Book Description
Bertrand Russell was born in 1872 and died in 1970. One of the most influential figures of the 20th century, he transformed philosophy and can lay claim to being one of the greatest philosophers of all time. He was a Nobel Prize winner for Literature and was imprisoned several times as a result of his pacifism. His views on religion, education, sex, politics and many other topics made him one of the most read and revered writers of the age. He also wrote this book, one of the most compelling and vivid autobiographies ever written.

Now available in a single paperback, this edition of Russell's Autobiography includes an introduction by scholar Michael Foot exploring the status of this classic nearly 30 years after the publication of its last volume. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

The Hobo Philosopher
I am a big fan of Bertrand Russell but this book has been difficult for me. It is very long and very wordy. It contains lots and lots of the details of Russell's personal life - a lot of letters from everybody. I've had the book for a few years now and I am still reading it. As they say, autobiographies are never objective. I love to talk about myself too but wow! I enjoyed Mark Twain'sand Clarence Darrow's autobiographies a heck of a lot more. I paid good money for this book and I intend to finish it - one day.
Unless you are especially intrigued by autobiographies or Mr. Russell, I would say that Bertrand has many other books that you might enjoy more.

One of the Great Autobiographies in the English Language!!
+++++

"Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong, have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind...Love and knowledge, so far as they were possible, led upward toward the heavens.But always pity brought me back to earth."

This is how philosopher Bertrand Russell's (1872 to 1970) autobiography begins.This book (first published in three separate volumes) is brilliantly and simply written, emotionally charged, witty and wise, honest, and historically interesting.It spans almost a century of social and intellectual change.I would say that it is one of the great autobiographies in the English language from a man who was a towering intellectual and humanitarian figure of the twentieth century.As well, this book confirms why Russell, who authored more than seventy-five books, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950.

His prize according to the official Nobel Prize internet site was awarded "in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought."

Throughout his book, Russell describes his philosophical disputes and quarrels, his rise to honors, his many friendships with high profile people, and his religious and social self-questioning.He was a maverick that stuck to his convictions even if they got him into trouble (he was jailed at age 46 and again at 88).He never failed to stand up and be counted on any matter that stirred his conscience and ideals.

A highlight of this book is that it includes the actual letters between Lord or Earl Russell and a long list of influential people of his time (many whose names are easily recognized today) at the end of each chapter.As well, illustrations (mainly in the form of black and white photographs) are found throughout.

Even though this autobiography is to me brutally honest (for example, "I used to...watch the sunset and contemplate suicide.I did not...commit suicide because I wished to know more of mathematics"), I felt that Russell was holding back on revealing certain aspects of his life.

Finally, the last words in Russell's autobiography are found in the postscript:

"I have lived in the pursuit of vision, both personal and social.Personal: to care for what is noble, for what is beautiful, and for what is gentle; to allow moments of insight to give wisdom at more mundane times.Social: to see in imagination the society that is to be created, where individuals grow freely, and where hate and greed and envy die because there is nothing to nourish them.These things I believe."

In conclusion, be sure to read this autobiography and learn more about this extraordinary and unique man!!

(first published 1967-1969; acknowledgements;introduction; 17 chapters; postscript; main narrative of 730 pages; index)

+++++

A first-class philosopher, a second- class human being
For most reviewers Bertrand Russell's cruelty in a number of his personal relationships, especially with women is a minor motif of a very extraordinary life. I understand that point -of- view. There is so so much in Russell's life and thought that inspires admiration. He is by all accounts a great philosopher. He was a truly masterful writer, and his 'History of Western Philosophy'did the seeming impossible and made reading about the subject interesting and entertaining. Russell was a maverick and went his own way in the world of political thought. He may have been a fool when it came to Communism but he surely was right to see the dangers of a nuclear world, and courageous to fight against them. His zest for life, his ability to appreciate and enjoy so many things in life is certainly an admirable quality. He wrote with vigor and clarity and often great wit and humor. He could recognize the value of others, as for instance in his championing of Wittgenstein. He did seem deeply disturbed by human suffering and care deeply to somehow lessen it. Yet the personal cruelty stands strongly against him, and he would seem to join a long list including Marx and Gandhi of ' cruel humanitarians' . His atheism too disturbs me because he shows so little emotional understanding of the needs of religious believers. Russell was very thin and that thinness seems to me to somehow capture something of his essence, also his prose. He lacks a certaincomplexity, a certain kind of depth that comes in going deeper inside the heart and soul. He was a very great thinker, and writer but I do not believe that as a human being he had the highest kind of feeling and understanding for others.Perhaps one of the greatest 'flat characters'of the twentieth century, a century which also had a few 'rounded ones' of greater human complexity and intensity.

