I compiled this list of broadcasts in the BBC R4 series 'In Our Time', which has now been running for more than 20 years, and is moderated by the author Melvyn Bragg. The full list of broadcasts is now around 900 shows. I'm gratetful for whoever compiled the full list of shows, which made this compilation fairly straightforward to do.
Why did I make this compilation? I wanted to assemble a body of discussion for the purpose of comment. I will provide this as and when I've listened to a particular broadcast. I've listened to quite a few of these over the years, but not remotely the majority of them. I will take them in no obvious order, according to what is of interest to me at the time. The commentary will be added in the form of footnotes.
Those who are familiar with my work will know that I challenge a number of aspects of the history of ideas, sometimes accepted uncritically, and those narratives that are built on conventions which have little in the way of substantial foundations. The reason for challenging our view of our intellectual history is twofold: what we think we know about that history constrains what we can understand about the past, and therefore what we can do and think in the future.
Having gone through the entire list of broadcasts, there are some striking omissions, though these may be more apparent than real. Cantor's work on the infinite and set theory may be discussed in the broadcast on Bertrand Russell, or in the broadcast on the concept of the Infinite. The absence of a programme about Frege may be explained in a similar way.
There is also a large set of returning contributors, (Roger Penrose puts in a number of appearances, which of course is no bad thing). And some subjects have been discussed more than once: discovering why may be interesting.
Each individual show can be accessed by clicking on the date of broadcast.
Thomas Yaeger, November 12, 2020.
|
The
Universe's Origins |
Martin
Rees, Astronomer Royal and Royal Society Research Professor in Astronomy
and Physics, Cambridge University |
|
|
Ted
Honderich, philosopher and former Grote Professor of the Philosophy of
Mind and Logic, University College London |
||
|
Time |
Neil
Johnson, theoretical physicist at the Clarendon Laboratory, Oxford University and Royal Institution Christmas
Lectures 1999 on the subject of Time |
|
|
Brian
Greene, Professor of Physics and Mathematics, Columbia University and Cornell University |
||
|
Laws of
Nature |
Mark
Buchanan, physicist and author of Ubiquity |
|
|
Mathematics and Platonism |
Ian Stewart, Professor of Mathematics
and Gresham Professor of Geometry, University of Warwick |
|
|
John
Gribbin, Visiting Fellow in Astronomy, University of Sussex |
||
|
Martin
Rees, Astronomer Royal – 2001, Professor of Physics and Astronomy
at Cambridge University |
||
|
Jim
Al-Khalili, Senior Lecturer in Physics at the University of Surrey |
||
|
Martin
Rees, Royal Society Research Professor in Astronomy and Physics, Cambridge University |
||
|
Physics of Reality – Quantum Mechanics |
Roger
Penrose, Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics, Oxford University |
|
|
Chaos Theory – was
the universe chaotic or orderly? |
Susan
Greenfield, senior research fellow, Lincoln College, Oxford |
|
|
Supernovas –
the life cycle of stars |
Paul
Murdin, Senior Fellow at the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge |
|
|
James Clerk Maxwell – great 19th century
physicist |
Simon
Schaffer, Reader in History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge |
|
|
Infinity –
a brief history. |
Ian Stewart, Professor of Mathematics
at the University of Warwick |
|
|
Rutherford – the father of nuclear physics |
Simon
Schaffer, Professor in the History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge |
|
|
Theories of Everything – still the
holy grail of physics? |
Brian
Greene, Professor of Physics and Mathematics at Columbia University and author of The
Fabric of the Cosmos |
|
|
Zero –
everything about nothing |
Robert
D. Kaplan, co-founder of the Maths Circle at Harvard University and author of The
Nothing That Is: A Natural History of Zero |
|
|
Pi – the number
that doesn't add up |
Robert
D. Kaplan, co-founder of the Maths Circle at Harvard University |
|
|
The Second Law of Thermodynamics –
the most important thing you will ever know |
John
Gribbin, Visiting Fellow in Astronomy at the University of Sussex |
|
|
Dark
Energy – the unknown force breaking the universe apart |
Martin
Rees, Astronomer Royal and Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics, Cambridge University |
|
|
Magnetism –
an attractive history |
Stephen
Pumfrey, Senior Lecturer in the History of Science at the University of Lancaster John
Heilbron, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of California, Berkeley |
|
|
The Graviton –
the quest for the theoretical gravity particle |
Roger
Cashmore, Former Research Director at CERN and
Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford Jim
Al-Khalili, Professor of Physics at the University of Surrey |
|
|
Prime
Numbers – the building blocks of mathematics |
Marcus
du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics and Fellow of Wadham College at the University of Oxford Robin Wilson, Professor of Pure
Mathematics at the Open
University and Gresham Professor of Geometry |
|
|
Negative
numbers – how they spread across civilizations |
Ian Stewart, Professor of Mathematics
