Islam and Christianity: The Essential Difference

    Islam and Christianity: The Essential Difference

    Tom Holland and Mona Siddiqui discuss the essential difference between Islam and Christianity at the Radio 3 Free Thinking Festival. Just how different are the two biggest world religions?

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    Arts and Ideas

    The best of BBC Radio 3's flagship arts and ideas programme Night Waves - featuring in-depth...

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