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IMO 'In Our Time' is less useful than it appears at first. Melvyn Bragg invites a few University professors to discuss a topic in every episode and things go st

by kranner 16y ago

IMO 'In Our Time' is less useful than it appears at first. Melvyn Bragg invites a few University professors to discuss a topic in every episode and things go straight to the deep end with everyone trying to sound smarter than everyone else. It's an intellectual knife-fight where the listener hasn't even been told the rules. ABC Radio National's Philosophers Zone http://www.abc.net.au/rn/philosopherszone/ http://www.abc.net.au/rn/philosopherszone/ is way better and covers much the same topics. Great interviewer; talks clearly and slowly and summarizes key points periodically. It's the Mixergy of philosophy.

maw 16y ago
things go straight to the deep end with everyone trying to sound smarter than everyone else Yeah, that's the degenerate case, and is why I'm less keen on IOT than I used to be. The Indian Rebellion (20100218) was the worst one this year (although I'm almost two months behind now). Still, when it's good, it's really good. Fortunately, you're rarely compelled to listen to an episode: if it's no good, just move on.
- kranner 16y ago
  At least they are short, mercifully. I think I lost the ability to take this sort of arrangement seriously after having watched this little 'bit of Fry and Laurie' sketch... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFD01r6ersw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFD01r6ersw
- avar 16y ago
  "The Indian Mutiny". Here's a link, since I went through the trouble of searching for it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qprnj http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qprnj But I agree, IOT has a lot of podcasts that I've liked (e.g. the one on The Great wall of China), while others are just academic catfights.
SecurityMatters 16y ago
Thank you for referring me to The Philosopher's Zone. I had not heard it before. I listened to 4 programs last night. I did not get as much from it as I do from most of the In Our Time episodes. Having just one person to interview does not seem to lead to the same quality of discussion as the panels of experts tha Melvin finds. I am not saying every IOT is a gem, but I learned from and enjoyed IOT more. But, I have listened to most of the IOT episodes and I can't get any more back episodes. They now hide IOT behind Flash and I have better sense than to install that program. Good day

by kranner 16y ago

maw 16y ago

things go straight to the deep end with everyone trying to sound smarter than everyone else Yeah, that's the degenerate case, and is why I'm less keen on IOT than I used to be. The Indian Rebellion (20100218) was the worst one this year (although I'm almost two months behind now). Still, when it's good, it's really good. Fortunately, you're rarely compelled to listen to an episode: if it's no good, just move on.

kranner 16y ago
At least they are short, mercifully. I think I lost the ability to take this sort of arrangement seriously after having watched this little 'bit of Fry and Laurie' sketch... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFD01r6ersw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFD01r6ersw
avar 16y ago
"The Indian Mutiny". Here's a link, since I went through the trouble of searching for it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qprnj http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qprnj But I agree, IOT has a lot of podcasts that I've liked (e.g. the one on The Great wall of China), while others are just academic catfights.

SecurityMatters 16y ago

Thank you for referring me to The Philosopher's Zone. I had not heard it before. I listened to 4 programs last night. I did not get as much from it as I do from most of the In Our Time episodes. Having just one person to interview does not seem to lead to the same quality of discussion as the panels of experts tha Melvin finds. I am not saying every IOT is a gem, but I learned from and enjoyed IOT more. But, I have listened to most of the IOT episodes and I can't get any more back episodes. They now hide IOT behind Flash and I have better sense than to install that program. Good day