at the University of Warwick Colva Roney-Dougal, Lecturer in Pure
Mathematics at the University of St Andrews |
|
|
Galaxies –
extra-galactic nebulae, black holes, stars and dark matter |
John
Gribbin, Visiting Fellow in Astronomy at the University of Sussex Carolin
Crawford, Royal Society University Research Fellow at
the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge |
|
|
The Poincaré conjecture – how a 19th-century
mathematician changed how we think about the shape of the universe |
June
Barrow-Green, Lecturer in the History of Mathematics at the Open
University Ian Stewart, Professor of Mathematics
at the University of Warwick |
|
|
The Speed
of Light – a cosmic speed limit? |
John Barrow, Professor of Mathematical
Sciences and Gresham Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge University Iwan
Morus, Senior Lecturer in the History of Science at The University of Wales, Aberystwyth |
|
|
Indian
Maths – laying the foundations for modern numerals and zero as a number |
George
Gheverghese Joseph, Honorary Reader in Mathematics Education at Manchester University Colva Roney-Dougal, Lecturer in Pure
Mathematics at the University of St Andrews |
|
|
Symmetry –
the pattern at the heart of our physical world |
Fay Dowker,
Reader in Theoretical Physics at Imperial College, London Marcus
du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford |
|
|
Gravitational
Waves – a new window on the universe |
Jim
Al-Khalili, Professor of Physics at the University of Surrey Carolin
Crawford, Royal Society Research Fellow at the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridgee |
|
|
Antimatter –
where has it all gone? |
Val
Gibson, Reader in High Energy Physics at the University of Cambridge Frank
Close, Professor of Physics at Exeter College, University of Oxford |
|
|
The Fibonacci Sequence – – the numbers in
nature |
Marcus
du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford Jackie
Stedall, Junior Research Fellow in History of Mathematics at Queen's College, Oxford |
|
|
The Multiverse –
the universe is
not enough |
Martin
Rees, President of the Royal Society and Professor of Cosmology and
Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge Fay Dowker,
Reader in Theoretical Physics at Imperial College |
|
|
Newton's Laws of Motion – they put a
man on the Moon |
Simon
Schaffer, Professor in History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge and Fellow
of Darwin College Raymond Flood, University Lecturer in
Computing Studies and Mathematics and Senior Tutor at Kellogg College, Oxford |
|
|
Probability –
heads or tails? |
Marcus
du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford Colva Roney-Dougal, Lecturer in Pure
Mathematics at the University of St Andrews |
|
|
Gödel's incompleteness theorems –
the dirty secret of maths science |
Marcus
du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics at Wadham College, University of Oxford John
D. Barrow, Professor of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge and Gresham
Professor of Geometry |
|
|
Heat: A
History -from fire to thermodynamics |
Simon
Schaffer, Professor of History of Science at the University of Cambridge and Fellow
of Darwin College Hasok
Chang, Professor of Philosophy of Science at University College London |
|
|
The Physics of
Time – does time even exist? |
Jim
Al-Khalili, Professor of Theoretical Physics and Chair in the Public
Engagement in Science at the University of Surrey Monica
Grady, Professor of Planetary and Space Sciences at the Open
University |
|
|
The Measurement problem in Physics – Man is
not the measure of all things |
Basil
Hiley, Emeritus Professor of Physics at Birkbeck, University of London Simon
Saunders, Reader in Philosophy of Physics and University Lecturer in
Philosophy of Science at the University of Oxford |
|
|
The Vacuum of
Space – a programme about nothing? |
Frank
Close, Professor of Physics at Exeter College, Oxford Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Visiting Professor in
Astrophysics at Oxford University |
|
|
Leibniz vs Newton –
who first calculated the calculus? |
Simon
Schaffer, Professor of History of Science at the University of Cambridge and Fellow
of Darwin College Patricia
Fara, Senior Tutor at Clare College, Cambridge |
|
|
The
Discovery of Radiation – from radio waves to gamma rays |
Jim
Al-Khalili, Professor of Theoretical Physics and Chair in the Public
Engagement in Science at the University of Surrey Frank
Close, Professor of Physics at Exeter College, University of Oxford |
|
|
Pythagoras and
the Pythagoreans – maths and mysticism |
Ian Stewart, Emeritus Professor of
Mathematics at the University of Warwick Serafina
Cuomo, Reader in Roman History at Birkbeck College, University
of London |
|
|
John
D. Barrow, Professor of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge and Professor
of Geometry at Gresham College, London Colva Roney-Dougal, Lecturer in Pure Mathematics
at the University of St Andrews |
||
|
The
Cool Universe |
Carolin
Crawford, Member of the Institute of Astronomy, and
Fellow of Emmanuel College, at the University of Cambridge Paul
Murdin, Visiting Professor of Astronomy at Liverpool John Moores University's
Astronomy Research Institute |
|
|
Marcus
du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University Ian Stewart, Emeritus Professor of
Mathematics at the University of Warwick |
||
|
A.
