A Point of View Episodes Episode guide
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The Oxbridge Interview
Mary Beard reflects on the purpose of the much-maligned 'Oxbridge interview'.
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Reflections on Monetary Union
Mary Beard reflects on the very first monetary union, two and a half thousand years ago.
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On Age and Beauty
Mary Beard takes a peek at Miss World 2011 and ponders the upsides of middle age.
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Mary Beard: On Tyrants
Mary Beard on the uncanny similarities between Colonel Gaddafi and tyrants in ancient Rome
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The Arms Trade
Will Self deplores the arms trade, Britain's role in it and the euphemisms around it.
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Class, race and social mobility
Will Self reflects that racism is rarely a sole cause of social injustice.
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In praise of wind turbines
Will Self praises the beauty of wind turbines.
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Why Prisons Fail
Will Self sees an urgent need to reform the prison system.
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Political party membership
Will Self attacks political party members as 'donkeys led by donkeys'.
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Churchill, chance and the black dog
John Gray reflects on the chance encounters that made Churchill wartime Prime Minister.
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Believing in Belief
John Gray argues that the scientific and rationalist attack on religion is misguided.
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Cats, birds and humans
John Gray considers why the human animal needs contact with something other than itself.
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John Gray: The revolution of capitalism
John Gray on why an increasing number of people believe that Karl Marx was right.
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Kim Philby
John Gray on why Kim Philby, and so many others, have failed to predict the future.
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Greece and the Meaning of Folly
The celebrated thinker John Gray gives his reflection on the meaning of folly.
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The Advantages of Pessimism
Alain de Botton on why pessimism is the key to happiness.
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Modern Parenting
Alain de Botton takes a witty look at modern parenting.
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On Social Climbing
Alain de Botton argues that social climbing is often much more than idle pleasure-seeking.
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What's in a marriage
Alain de Botton on our extraordinarily high expectations for modern marriage.
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The Art of Conversation
Alain de Botton with some food for thought for a summer picnic.
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In Praise of the Zoo
Alain de Botton explores the relationship between humankind and animals.
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On marriage
Alain de Botton muses on why a bookish life is a poor preparation for marriage!
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In Praise of the Nanny State
Alain de Botton reflects on why freedom has become our ultimate political ideal.
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Are museums our new churches?
Alain de Botton asks if museums are our new churches.
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The ecological sublime
Alain de Botton gives a philosopher's take on our ecological dilemmas.
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'News' and concentration
Alain de Botton on our inability to concentrate.
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What humanities should teach
Alain de Botton with a controversial view of the teaching of humanities in universities.
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Dear Diary
Joan Bakewell celebrates the art of diary writing.
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A Time for Empathy
Joan Bakewell wonders how we recover true empathy in a culture of self-regard.
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Extreme Food
Joan Bakewell reflects on our current obsession with ever more elaborate food and cookery.
