The Big Ideas

Every month, a group of academics, columnists and philosophers dissect a phrase that's become an intellectual cliché in order to analyse its true meaning

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Episodes

The Big Ideas podcast: Rousseau's 'Man is born free'

On the tricentenary of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Benjamen Walker and guests explore the legacy of the Swiss-born French philosopher

Jul 10, 2012•13 min

The Big Ideas podcast: Plato's 'just society'

Benjamen Walker and guests explore the legacy of Plato's Republic

May 09, 2012•10 min

The Big Ideas podcast: Guy Debord's 'society of the spectacle'

Benjamen Walker explores situationism and the legacy of French philosopher Guy Debord's famous phrase

Mar 28, 2012•13 min

The Big Ideas podcast: Friedrich Nietzsche's 'God is dead'

What did Nietzsche mean by the death of God? Benjamen Walker and guests explore the legacy of the German philosopher's statement

Feb 04, 2012•14 min

The Big Ideas podcast: Friedrich Kittler's computer wars

Philosopher Avital Ronell and novelist Tom McCarthy are among those joining Benjamen Walker to discuss the legacy of 'the Derrida of the digital age'

Dec 27, 2011•13 min

The Big Ideas podcast: EF Schumacher's 'small is beautiful'

Economist Andrew Simms and Guardian columnist Madeleine Bunting are among those joining Benjamen Walker to discuss the legacy of Schumacher's 'Buddhist economics'

Nov 09, 2011•12 min

The Big Ideas podcast: Adam Smith's 'invisible hand' - audio

Philosopher John Gray and Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee are among those joining Benjamen Walker to consider the legacy of Smith's much-abused phrase

Oct 06, 2011•12 min

The Big Ideas podcast: the banality of evil

In the second of a series of philosophy podcasts, Benjamen Walker and guests consider the impact and legacy of Hannah Arendt's famous phrase

Aug 17, 2011•20 min

The Big Ideas podcast: The medium is the message

In the first of a series of philosophy podcasts, Benjamen Walker and guests discuss the communication theorist Marshall McLuhan and his most famous line

Jul 20, 2011•11 min

The Big Ideas podcast: coming soon

Every month, a group of academics, columnists and philosophers dissect a phrase that's become an intellectual cliche in order to analyse its true meaning. The Big Ideas podcast starts on 21 July 2011

Jul 15, 2011•37 sec

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