The Great Philosophers
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About
Bryan Magee traces the history of western philosophy over two millennia, discussing the ideas of the past with an expert guest or contemporary philosopher.
Cast
Seasons
Episodes
Season 1
Plato
The dialogues of Plato are analyzed in this program by Cambridge philosophy professor Miles Burnyeat. Seeing Plato's ideas initially as extensions of those of his teacher, Socrates, Burnyeat explains the development and content of Plato's original; doctrines of knowledge as virtue, the immortality and tripartite division of the soul, and the theory of forms (ideas). Plato's political philosophy is discussed within the context of the notion of the ideal state—a political utopia ruled by philosopher kings.
Aristotle
In this program, the far-reaching philosophical ideas of Plato's star pupil are examined by noted Brown University professor Martha Nussbaum. Aristotle overcomes Plato's dualism of the intelligible and sensible worlds with his principle of inseparable nature of eternal matter and form. The principles of potentiality and actuality are examined, along with Aristotle's theory of the four causes—material, formal, efficient, and final—which account for changes in all things. These theories of constancy and change are credited with the progress of scientific inquiry over the ages.
Medieval Philosophy
This program examines the ideas of the medieval philosophic theologians, particularly St. Thomas Aquinas. Oxford medieval philosopher Anthony Kenny discusses Aristotelian logic as the basis of Aquinas' thought, and disputes charges that medieval philosophy merely reinforced extant Christian views. Logical methods employed by Aquinas are discussed as precursors of the scientific methodology of later philosophers, such as Descartes.
Descartes
I think, therefore I am. Rationalist philosopher and mathematician René Decartes, considered the father of modern philosophy, held this as self-evidently true. In this program, Bernard Williams of Kings College examines Decartes' theory of knowledge and his use of skeptical inquiry to affirm reality, including the existence of God. Descartes' theory of physical and mental substances, and Cartesian dualism—which allows the concept of science to coexist with the notion of God—are examined.
Spinoza and Leibniz
The ideas of rationalist philosophers Baruch Spinoza and Gottfried Leibniz are examined in this program by philosophy Anthony Quinton. Spinoza favors a pantheistic God who has matter and mind as two attributes, and who is the ultimate substance and explanation of the world. Leibniz sees the real world as consisting of an infinity of things purely spiritual, where everything, including space, is a phenomenon—a by-product of areal world with an infinite array of spiritual centers. Both philosophers construct a world that is very different form what the average person perceives, and both reject Cartesian duality.
Locke and Berkeley
This program examines the philosophies of British empiricists John Locke and George Berkeley. Philosopher Michael Ayers of Oxford interprets Locke's skeptical theory that all knowledge is sensory and speculative, and that the true nature of the world can never be known as an attack on Descartes' theory of innate ideas. Conversely, Berkeley insists that we cannot have sensory knowledge of material substances because the exist only in the mind. Even the laws of nature, Berkeley says are merely the regularities of our own perceptions or ideas.
Hume
The leading philosopher of the Scottish Enlightenment, David Hume, is the subject of this program. In it, expert John Passmore of the National Australian University discusses causality as the cornerstone of Hume's philosophy. Also discussed are three of Hume's basic philosophical views:anything that is not a fact, is illusion; judgments on fact mist be based on concrete experience; and all knowledge is imperfect. Hume also denies the idea of a continuous identical self, refutes deism, and views reason as a slave to passion.
Kant
Contemporary philosopher Geoffrey Warnock discusses the philosophy of anti-empiricist Immanuel Kant, and his view that activities and powers within the mind are the key to knowledge, and that all knowledge is appearance. Knowledge for Kant, is a complex affair, in which knowing is acquired not just through the senses, but through pure concepts of understanding indigenous to the mind. Countering Hume, Kant insists it is the mind, not the senses, which unifies and organizes sensory flow into meaning full definitions of things.
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Looking for a place to watch The Great Philosophers online for free? You've landed on the right page. The Great Philosophers is a popular English talk series from 1987 that you can stream right now on Bowood.TV in high quality, no signup required.
About The Great Philosophers
Bryan Magee traces the history of western philosophy over two millennia, discussing the ideas of the past with an expert guest or contemporary philosopher. Across 1 season and 15 episodes, originally airing on BBC One.
The Great Philosophers Cast and Characters
The cast features Bryan Magee (as Host). Their performances are a major reason The Great Philosophers has built such a passionate audience.
Where to Watch The Great Philosophers Online
Bowood.TV lets you stream The Great Philosophers online free, instantly, in HD. There's nothing to install — open the page, hit play, done. Works perfectly on Jio, Airtel, Vi networks across India and on slow mobile data thanks to our adaptive video pipeline.
▶ Watch The Great Philosophers NowWhy People Are Watching The Great Philosophers
The Great Philosophers flies under the radar but it deserves your attention. What makes it work is a tone and style that's hard to find elsewhere. If you enjoy English storytelling that doesn't follow the same tired beats, this is the kind of show you'll end up recommending to friends.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Great Philosophers
Where can I watch The Great Philosophers online for free?
You can watch The Great Philosophers online free on Bowood.TV. Just open the page and hit play — no signup, no subscription, full HD streaming on phone, tablet, or desktop.
How many episodes does The Great Philosophers have?
The Great Philosophers has 15 episodes across 1 season. All episodes are available to stream right here on Bowood.TV.
Is The Great Philosophers good? What's the rating?
The Great Philosophers holds a 6.0/10 rating based on 1 reviews — a solid pick if the genre interests you.
Who is in the cast of The Great Philosophers?
The main cast includes Bryan Magee.
Is The Great Philosophers available in English?
Yes — The Great Philosophers was originally produced in English and that's the version you'll stream here on Bowood.TV.
When was The Great Philosophers released?
The Great Philosophers first aired in 1987.
Do I need an account to watch The Great Philosophers on Bowood.TV?
No. Bowood.TV is free and you can watch The Great Philosophers without creating an account. Sign-up is optional — only useful if you want a personal Watchlist or to comment on episodes.
Similar Series You Might Like
If you enjoyed The Great Philosophers, check out Una belleza nueva, Maps of Meaning, The Sermon on the Mount, Aristotle: From Logic to Life, and Ancient Philosophy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch The Great Philosophers for free?
You can watch The Great Philosophers online for free on Bowood.TV. All 15 episodes across 1 season are available to stream in HD without a subscription, signup, or paywall. Just open the show page and press play.
How many seasons and episodes does The Great Philosophers have?
The Great Philosophers currently has 1 season and a total of 15 episodes. The series status is "Ended", so the episode count may grow as new seasons are released. You can browse the full episode list on Bowood.TV and continue watching from where you left off.
What is The Great Philosophers about?
Bryan Magee traces the history of western philosophy over two millennia, discussing the ideas of the past with an expert guest or contemporary philosopher. It belongs to the Talk genre.
In which language is The Great Philosophers originally available?
The Great Philosophers was originally produced in English. On Bowood.TV the show is available in its original English audio, which is the most authentic way to experience the dialogue, music, and performances. Check the player options on the watch page for available subtitle tracks.
When was The Great Philosophers first released?
The Great Philosophers first premiered on September 6, 1987 (1987). The series has since concluded its run.
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