meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Thinking Allowed

26/01/2011

Thinking Allowed

BBC

Society & Culture, Science

4.4997 Ratings

🗓️ 26 January 2011

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

People have often referred to conflicts between the concepts we use to understand the best way to live - ideas like Liberty, Equality, Justice, Democracy. You need to suppress one to achieve the other, and this - the argument goes - proves that they are not universal moral concepts. In his engagingly titled new book, Justice for Hedgehogs, the US philosopher Ronald Dworkin seeks to show that there is no incompatibility between these ideas because they are part of a single unified value, they only appear to conflict because of the way we are looking at them. But how do we ascribe this value with a universal role without recourse to God, or some other metaphysical entity? Laurie discusses the idea with Ronald Dworkin and AC Grayling. Also, shinning up the greasy pole: Bill Jones talks about his essay on how Prime Ministers pick their ministers and how to get ahead in politics. Producer: Charlie Taylor.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix,

0:06.0

the Science of Happiness Podcast.

0:08.0

For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want

0:14.4

to share that science with you.

0:16.1

And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley.

0:19.4

I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that

0:25.4

calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds.

0:30.0

Choosing what to watch night after night the flicking through the endless

0:38.3

search and it's a nightmare we want to help you on our brand new podcast off the telly we share what we've been watching

0:45.4

Clairey ate it. Loads of games, loads of fun, loads of screaming. Lovely.

0:50.8

Off the telly with me Joanna Paige and me, Natalie Cassidy, so your evenings can be a little

0:56.2

less searching and a lot more watching.

0:58.6

Listen on BBC Sounds.

1:01.4

This is a Thinking Loud Podcast from the BBC and for more details in our terms of use and

1:06.7

much, much more about Thinking Aloud, go to our website at BBC.co. UK.

1:13.0

Hello. I was halfway through a second year seminar on the sociology of devians

1:19.0

when the producer from Granada Television rang and asked how I'd feel about becoming the presenter of their

1:24.6

brand new TV quiz show The Crypton Factor, he could offer he said a very generous fee.

1:31.3

Well I knew a little about the show because I'd been over to Manchester a couple of times and I'd

1:34.7

been advising the production team on the person recognition test which originally were one of the tasks

1:39.7

set for the competitors, but this was otherwise quite out of the blue I told the producer well there's no

1:44.5

no way I could consider the offer I was an academic I wasn't a quizmaster he

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.