Bryan Magee

Bryan Magee is an acclaimed British broadcaster, philosopher and biographer who has spent a lifetime exploring, understanding and teaching ideas. In 1957 he graduated from Oxford University with a first in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and went on to shape a career that has seen him explore the contours of modern philosophy and political thought.

Magee has been a dedicated lecturer on philosophy, politics and economics since the late 1960’s and even wrote and presented a multitude of BBC documentaries, such as his 1981 “A Roving Eye” series, to further discuss and explore various philosophical theories. In his initial television debut, Magee expounded on the work of Jean-Paul Sartre and his distinctions between ‘Being’ and ‘Nothingness’, amongst other French phenomenologists. In addition to his live broadcasts, Magee wrote and hosted a popular music programme in the mid-1970s, Magic Night, which helped to introduce and maintain classical and contemporary music to the British public.

Most notability, Magee is a prolific writer who has covered the entirety of modern philosophical thought through writing and academic pursuits. In 1971 Magee published his debut study, The Tragic and the Sublime: A Study of Ethics, Aesthetics and EM Forster, which has since been referred to as a “landmark work” in the field and was highly commended by E.T. Gunt, who said: “[Magee] has produced a work of unusual interest, more suggestive and more fascinating than commentators familiar with Forster’s work had any right to expect.” This was followed by Magee’s highly influential examination of Karl marx titled Dialectic of Nature, which has since become a classic in the field of Marxist philosophy.

Magee has achieved success as a biographer, most notably through works such as his biography of Ludwig Wittgenstein, Confessions of a Philosopher, a book which went on to become one of the most highly acclaimed works of its type. Additionally, Magee has written a series of autobiographies on several eminent figures, such as The Spengler Effect and Conversations with Isaiah Berlin. He has also explored highly varied topics, such as in his acclaimed book, The Great Philosophers, which brings together both Eastern and Western thought, as well as his later Sky High: The Philosophy of Flying, which offers a unique and creative exploration of the subject.

Magee’s works continue to inspire and shape modern philosophical debate and reading. His books can be found in a variety of online bookstores and in libraries, and he remains a leading voice on philosophy, politics and economics. Magee has also established himself in various disciplines of the arts, such as painting, poetry and music, and remains a strong advocate for the performing arts, as well as for freedom of expression.