#BBCFreeThinking
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lauraphillips.bsky.social
Get your servant to peel you a grape and listen to last night's #BBCFreeThinking on Decadence and Declinism with @coldwarsteve @JaneDesmarais @timothy_stanley @NevilleMorley & Louisa Buck www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Get your servant to peel you a grape and listen to last night's #BBCFreeThinking on Decadence and Declinism with @coldwarsteve @JaneDesmarais @timothy_stanley @NevilleMorley & Louisa Buck https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002b77w
April 26, 2025 at 8:26 AM
rokewood.bsky.social
Terrific end to what’s been a great season of BBCFreeThinking. Proving again how academics can contribute to these baseline ethical questions. @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social with Lamorna Ash, @robertbuckland.bsky.social, @aaronreeves.bsky.social, Ceri Sullivan, Dan Taylor
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Humility
From Spinoza's thinking to the "humble brag" - Matthew Sweet and guests explore humility.
www.bbc.co.uk
April 1, 2026 at 12:18 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
This episode of the great BBCFreeThinking reminded me of travelling on a hovercraft: fast, direct, surface-skimming, frequently dizzying, & the passengers heading for different destinations. @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social held it all together & nobody fell overboard
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Taste
Matthew Sweet and guests explore what it means to have 'good taste'.
www.bbc.co.uk
March 19, 2026 at 8:48 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
Sooo good to see BBCRadio4 InOurTime back on the airwaves.
Utopia is an understandably recurrent theme of radio discussion (eg BBCFreeThinking). But Misha Glenny, @lauraashe.bsky.social
@drjoannepaul.bsky.social & Cathy Shrank have new things to say
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Thomas More's Utopia
How the description of a fictional island has fascinated readers for centuries.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 18, 2026 at 6:19 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
Another patient, antiphonal & contemporary BBCFreeThinking — on crime & punishment. Even the edgy silences speak
@drmatthewsweet.bsky.social talks to @stephemmabrown.bsky.social , @scouttzofiya.bsky.social, @joannahs.bsky.social, Stephen Shapiro, Jonathan Sumption
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Crime and punishment medieval to modern
Matthew Sweet's guests include Lord Sumption and criminal barrister Joanna Hardy-Susskind.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 26, 2026 at 8:20 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
quite splendid BBCFreeThinking BBCRadio4 hour of sparkling philosophical discussion of the universal topic of ‘the good life’. @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social
with Sophie Scott-Brown, @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social, Fergus Butler-Gallie, Sudhir Hazareesingh, Rachael Wiseman
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, What is a good life?
Matthew Sweet and guests explore what it means to live a good life.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 8, 2025 at 11:36 AM
rokewood.bsky.social
Final episode of a fine season of BBCFreeThinking on *friendship*. Foucault for me an unconvincing pilot, but do stick with
@drmatthewsweet.bsky.social @tiffwattsmith.bsky.social Susie Orbach, @stephenshapiro.bsky.social @axdouglas.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Friendship
Matthew Sweet discusses the mythology, psychology and politics getting along with people.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 16, 2025 at 9:18 AM
rokewood.bsky.social
This is about as good as it gets from the BBCFreeThinking stable. Rich philosophical discussion of an issue as ancient as it is contemporary. @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social with @profangiehobbs.bsky.social, Margaret MacMillan @leaypi.bsky.social
@hdrochon.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Is Might Right?
The history of an idea that's shaped political philosophy, from Plato to Carl Schmitt.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 11, 2026 at 1:34 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
Finally catching up with new season of BBCFreeThinking. Here’s an episode that means so much to me. @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social is joined in discussion of guns & weaponisation by @catherinefletcher.info @markurban.bsky.social, Tobias Ellwood, Hew Locke, Hailey Austin
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Weapons, real and symbolic
Matthew Sweet and guests discuss tanks, guns, gaming, drones and what weaponisation means.
www.bbc.co.uk
May 7, 2026 at 8:03 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
Back on BBCFreeThinking BBCRadio4 home territory, where so many of my scholarly interests converge.
@drmatthewsweet.bsky.social & guests on *evil*. With @jacksymes.bsky.social @lyndseystonebri.bsky.social @ruthwarewriter.bsky.social, Oliver Curry @zrinka.bsky.social
t.co/kHZsbXOjFR
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0025ld8
t.co
December 11, 2024 at 12:29 AM
anothercinna.bsky.social
#GetCarter is on the tellybox tonight #BBCTwo and this #BBCFreeThinking is a genuinely fascinating discussion with, among others, its director, about its provenance. A really vital, useful companion, pre- or post-watching. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
March 9, 2025 at 1:05 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
@shahidhabari.bsky.social
introduces a powerful episode of BBCRadio4 BBCFreeThinking on a subject of perennial interest (to me especially): *wolves*. She talks to @adamweymouth.bsky.social
Zoe Gilbert, @daisyeblack.bsky.social
Ben Goldsmith, Brian Zimmerman
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Wolves
How wolves shape our world.
