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Philosophy Podcast

From Altruism to Wittgenstein, philosophers, theories and key themes.

Updated: occasionally
Episodes available: indefinitely

Episodes to download

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    The Mind/Body Problem

    Thu 13 Jan 2005

    Melvyn Bragg examines the history of thought about the mind/body problem in philosophy.

  • Machiavelli and the Italian City States

    Thu 9 Dec 2004

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the political philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli.

  • Jung

    Thu 2 Dec 2004

    The extraordinary mind and theories of the psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung.

  • Rhetoric

    Thu 28 Oct 2004

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discusses rhetoric; supported by Aristotle but reviled by Plato.

  • The Han Synthesis

    Thu 14 Oct 2004

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Han Synthesis philosophies of China.

  • Sartre

    Thu 7 Oct 2004

    The life and work of French novelist, playwright and philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.

  • Politeness

    Thu 30 Sep 2004

    Melvyn Bragg examines the cultural effect of the eighteenth century idea of Politeness.

  • Empiricism

    Thu 10 Jun 2004

    Melvyn Bragg examines the 17th century idea that all knowledge arises from experience.

  • Heroism

    Thu 6 May 2004

    Melvyn Bragg explores what defines a hero, and their place in classical society.

  • Wittgenstein

    Thu 4 Dec 2003

    The life, work and legacy of the 20th century philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein.

  • Duty

    Thu 13 Nov 2003

    Melvyn Bragg examines duty, a concept that has excited philosophers through history.

  • Bohemianism

    Thu 9 Oct 2003

    Melvyn Bragg examines the 19th century Parisian philosophy of life lived for art.

  • The Art of War

    Thu 12 Jun 2003

    The history and philosophy of warfare throughout the ages.

  • Originality

    Thu 20 Mar 2003

    Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the creative force of originality.

  • Redemption

    Thu 13 Mar 2003

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss redemption, crucial for Judeo-Christian thought.

  • The Enlightenment in Scotland

    Thu 5 Dec 2002

    Melvyn Bragg examines the emergence and impact of the Scottish Enlightenment.

  • Freedom

    Thu 4 Jul 2002

    Melvyn Bragg considers what it is to be free and how freedom became such a powerful value.

  • The Soul

    Thu 6 Jun 2002

    The history of thought on immortality, the self and the afterlife.

  • The Examined Life

    Thu 9 May 2002

    Melvyn Bragg investigates how our preoccupations about how to live have altered over time.

  • Virtue

    Thu 28 Feb 2002

    Melvyn Bragg explores the meaning and purpose of the philosophical concept of virtue.

  • Happiness

    Thu 24 Jan 2002

    Melvyn Bragg considers whether 'happiness' means living a life of pleasure or of virtue.

  • Confucius

    Thu 1 Nov 2001

    Melvyn Bragg and guests examine the chinese philosophy of Confucianism.

  • Democracy

    Thu 18 Oct 2001

    Melvyn Bragg examines the origins of the most cherished form of government in the world.

  • Existentialism

    Thu 28 Jun 2001

    Melvyn Bragg and guests examine the 20th century philosophy of existentialism

  • Evil

    Thu 3 May 2001

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the notion of evil in western philosophy.

  • The Philosophy of Love

    Thu 29 Mar 2001

    Melvyn Bragg examines the western understanding of the Philosophy of Love since Plato.

  • Humanism

    Thu 8 Feb 2001

    The history and legacy of classical Humanism, invented by Cicero.

  • Nihilism

    Thu 16 Nov 2000

    The history of the philosophy that claims that truths are illusory.

  • Laws of Nature

    Thu 19 Oct 2000

    Melvyn Bragg considers whether what is true in physics is true in all areas of existence.

  • Economic Rights

    Thu 27 Jan 2000

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the relationship between democracy and capitalism.

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