A History of Ideas Podcast
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the work of key philosophers and their theories.
Episodes to download
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Philosopher Angie Hobbs on Plato's Philosopher Kings
Yesterday
Angie Hobbs asks if the ideal state would be run by philosophers not politicians.
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Economist Kate Barker on the Free Market
Wednesday
Is a free market the best foundation for a fair, dynamic society?
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Historian Justin Champion on Toleration
Tuesday
Professor Justin Champion examines Locke's Letter on Toleration.
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Philosopher Barry Smith on Descartes and Consciousness
Fri 17 Apr 2015
Philosopher Barry Smith explores ideas about consciousness.
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Philosopher Jules Evans on Jung and the Mind
Thu 16 Apr 2015
Jules Evans explores Jung and the shadow inside all of us.
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Writer AL Kennedy on Sartre and the Individual
Wed 15 Apr 2015
Writer AL Kennedy explores existentialist ideas about the individual.
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Paul Broks on John Locke and Personal Identity
Tue 14 Apr 2015
Paul Broks asks how we can be sure we are the same person that we were yesterday.
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What Does It Mean to Be Me?
Mon 13 Apr 2015
Barry Smith, Paul Broks, AL Kennedy and Jules Evans discuss the self.
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Historian Alice Taylor on Habeas Corpus
Fri 10 Apr 2015
Historian Alice Taylor on the slippery justice of extrajudicial detention.
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Thomas Hobbes and Civil Disobedience
Thu 9 Apr 2015
Criminologist David Wilson looks at Thomas Hobbes and his 'social contract' theory.
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Philosopher Angie Hobbs on the Veil of Ignorance
Wed 8 Apr 2015
Angie Hobbs, Leif Wenar and David Runciman debate and explore the ideas of John Rawls.
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Barrister Harry Potter on Deterrence
Tue 7 Apr 2015
In this edition of a series of programmes on justice, Harry Potter examines deterrence.
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Ayn Rand and Selfishness
Fri 3 Apr 2015
Neuropsychologist Paul Broks looks at the idea of leading a good life by being selfish.
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Naomi Appleton on the Buddha's Four Noble Truths
Thu 2 Apr 2015
Naomi Appleton explores the Buddha's Four Noble Truths.
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Justin Champion on Max Weber and the Protestant Ethic
Wed 1 Apr 2015
Justin Champion looks at the roots of our culture's belief in the moral power of hard work
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Philosopher Jules Evans on Aristotle and Flourishing
Tue 31 Mar 2015
Philosopher Jules Evans asks Gus O'Donnell how to measure the good life.
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Archaeologist Matt Pope on tools and human evolution
Fri 30 Jan 2015
Archaeologist Matt pope looks at the role of technology in early human evolution.
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Surgeon Gabriel Weston on medical technology
Thu 29 Jan 2015
Surgeon Gabriel Weston sees how medical technology has changed us.
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Historian Justin Champion on Francis Bacon
Wed 28 Jan 2015
Historian Justin Champion on 17th-century polymath Francis Bacon.
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Writer Tom Chatfield: Has technology rewired our brains?
Tue 27 Jan 2015
Tom Chatfield on whether modern technology enhances or diminishes us.
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How Has Technology Changed Us?
Mon 26 Jan 2015
Melvyn Bragg is joined by Tom Chatfield, Gabriel Weston, Justin Champion and Matt Pope.
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Giles Fraser on Wittgenstein and Blade Runner
Fri 23 Jan 2015
Theologian Giles Fraser finds the answer to being human in Wittgenstein and Blade Runner.
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Barry Smith on Noam Chomsky and Human Language
Thu 22 Jan 2015
Philosopher Barry Smith argues that language is the most important uniquely human quality.
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Catharine Edwards on Seneca and Facing Death
Wed 21 Jan 2015
Only humans know they will die. Catharine Edwards on the Stoic philosopher Seneca.
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Simon Schaffer on Humans, Apes and Carl Linnaeus
Tue 20 Jan 2015
Simon Schaffer on botanist Carl Linnaeus, who first classified humans among the apes.
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Historian Justin Champion on William Whiston's Comet Theory
Thu 15 Jan 2015
Historian Justin Champion on William Whiston, the spiritual father of the Philae lander.
