Perfectionists

Naomi Alderman returns with her series that explores the minds of the greatest thinkers in history. From political theorists to scientists to inventors, authors and artists. Our world is based on their ideas and innovations. How did they do their work, what did they struggle with, where did they find their dedication, creativity and inspiration?

These five thinkers all sought perfection in different ways. For the engineer Brunel, his work on the railways needed to be safe and reliable, but he also wanted his work to be ‘the best’ to the point that he drove his railway workers too hard. Simone Weil put her own body on the line in search of philosophical perfection; she calls on us to give perfect attention to the suffering of those around us. Mathematician Al-Khwarizmi introduced algebra to the world, and his methods in mathematics underline much of modern life. Leonardo Da Vinci was interested in everything around him, but he found it hard to declare a painting finished before it was perfect. Martha Graham was a dance genius whose choreography shows how the mind is always present in the body.

Perfectionism is a luxury commodity, one which societies can only aspire to at a certain level of wealth, with the ability to give freedom to work to their greatest minds. And there has to be a need for that kind of work. For each of these thinkers, their work endures, as does the price they and their co-workers paid for their quest for perfection.

Produced by BBC Studios in partnership with The Open University.

Presenter: Naomi Alderman
Executive Editor: Philip Sellars
Production Co-ordinator: Amelia Paul
Researchers: Harry Burton, Martha Owen and Victoria Brignell
Mix Engineer: Nigel Appleton
Series Producer: Anishka Sharma
Production Manager: Jo Kyle