Free Thinking

Leading thinkers discuss the ideas shaping our lives, looking back at the news and making links between past and present. Fridays at 9pm on BBC Radio 4.

Radio 4,1470 episodes

Episodes

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Free Thinking at the Hay Festival: Responsibility
Baroness Hale, Philippa Perry, Guto Harri and Simon Critchley join Shahidha Bari at Hay.
29 May 2026,57 mins
Thinking with Food
Felicity Cloake, John Lanchester, Prof Barry Smith, Suki Finn and Samantha Ellis.
22 May 2026,57 mins
Technologies of the Self
From journaling to prayer: Shahidha Bari on the history and politics of self improvement
15 May 2026,57 mins
The middle
Middle - England, ground, child, age, pig in... Anne McElvoy hosts a middling discussion.
08 May 2026,57 mins
Weapons, real and symbolic
Matthew Sweet and guests discuss tanks, guns, gaming, drones and what weaponisation means.
01 May 2026,57 mins
Purity
David Aaronovitch, Catherine Coldstream, Linda Woodhead and others join Matthew Sweet.
24 Apr 2026,57 mins
Humility
From Spinoza's thinking to the "humble brag" - Matthew Sweet and guests explore humility.
27 Mar 2026,57 mins
Oral tradition and oracy
Anne McElvoy and guests look at speaking fluently in politics, the classroom & communities
20 Mar 2026,57 mins
Taste
Matthew Sweet and guests explore what it means to have 'good taste'.
13 Mar 2026,57 mins
Women, language and experience
Shahidha Bari's guests include Karen McCarthy Woolf, Lauren Elkin and Sara Ahmed.
06 Mar 2026,57 mins
Authority
Anne McElvoy and guests discuss authority in politics, business, education and the family.
27 Feb 2026,57 mins
Crime and punishment medieval to modern
Matthew Sweet's guests include Lord Sumption and criminal barrister Joanna Hardy-Susskind.
20 Feb 2026,57 mins
Working Class Creativity
Depictions of working class life on TV and in culture and how they've changed.
13 Feb 2026,57 mins
Is Might Right?
The history of an idea that's shaped political philosophy, from Plato to Carl Schmitt.
06 Feb 2026,57 mins
Labour, work and productivity
Anne McElvoy and guests discuss labour in terms of both work and childbirth.
30 Jan 2026,57 mins
Double Lives
From spying behind enemy lines in WWII France to lives lived online.
23 Jan 2026,57 mins
Victorian Values
Gisela Stuart, AN Wilson, Fern Riddell, Sarah Williams, Matthew Stallard and Matthew Sweet
16 Jan 2026,57 mins
Innovation
Matthew Sweet explores the cultures of novelty.
09 Jan 2026,57 mins
Travel
Travel past and present and broadening the mind? Travel journalists and historians debate.
02 Jan 2026,57 mins
Idleness
Is idleness ever a virtue? Matthew Sweet investigates.
12 Dec 2025,57 mins
Influencing History
Matthew Sweet and guests ask who makes history and debate arguments in the Reith lectures.
05 Dec 2025,57 mins
Marriage
Shahidha Bari is joined by guests including Prof Diarmaid MacCulloch and Zoe Strimpel.
28 Nov 2025,57 mins
Rocks
How can earth sciences like geology transform our understanding of history and society?
21 Nov 2025,57 mins
Revenge and reconciliation
In the week we mark the Armistice of World War I, Anne McElvoy and guests discuss revenge.
14 Nov 2025,57 mins
The end of civilisations and societies
Peter Hitchens, Rhiannon Firth, Neville Morley, Phil Tinline, Luke Kemp join Shahidha Bari
07 Nov 2025,57 mins
Rational and Irrational decision making
Anne McElvoy considers the value of irrationality with Lionel Barber and Bronwen Maddox.
24 Oct 2025,57 mins
Traditions, roots and local pride
Ex MP Penny Mordaunt's new book asks Why Britain's Traditions Matter. Matthew Sweet hosts
17 Oct 2025,57 mins
The status of science
Shahidha Bari and guests discuss the status of science in society and culture.
10 Oct 2025,57 mins
What is a good life?
Matthew Sweet and guests explore what it means to live a good life.
03 Oct 2025,57 mins
Finding my tribe
Anne McElvoy and guests discuss connections, divisions and creating new political parties.
26 Sep 2025,57 mins