C. Grayling, Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London Peter
Millican, Gilbert Ryle Fellow in Philosophy at Hertford College, Oxford |
||
|
Tim
Barrett, Professor of East Asian History at the School of Oriental and African
Studies, University of London Martin
Palmer, Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education
and Culture |
||
|
Random and Pseudorandom |
Marcus
du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford Colva Roney-Dougal, Senior Lecturer in Pure
Mathematics at the University of St Andrews |
|
|
Martin
Rees, Astronomer Royal and Emeritus Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics
at the University of Cambridge Carolin
Crawford, Member of the Institute of Astronomy and Fellow of Emmanuel College at the University of Cambridge |
||
|
Frank
Close, Professor of Physics at Exeter College at the University of Oxford Susan
Cartwright, Senior Lecturer in Particle Physics and Astrophysics at the University of Sheffield |
||
|
Angie
Hobbs, associate professor of Philosophy and Senior Fellow in the Public
Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Warwick Peter
Adamson, Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy at King's College London |
||
|
Simon
Schaffer, Professor of the History of Science at the University of Cambridge John Worrall, Professor of the
Philosophy of Science at the London School of
Economics and Political Science |
||
|
Kristen
Lippincott, Former Director of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich Jim Bennett, Director of the Museum of the History of Science at
the University of Oxford |
||
|
Angie
Hobbs, associate professor of Philosophy and Senior Fellow in the Public
Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Warwick Peter
Adamson, Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy at King's College London |
||
|
Ian Stewart, Emeritus Professor
of Mathematics at the University of Warwick Andrew
Colman, Professor of Psychology at the University of Leicester |
||
|
John Haldane, Professor of Philosophy at
the University of St Andrews Peter
Millican, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford |
||
|
Marcus
du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics & Simonyi
Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford Vicky
Neale, Fellow and Director of Studies in Mathematics at Murray Edwards College at
the University of Cambridge |
||
|
Judith
Howard, Director of the Biophysical Sciences Institute and Professor of
Chemistry at the University of Durham Chris
Hammond, Life Fellow in Material Science at the University of Leeds |
||
|
A.