www.bbc.co.uk
May 28, 2025 at 8:35 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
appropriately reflective episode of BBCFreeThinking from @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social & guests. Perennial questions of innovation & nostalgia. With Margaret Heffernan
@timminshall.bsky.social @agnesjuliet.bsky.social @cjfaraday.bsky.social @nickfthilton.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Innovation
Matthew Sweet explores the cultures of novelty.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 14, 2026 at 1:43 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
Now I am most certainly not a foodie, but this smart episode of BBCFreeThinking takes us deep into the meanings of food. @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social is joined by John Lanchester, Felicity Cloake, @barrycsmith.bsky.social, Suki Finn, @samanthaellis.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Thinking with Food
Felicity Cloake, John Lanchester, Prof Barry Smith, Suki Finn and Samantha Ellis.
www.bbc.co.uk
May 28, 2026 at 6:33 PM
anothercinna.bsky.social
Check out @timburrows.bsky.social especially his Invention of Essex. profilebooks.com/work/the-inv... Also on #BBCFreeThinking www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
The Invention of Essex - Profile Books
profilebooks.com
August 7, 2026 at 10:18 AM
rokewood.bsky.social
I’m not a zealous podcast listener, but I do know well the podcast genre gems that are on display here in this excellent BBCFreeThinking. @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social talks to @joedunthorne.bsky.social
Kavita Puri @jennykleeman.bsky.social Don’t miss it
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Podcasting difficult histories
Matthew Sweet discusses difficult histories with 3 BBC podcast hosts at the Hay Festival.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 12, 2025 at 6:49 AM
racheledini.bsky.social
In case anyone's interested (doubtful),Tim Morton is *still* posting incoherent blogs about me, Caroline Edwards @the_blochian,& Steve Connor, aka the "knights of Hegel" and the "demon" (yes, really), and their "scapegoating" qua "inquisition" on @BBCRadio3 @BBCFreeThinking 1/
November 16, 2023 at 3:58 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
Certainly another stimulating BBCFreeThinking from @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social & guests. Though I have my ‘Yes, but-s’ from the start for the guests inc @askwilliamblake.bsky.social
@ljpowell.bsky.social Kathleen Burk, Jim Hoare, Catherine Coldstream
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Isolation
Matthew Sweet explores ideas about being on your own.
www.bbc.co.uk
March 25, 2025 at 11:05 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
Defending the BBC! BBCFreeThinking spirited ep where @shahidhabari.bsky.social
talks to @lukekemp.bsky.social
Peter Hitchens, @nevillemorley.bsky.social
@philtinline.bsky.social @rhifirth.bsky.social
on Endings
Young Earthers lament the BBC’s absence of impartiality
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, The end of civilisations and societies
Peter Hitchens, Rhiannon Firth, Neville Morley, Phil Tinline, Luke Kemp join Shahidha Bari
www.bbc.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 1:29 PM
anothercinna.bsky.social
Never timelier #BBCFreeThinking on How Do We Think About Evil. @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social @jacksymes.bsky.social @lyndseystonebri.bsky.social @ruthwarewriter.bsky.social @oliverscottcurry.bsky.social & @zrinka.bsky.social on banality, best lines & the #Stanford buzz. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, How we think about evil
Matthew Sweet and guests pick up from this year's Reith lectures and look at ideas of evil
www.bbc.co.uk
December 8, 2024 at 4:17 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
vintage episode of BBCFreeThinking where @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social navigates transformative thinking afforded by geology, deep time, & OOO. With @peterfrankopan.bsky.social, Rosemary Hill, @anjanakhatwa.bsky.social, @objectoriented.bsky.social
Sarah Jackson
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Rocks
How can earth sciences like geology transform our understanding of history and society?
www.bbc.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 12:26 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
It’s great to see BBCFreeThinking BBCRadio4
back with @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social & guests discussing that perennial—the Decadence. Theirs & ours.
With Tim Stanley, Louisa Buck, Neville Morley and @janedesmarais.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Decadence and Declinism
Matthew Sweet assesses the state of contemporary culture.
www.bbc.co.uk
April 30, 2025 at 7:48 AM
rokewood.bsky.social
1 of my favourite, if perplexing, poets last week, to 1 of my favourite, if perplexing, philosophers. It’s BBCFreeThinking & @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social. With @deborahsuggryan.bsky.social @tomshakespeare.bsky.social Susannah Clapp, Hugo Drochon, Alexander McCall Smith
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Cosy comfort reading or Nietzsche?
Alexander McCall Smith, Susannah Clapp, Tom Shakespeare, Deborah Sugg Ryan & Hugo Drochon
www.bbc.co.uk
November 19, 2024 at 10:24 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
absorbing #ValentinesDay BBCFreeThinking BBCRadio4 lineup on the many meanings of romantic love. Suffice it to say Ann & I were dining out—in Perth 🥰. Rana Mitter with Susie Orbach @armanddangour.bsky.social
@rhymeswithditto.bsky.social
Catherine Wheatley, Mary Harrod
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, All we need is love
Susie Orbach, Armand D'Angour, Vittoria Fallanca, Mary Harrod and Catherine Wheatley.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 19, 2025 at 8:59 PM
rokewood.bsky.social
another wide-ranging episode of BBCFreeThinking on the anthropology, politics & theology of the gift. A topic that needs a refresh—& with many traps
@Shahidhabari.bsky.social with @elizabetholdfield.bsky.social @rhodridavies.bsky.social, Gerald Moore, Sophie Scott-Brown
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Gifts and Gratitude
Following Thanksgiving, and as Christmas approaches, Shahidha Bari on giving and receiving
www.bbc.co.uk
December 3, 2024 at 11:39 PM