In Our Time
BBC Radio 4
Spanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Misha Glenny and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.
History fans can learn about pivotal wars and societal upheavals, such as the rise and fall of Napoleon, the Sack of Rome in 1527, and the political intrigue of the Russian Revolution. Those fascinated by the lives of kings and queens can journey to Versailles to meet Marie Antoinette and Louis XIV the Sun King, or to Ancient Egypt to meet Cleopatra and Nefertiti. Or perhaps you're looking to explore the history of religion, from Buddhism's early teachings to the Protestant Reformation.
If you're interested in the stories behind iconic works of art, music and literature, dive in to discussions on the artistic genius of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and Van Gogh's famous Sunflowers. From Gothic architecture to the works of Shakespeare, each episode of In Our Time offers new insight into humanity's cultural achievements.
Those looking to enrich their scientific knowledge can hear episodes on black holes, the Periodic Table, and classical theories of gravity, motion, evolution and relativity. Learn how the discovery of penicillin revolutionised medicine, and how the death of stars can lead to the formation of new planets.
Lovers of philosophy will find episodes on the big issues that define existence, from free will and ethics, to liberty and justice. In what ways did celebrated philosophers such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Karl Marx push forward radical new ideas? How has the concept of karma evolved from the ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism to today? What was Plato's concept of an ideal republic, and how did he explore this through the legend of the lost city of Atlantis?
In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.
History fans can learn about pivotal wars and societal upheavals, such as the rise and fall of Napoleon, the Sack of Rome in 1527, and the political intrigue of the Russian Revolution. Those fascinated by the lives of kings and queens can journey to Versailles to meet Marie Antoinette and Louis XIV the Sun King, or to Ancient Egypt to meet Cleopatra and Nefertiti. Or perhaps you're looking to explore the history of religion, from Buddhism's early teachings to the Protestant Reformation.
If you're interested in the stories behind iconic works of art, music and literature, dive in to discussions on the artistic genius of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and Van Gogh's famous Sunflowers. From Gothic architecture to the works of Shakespeare, each episode of In Our Time offers new insight into humanity's cultural achievements.
Those looking to enrich their scientific knowledge can hear episodes on black holes, the Periodic Table, and classical theories of gravity, motion, evolution and relativity. Learn how the discovery of penicillin revolutionised medicine, and how the death of stars can lead to the formation of new planets.
Lovers of philosophy will find episodes on the big issues that define existence, from free will and ethics, to liberty and justice. In what ways did celebrated philosophers such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Karl Marx push forward radical new ideas? How has the concept of karma evolved from the ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism to today? What was Plato's concept of an ideal republic, and how did he explore this through the legend of the lost city of Atlantis?
In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 1, 2008 • 42min
The Enclosures of the 18th Century
Exploring the controversial land enclosures of the 18th century, from economic progress to accusations of theft. Highlighting winners and losers, transition from communal to enclosed farming, impacts on agriculture and social dynamics. Analyzing Karl Marx's perspective on capitalism's emergence and the debate over the peasantry's independence during enclosures.
Apr 24, 2008 • 42min
Materialism
Philosophers trace the roots of materialism from ancient times to modern physics, challenging religious beliefs. The clash of materialism and Christian thought, the link between materialism and atheism, and Descartes' view on matter are explored. The podcast delves into the conflict between materialism and spiritual existence, debates eliminative materialism, and discusses consciousness, free will, and the mind.
