My chum and Russell scholar par excellence has this piece in the TLS. As Wittgenstein sums up Russell’s insight, “Philosophy aims at the logical clarification of thoughts. Philosophy is not a body of doctrine but an activity”. Something similar might be said of science as well. Analytic philosophyAndrew Irvinebertrand russellLiberalismphilosophical logicPhilosophyscience
H/T to Jesse Norman and Nigel Warburton. Julian Baggini on the meaning of life What’s it all about, Alfie? bertrand russellBURT BACHARACHcilla blackHal DavidJulian BagginiPhilosophyt. s. eliot
A reissue of In Praise of Idleness with drawings. bertrand russellBradley Trevor GreiveIn Praise of Idleness
Born on this day. It just so happens that while writing on Herbert Simon today I was reminded of Russell who, on hearing from Simon about his “thinking machine” that proved theorems from Principia Mathematica, responded: “I am delighted to know that ‘Principia Mathematica’ can now be done by machinery. I wish Whitehead and I had known of this…
Speaking of Davidson, here is a two-parter from Stephen Neale (a Davidson expert) on Russell’s seminal paper “On Denoting” published in MIND in 1905 and the ensuing philosophical debate centred around it. “On Denoting” is arguably the most important philosophical paper of the 20th Century, a paper one has to tackle if one is trying to…
A Christmas Message bertrand russellChristmaslovepeace
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work of philosopher Bertrand Russell. Analytic philosophybertrand russellHistory of Western PhilosophyLudwig WittgensteinMelvyn BraggNobel Prize in LiteraturePrinciples of Mathematics
I’ve just discovered that the bust of Bertie in Red Lion Square commissioned by Ayer et al was sculpted by none other than Marcelle Quinton, the widow of my chum Tony Quinton (see announcement below). If I get the opportunity I must ask her about it (Marcelle is a formidable intellect – she and Tony…
Richard Symonds (with whom I’ve corresponded over the years) has been leading the “campaign” to keep Joad’s name alive (I first mentioned Joad about three years ago here). I paste in Geoff Thomas’ comment: Richard Symonds is keeping alive the name of a very significant figure in British culture and the popular understanding of philosophy.…
Died on this day Alexius Meinongbertrand russellFranz Brentanointentionalitynon-existent objects
manwithoutqualities 