Podcasts History A History of Ideas
A History of Ideas

A History of Ideas

60 episodes

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the work of key philosophers and their theories.


Podcasts

Neuropsychologist Paul Broks on Wittgenstein

Published: Aug. 7, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 59 seconds

Listed in: History

Philosopher Clare Carlisle on Reality and Perception

Published: Aug. 6, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 57 seconds

Listed in: History

Physicist Tara Shears on Falsification

Published: Aug. 5, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 42 seconds

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Lawyer Harry Potter on Eyewitness Testimony

Published: Aug. 4, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 10 seconds

Listed in: History

How Can I Know Anything at All?

Published: Aug. 3, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 2 seconds

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Writer Lisa Appignanesi on the Love of Children

Published: July 31, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 55 seconds

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Psychotherapist Mark Vernon on Freud

Published: July 30, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 57 seconds

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Theologian Giles Fraser on Altruism

Published: July 29, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 59 seconds

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Classicist Edith Hall on Aristophanes in Plato

Published: July 28, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 4 seconds

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What Is Love?

Published: July 27, 2015, 11:30 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 52 seconds

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Philosopher Timothy Secret on Ancestor Worship

Published: July 24, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 5 seconds

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Philosopher Angie Hobbs on Plato's Philosopher Kings

Published: July 23, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 18 seconds

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Economist Kate Barker on the Free Market

Published: July 22, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 58 seconds

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Historian Justin Champion on Toleration

Published: July 21, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 14 seconds

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How Should We Live Together?

Published: July 20, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 58 seconds

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Philosopher Barry Smith on Descartes and Consciousness

Published: April 17, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 58 seconds

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Philosopher Jules Evans on Jung and the Mind

Published: April 16, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 9 seconds

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Writer AL Kennedy on Sartre and the Individual

Published: April 15, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 8 seconds

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Paul Broks on John Locke and Personal Identity

Published: April 14, 2015, 11:30 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 7 seconds

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What Does It Mean to Be Me?

Published: April 13, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 52 seconds

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Historian Alice Taylor on Habeas Corpus

Published: April 10, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 10 seconds

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Thomas Hobbes and Civil Disobedience

Published: April 9, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 5 seconds

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Philosopher Angie Hobbs on the Veil of Ignorance

Published: April 8, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 2 seconds

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Barrister Harry Potter on Deterrence

Published: April 7, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 3 seconds

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What Is Justice?

Published: April 6, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 51 seconds

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Ayn Rand and Selfishness

Published: April 3, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 15 seconds

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Naomi Appleton on the Buddha's Four Noble Truths

Published: April 2, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 50 seconds

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Justin Champion on Max Weber and the Protestant Ethic

Published: April 1, 2015, 11:04 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 8 seconds

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Philosopher Jules Evans on Aristotle and Flourishing

Published: March 31, 2015, 11:04 a.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 17 seconds

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How Do I Live a Good Life?

Published: March 30, 2015, 11:15 a.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 38 seconds

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Archaeologist Matt Pope on tools and human evolution

Published: Jan. 30, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 36 seconds

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Surgeon Gabriel Weston on medical technology

Published: Jan. 29, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 54 seconds

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Historian Justin Champion on Francis Bacon

Published: Jan. 28, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 26 seconds

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Writer Tom Chatfield: Has technology rewired our brains?

Published: Jan. 27, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 39 seconds

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How Has Technology Changed Us?

Published: Jan. 26, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 43 seconds

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Giles Fraser on Wittgenstein and Blade Runner

Published: Jan. 23, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 47 seconds

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Barry Smith on Noam Chomsky and Human Language

Published: Jan. 22, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 54 seconds

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Catharine Edwards on Seneca and facing death.

Published: Jan. 21, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 44 seconds

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Simon Schaffer on humans, apes and Carl Linnaeus

Published: Jan. 20, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 13 minutes 8 seconds

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What Makes Us Human?

Published: Jan. 19, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 18 seconds

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Historian Justin Champion on William Whiston's Comet Theory

Published: Jan. 16, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 11 minutes 31 seconds

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Theologian Giles Fraser on Thomas Aquinas

Published: Jan. 15, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 4 seconds

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Astronomer Carole Mundell on the Big Bang

Published: Jan. 14, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 11 minutes 48 seconds

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Jessica Frazier on Creation Myths

Published: Jan. 13, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 11 minutes 55 seconds

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How Did Everything Begin?

Published: Jan. 12, 2015, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 11 minutes 32 seconds

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Philosopher Angie Hobbs on the Value of Conscience

Published: Nov. 28, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes

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Lawyer Harry Potter on Morality and the Law

Published: Nov. 27, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 10 seconds

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Neuro-psychologist Paul Broks on Morality and the Brain

Published: Nov. 26, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 4 seconds

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Theologian Giles Fraser on Moral character

Published: Nov. 25, 2014, noon
Duration: 11 minutes 38 seconds

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How Can I Tell Right From Wrong?

Published: Nov. 24, 2014, noon
Duration: 11 minutes 55 seconds

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Philosopher Angie Hobbs on Beauty and Morality

Published: Nov. 21, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 11 minutes 56 seconds

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Historian Simon Schaffer on Beauty and Evolution

Published: Nov. 20, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 7 seconds

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Vicky Neale on the Mathematics of Beauty

Published: Nov. 19, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 11 minutes 59 seconds

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Barry Smith on the Philosophy of Good Taste

Published: Nov. 18, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 5 seconds

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Why Are Things Beautiful?

Published: Nov. 17, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 11 minutes 52 seconds

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Neuroscientist Paul Broks on Free Will and the Brain

Published: Nov. 14, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 13 seconds

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Theologian Giles Fraser on Religious Freedom

Published: Nov. 13, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 11 minutes 58 seconds

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Lawyer Harry Potter on Individual Freedom and the State

Published: Nov. 12, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 12 minutes 4 seconds

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Philosopher Angie Hobbs on Positive and Negative Freedom

Published: Nov. 11, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 11 minutes 46 seconds

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What Does It Mean to Be Free?

Published: Nov. 10, 2014, 12:15 p.m.
Duration: 11 minutes 58 seconds

Listed in: History