Apr 17, 2008 • 42min
Yeats and Irish Politics
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the poet W.B. Yeats and Irish politics. Yeats lived through a period of great change in Ireland from the collapse of the home rule bill through to the Easter Rising of 1916 and the partitioning of the country. In May 1916, 15 men were shot by the British government. They were the leaders of the Easter Rising – a doomed attempt to overthrow British rule in Ireland - and they were commemorated by W.B. Yeats in a poem called Easter 1916. It ends with the following lines: MacDonagh and MacBrideAnd Connolly and PearseNow and in time to be,Wherever green is worn,Are changed, changed utterly:A terrible beauty is born.Yeats lived through decades of turbulence in Ireland. He saw the suspension of home rule, civil war and the division of the country, but how did the politics of the age imprint themselves on his poetry, what was the nature of Yeats’ own nationalism, and what did he mean by that most famous of phrases ‘a terrible beauty is born’?With Roy Foster, Carroll Professor of Irish History at Oxford University and Fellow of Hertford College, Oxford; Fran Brearton, Reader in English at Queen’s University, Belfast and Assistant Director of the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry; Warwick Gould, Director of the Institute of English Studies in the School of Advanced Study, University of London
Apr 10, 2008 • 42min
The Norman Yoke
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss ‘the Norman Yoke’ – the idea that the Battle of Hastings sparked years of cruel oppression for the Anglo Saxons by a Norman ruling class. ‘Norman saw on English oak,On English neck a Norman yoke;Norman spoon in English dish,And England ruled as Normans wish.’Taken from Sir Walter Scott’s novel ‘Ivanhoe’, these words encapsulate the idea of ‘the Norman Yoke’ – that the Battle of Hastings sparked the cruel oppression of Anglo-Saxon liberties by a foreign ruling class. Certainly, William the Conqueror proclaimed his power in great castles and cathedrals, turned the church upside down and even changed the colour of scribal ink. But was it really such a terrible time for the Anglo Saxons or was the idea of beastly Norman oppressors and noble Saxon sufferers invented later to shore up the idea of Englishness? With Sarah Foot, Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Christ Church, Oxford; Richard Gameson, Professor in the Department of History at Durham University; Matthew Strickland, Professor of Medieval History at the University of Glasgow.
Apr 3, 2008 • 42min
The Laws of Motion
Delving into Newton's Laws of Motion, the podcast discusses the monumental task Newton undertook to explain the movements of celestial bodies and everyday objects. It explores the enduring impact of his laws on classical mechanics, highlighting their role in putting Neil Armstrong on the Moon. The podcast also touches on the refinement of Newton's laws over the years and their influence on scientific evolution.
Mar 27, 2008 • 42min
The Dissolution of the Monasteries
Melvyn Bragg and Michael Sherbrook discuss Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries, questioning its religious and social impact. They explore the functions of monasteries, the daily life of monks, educational roles, and Henry VIII's motivations. The aftermath of the dissolution is examined, highlighting the redistribution of assets, societal shifts, and the impact on the poor and women.
30 snips
Mar 20, 2008 • 42min
Kierkegaard
The podcast explores Soren Kierkegaard's decision to end his engagement, his philosophical concepts of paradox and individual freedom, and his influence on existentialism. It delves into his critique of Hegel, views on Christianity, stages of life, faith beyond reason, perspectives on love and Christian ethics, and his modern relevance in the philosophical world.
Mar 13, 2008 • 42min
The Greek Myths
Delve into the weird and wonderful Greek myths, from Zeus to Achilles, with a cast of epic characters like Odysseus and Aphrodite, shaping Western civilization. Explore the historical roots, the peculiar end with Telegonus, the transition from oral to written traditions, and the dynamic portrayals of Jason and Medea. Unpack Ovid's humorous and political reinterpretation of Greek myths in 'Metamorphoses'.
Mar 6, 2008 • 42min
Ada Lovelace
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 19th century mathematician Ada Lovelace. Deep in the heart of the Pentagon is a network of computers. They control the US military, the most powerful army on the planet, but they are controlled by a programming language called Ada. It’s named after Ada Lovelace, the allegedly hard drinking 19th century mathematician and daughter of Lord Byron. In her work with Charles Babbage on a steam driven calculating machine called the Difference Engine, Ada understood, perhaps before anyone else, what a computer might truly be. As such the Difference Engine is the spiritual ancestor of the modern computer.Ada Lovelace has been called many things - the first computer programmer and a prophet of the computer age – but most poetically perhaps by Babbage himself as an ‘enchantress of numbers’.With Patricia Fara, Senior Tutor at Clare College, Cambridge; Doron Swade, Visiting Professor in the History of Computing at Portsmouth University; John Fuegi, Visiting Professor in Biography at Kingston University.
10 snips
Feb 28, 2008 • 42min
Lear
Delve into the themes of violence, betrayal, and familial cruelty in Shakespeare's play King Lear, exploring the historical origins of the story and Shakespeare's adaptation style. The chapter discusses the intricate relationships and political ambitions within the play, the roots of the Lear story in old European folktales, Shakespeare's transformation of a happy-ending tale into a tragic masterpiece, and the role of the fool as a truth teller in the narrative.
