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Philosophy Podcast

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

Updated: occasionally
Episodes available: indefinitely

Episodes to download

  •

    Socrates in Prison

    Thu 23 Jan 2025

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the inspiring last days of the great Athenian philosopher.

  • Hayek's The Road to Serfdom

    Thu 17 Oct 2024

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Hayek's ideas on a state-planned economy's link to tyranny

  • Philippa Foot

    Thu 16 May 2024

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the most important philosophers of the 20th century

  • Panpsychism

    Thu 25 Jan 2024

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the idea that fundamental particles have consciousness.

  • Condorcet

    Thu 11 Jan 2024

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the last great figures of the Enlightenment.

  • The Theory of the Leisure Class

    Thu 16 Nov 2023

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Veblen on conspicuous consumption and conspicuous leisure.

  • Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

    Thu 2 Nov 2023

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Aristotle's ideas on how to live a good life.

  • Elizabeth Anscombe

    Thu 22 Jun 2023

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the influential 20th-century moral philosopher.

  • Solon the Lawgiver

    Thu 23 Mar 2023

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the statesman who transformed Athens in the 6th century BC

  • Mercantilism

    Thu 16 Mar 2023

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the idea which dominated European economies for 300 years.

  • Tycho Brahe

    Thu 2 Feb 2023

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 16th-century astronomer, renowned for his accuracy.

  • Rawls' Theory of Justice

    Thu 19 Jan 2023

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss John Rawls' influential ideas on liberty and equality.

  • Plato's Atlantis

    Thu 22 Sep 2022

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Plato's story of the great, lost island of Atlantis.

  • Hegel's Philosophy of History

    Thu 26 May 2022

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Hegel's ideas on the consciousness of freedom.

  • Comenius

    Thu 19 May 2022

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 17th-century Czech educator committed to toleration.

  • Charisma

    Thu 17 Mar 2022

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Max Weber's idea of charismatic authority in leadership

  • In Our Time is now first on 大象传媒 Sounds

    Fri 4 Mar 2022

    New episodes will now be available first on Sounds for 28 days before other podcast apps.

  • The Arthashastra

    Thu 3 Mar 2022

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ancient Indian Sanskrit text the Arthashastra.

  • Walter Benjamin

    Thu 10 Feb 2022

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the most influential thinkers of the last century.

  • Plato's Gorgias

    Thu 25 Nov 2021

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Plato's exploration of the nature of power and freedom.

  • Iris Murdoch

    Thu 21 Oct 2021

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosophy of the celebrated author of The Bell.

  • Kant's Copernican Revolution

    Thu 3 Jun 2021

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Kant's insight into how we relate to the world around us.

  • Marcus Aurelius

    Thu 25 Feb 2021

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and meditations of 'the last good Roman emperor'.

  • Mary Astell

    Thu 5 Nov 2020

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosopher Mary Astell (1666 鈥� 1731).

  • Deism

    Thu 8 Oct 2020

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the most disruptive ideas of the Enlightenment.

  • Rousseau on Education

    Thu 10 Oct 2019

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Jean-Jacques Rousseau's ideas on the education of children

  • Bergson and Time

    Thu 9 May 2019

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Henri Bergson's ideas about our experience of time passing

  • Authenticity

    Thu 14 Mar 2019

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss what it means to be oneself

  • Aristotle's Biology

    Thu 7 Feb 2019

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the scientific study of life, originated by Aristotle.

  • Hope

    Thu 22 Nov 2018

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosophy of hope - a weakness or a strength?

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