C. Grayling, Master of the New College of the Humanities and
a Supernumerary Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford Mike
Beaney, Professor of Philosophy at the University of York |
||
|
Simon
Schaffer, Professor of the History of Science at the University of Cambridge Stephen
Blundell, Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford |
||
|
Martin
Palmer, Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education,
and Culture Caroline Humfress, Reader in History at Birkbeck College, University
of London |
||
|
Carolin
Crawford, Gresham Professor of Astronomy and
a member of the Institute of Astronomy at
the University of Cambridge Alan Watson, Emeritus Professor
of Physics at the University of Leeds |
||
|
Ruth
Gregory, Professor of Mathematics and Physics at Durham University Martin
Rees, Astronomer Royal and Emeritus Professor
of Cosmology and Astrophysics at
the University of Cambridge |
||
|
Jessica
Frazier, [30] Lecturer
in Religious Studies at the University of Kent and a research fellow
of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies at
the University of Oxford Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad, [31] Professor
of Comparative Religion and Philosophy at Lancaster University |
||
|
Ian Stewart, [36] Emeritus Professor
of Mathematics at the University of Warwick Jeff
Johnson, [37] Professor
of Complexity Science
and Design at the Open University |
||
|
Peter
Millican, [69] Gilbert
Ryle Fellow and Professor of Philosophy at Hertford College, Oxford Tom
Stoneham, [70] Professor
of Philosophy at the University of York |
||
|
Andrea
Sella, [75] Professor
of Materials and Inorganic Chemistry at University College London Athene
Donald, [76] Professor
of Experimental Physics at the University of Cambridge |
||
|
Colva Roney-Dougal, [119] Reader in
Pure Mathematics at the University of St Andrews June Barrow-Green, [120] Senior
Lecturer in the History of Maths at the Open
University |
||
|
Philippa
Browning, [134] Professor
of Astrophysics, Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics,
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester Steve
Cowley, [135] Professor
in Plasma Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics Imperial College, London |
||
|
Tim
Barrett, [148] Emeritus Professor at Department of the
Study of Religions, SOAS, University of London Lucia
Dolce, [149] Numata
Reader in Japanese Buddhism at SOAS, University of London |
||
|
Simon Glendinning, [160] Professor
of European Philosophy in the European Institute at the London School of Economics Joanna
Hodge, [161] Professor
of Philosophy at Manchester Metropolitan University |
||
|
Jessica
Frazier, [166] Lecturer
in Religious Studies at the University of Kent and a research fellow
at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Naomi
Appleton, [167] Chancellor's
Fellow in Religious Studies at the University of Edinburgh |
||
|
Frank
Close, [169] Professor
Emeritus of Physics at the University of Oxford Wendy
Flavell, [170] Professor
of Surface Physics at the University of Manchester |
||
|
Carolin
Crawford, [181] Public
Astronomer at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge Carlos
Frenk, [182] Ogden
Professor of Fundamental Physics and Director of the Institute for
Computational Cosmology at the University of Durham |
||
|
Ruth
Gregory, Professor of Mathematics and Physics at Durham University Frank
Close, Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Oxford |
||
|
Colva Roney-Dougal, Reader in Pure Mathematics
at the University of St Andrews Timothy
Gowers, Royal Society Research Professor in Mathematics at the University of Cambridge |
||
|
Geoffrey
Cantor, Professor Emeritus of the History of Science at the University of Leeds Laura
Herz, Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford |
||
|
Val
Gibson, Professor of High Energy Physics at the University of Cambridge and fellow
of Trinity College Andrew
Harrison, chief executive officer of Diamond Light Source and Professor in
Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh |
||
|
Marcus
du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics and Simonyi
Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford Serafina
Cuomo, Reader in Roman History at Birkbeck, University of London |
||
|
Marcus
du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics and Simonyi
Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford Barbara
Sattler, Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of St Andrews |
||
|
David Wootton, Professor of History at
the University of York Ulinka
Rublack, Professor of Early Modern European History at the University of Cambridge and Fellow
of St John's College |
||
|
Colva Roney-Dougal, Reader in Pure Mathematics
at the University of St Andrews Peter
Pormann, Professor of Classics & Graeco-Arabic Studies at the University of Manchester |
||
|
Frank
Close, Fellow Emeritus at Exeter College, Oxford Michela
Massimi, Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Edinburgh |
||
|
Angie
Hobbs, Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield M.M.
McCabe, Professor of Ancient Philosophy Emerita at King's College London |
||
|
Marcus
du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics and Simonyi Professor for the Public
Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford Colva Roney-Dougal, Reader in Pure Mathematics
at the University of St Andrews |
||
|
Frank
Close, Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Oxford Helen
Heath, Reader in Physics at the University of Bristol |
||
|
Keith Ansell-Pearson, Professor of
Philosophy at the University of Warwick Emily
Thomas, Assistant Professor in Philosophy at Durham University |
||
|
Steven
Bramwell, Professor of Physics at University College London |
||
|
Andrew
Coates,Professor of Physics and Deputy Director in charge of the Solar System
at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London |
||
|
Graham Farmelo,
Biographer of Dirac and Fellow at Churchill College, Cambridge |
||
|
Richard
Serjeantson, Fellow and Lecturer in History, Trinity College, University of Cambridge |
||
|
Leslie Ann Goldberg, Professor of Computer
Science and Fellow of St
Edmund Hall, University of Oxford |
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