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All we need is love
From classical thinking to the romcom films in cinema today: Why do we yearn to find our "other half" but struggle with the reality of long term relationships? To discuss Rana Mitter is joined by: Dr…
Published on 7 months, 1 week ago
Repetition
Matthew Sweet with art critic TJ Clark, who has written about the importance of repeated viewing for appreciating a work of art; philosopher and film historian Lucy Bolton, who's seen a re-issue of C…
Published on 7 months, 2 weeks ago
Decision Making
Matthew Sweet and guests talk about about the tools and processes of decision making today and through history. Justine Greening is a former Secretary of State for Education who is now working on soc…
Published on 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Diaries
“A diary is not only a text: it is a behaviour, a way of life, of which the text is a by-product", says the French theorist Philipe Lejeune. From ancient Babylon to journalling today, politicians' jo…
Published on 8 months ago
Knowing When To Stop
Do the means justify the end, as Sartre asked? When is an art work finished? From the frenzy of Bacchus to the moderation of Epicurus - how have Greek thinkers looked at life? Christmas - a time for …
Published on 8 months, 2 weeks ago
Beer, Crisps and the British pub
What makes the life, character and imagery of the British pub? Anne McElvoy talks to Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin, author Natalie Whittle whose book "Crunch: An Ode to Crisps" was published in Octobe…
Published on 9 months ago
Luck, predictability and superstition
Shahidha Bari and guests discuss luck, fortune and superstition. How much truth is there in the idea of making your own luck and why does supersition still play such an important part in many peoples…
Published on 9 months, 1 week ago
How we think about evil
Matthew Sweet is joined by guests including Dr Jack Symes, philosopher at Durham University; Professor Lyndsey Stonebridge, Interdisciplinary Chair of Humanities & Human Rights at the University of B…
Published on 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Gifts and Gratitude
When you give a gift, do you expect anything in return? And if so, does that mean it was really about you all along? Could reciprocity form the basis of society? Or are we under no obligation to shar…
Published on 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Diplomacy from Ancient Greece to Trump
Anne McElvoy and guests discuss the art of diplomacy from Ancient Greece to the Tudors and today's shifting international security as well as how its portrayed on screen in dramas like the BBC's Wolf…
Published on 10 months ago