Bertrand Russell On - The Value Of Philosophy For Life
Philosophy Now|June/July 2017

John R. Lenz tells us why Russell thought philosophy worthwhile.

John R. Lenz
Bertrand Russell On - The Value Of Philosophy For Life
Bertrand Russell did a disservice to philosophy by defining the word. Early in his career he defined philosophy as the logical-analytic method. This definition was so restricting that although he spent the next fifty years writing one book after another on topics such as war, peace, happiness, science and society, and the future of mankind, it forced him to describe most of them as ‘popular’ or ‘nonphilosophical’. In fact, he gradually developed an alternative view of philosophy and its value for humanity.

His many popular books are unfairly ignored by historians of ideas and those interested in Russell as a philosopher. Of course, his many-sided activities, popular writings and work for peace are well-known and beloved. But these are usually left for his biography as opposed to his supposed ‘real’ academically-valid, philosophical work. Pick up a book such as The Cambridge Companion to Bertrand Russell or a recent hundredth anniversary commemoration of The Problems of Philosophy. You would never know from these that Russell held theories of human nature; that he repeatedly (from at least 1916 into the late 1960s) advanced utopian proposals for the future; and that he passionately advocated the value of philosophy and the philosophic life in more traditional terms, that is, as a road to happiness and wisdom. Academic study favors the analytic Russell, especially his work in the first decade of the twentieth century. The academy should be broader than that. He was.

Esta historia es de la edición June/July 2017 de Philosophy Now.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición June/July 2017 de Philosophy Now.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE PHILOSOPHY NOWVer todo
Metaphors & Creativity
Philosophy Now

Metaphors & Creativity

Ignacio Gonzalez-Martinez has a flash of inspiration about the role metaphors play in creative thought.

time-read
10+ minutos  |
December 2024 / January 2025
Medieval Islam & the Nature of God
Philosophy Now

Medieval Islam & the Nature of God

Musa Mumtaz meditates on two maverick medieval Muslim metaphysicians.

time-read
3 minutos  |
December 2024 / January 2025
Robert Stern
Philosophy Now

Robert Stern

talks with AmirAli Maleki about philosophy in general, and Kant and Hegel in particular.

time-read
10+ minutos  |
December 2024 / January 2025
Volney (1757-1820)
Philosophy Now

Volney (1757-1820)

John P. Irish travels the path of a revolutionary mind.

time-read
7 minutos  |
December 2024 / January 2025
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
Philosophy Now

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

Becky Lee Meadows considers questions of guilt, innocence, and despair in this classic Christmas movie.

time-read
10+ minutos  |
December 2024 / January 2025
"I refute it thus"
Philosophy Now

"I refute it thus"

Raymond Tallis kicks immaterialism into touch.

time-read
7 minutos  |
December 2024 / January 2025
Cave Girl Principles
Philosophy Now

Cave Girl Principles

Larry Chan takes us back to the dawn of thought.

time-read
6 minutos  |
December 2024 / January 2025
A God of Limited Power
Philosophy Now

A God of Limited Power

Philip Goff grasps hold of the problem of evil and comes up with a novel solution.

time-read
5 minutos  |
December 2024 / January 2025
A Critique of Pure Atheism
Philosophy Now

A Critique of Pure Atheism

Andrew Likoudis questions the basis of some popular atheist arguments.

time-read
10 minutos  |
December 2024 / January 2025
Exploring Atheism
Philosophy Now

Exploring Atheism

Amrit Pathak gives us a run-down of the foundations of modern atheism.

time-read
10 minutos  |
December 2024 / January 2025