A Model Autobiography
Considering that Russell lived such a long life, and an eventful one, and that this book (a compilation of three volumes) covers most of it, it's a long one.But eminently worth it.

As always, Russell's style is brilliant.Simple yet deep, elegant and unadorned, always fresh and looking at things objectively yet with deep feeling.

The book is always informative, engaging, and frequently hilarious.

One of the nicer things about the book is the inclusion of some letters from others.Usually these are luminaries.The one from Will Durant, together with Russell's curt rejoinder, is marvelous.

Russell has the knack of taking what could become boastful incidents--his imprisonment for objecting to WWI, his hair-breadth escape when his plane went down near Norway in WWII--and turning them into humorous, self-effacing ones.

He also has the knack of talking about horrendous personal difficulties in a way that is objective and nonjudgmental.

Gossipy, passionate, and thoughtful.
One gets the impression, as one reads the brilliant character sketches Russell draws of the scholars and lords and ladies who made up his circle of aquaintances, that the English upper class was mostly mad, scoundrels, or geniuses, with a fair amount of overlap.(The author as an outstanding case in point.)The keenness of Russell's insight into character, vivid descriptions, and eye for the absurd, make many passages of this book a delight."My advice to anyone who wishes to write is to know the very best literature by heart, and ignore the rest as completely as possible.""The past is an aweful God, though he gives life almost the whole of its haunting beauty.""(Plato's) austerity in matters of art pleases me, for it does not seem to be the easy condemnation that comes from the Phillistine."Reading Why I am Not a Christian ..., I got the impression that he had a gloomy outlook on life.But here, I often found great joy in poetry, nature, and the wonder of life."I had never, till that moment, heard of Blake, and the poem affected me so much that I became dizzy and had to lean against the wall." Tempered, however, by morbid thoughts, and fear of insanity.

One of the odder aspects of the book to me was Russell's "idealism."On one page, he speaks of a mystical experience in which gave him a universal compassion for all mankind: on the very next page, he relates how he "fell out of love" with his wife, and then, how he ditched her.Passing from the same Bodhissattva-like musings elsewhere, he relates, on the next page or so, how he tried to strangle a friend in a rage.He can be sympathetic and even kind, but for a would-be Boddhisattva and fighter for the rights of women, he seems to have hurt a lot of ladies, in particular, rather badly.Yet his friendships in general, with both sexes, seem warm and affectionate.

I docked the book a star because the version I bought (Bantom) seemed dishonest in its packaging.The front and back covers show an old man, though this version only covers the period to 1914.On the back cover, it promises "more exciting episodes than most novels, details more intimate than most exposes, and more intensity of emotion than most fiction writers would dare ascribe to a single hero."Largely hype.This is not Dumas, or Augustine.It's a different kind of story.

Someone else on the back cover calls Russell "a Genius-Saint."Genius, maybe, but the second accolade implies very low standards for sainthood.The book did make me think Russell a more balanced figure than I thought.But part of that balance appears to have been something like madness, and something like cruelty.Intellectually, Russell was a brilliant man.Emotionally, he often strikes me as a lonely and bewildered child, angry at being abandoned, not sure where to look for love, and not sure how to give it.

author, Jesus and the Religions of Man ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great book for a young philosopher
I picked up this book by pure happenstance from a friends book collection and have found it to be entertaining and enlightening.I have long been trying to figure out my view of the world and my philosophical standpoint in general and this is the first book I have really been able to connect with.Many sections of the book deal with Russell's search for his own understanding of the world and I especially connected with his time at University.I strongly recommend this book to anyone and everyone either looking for understanding of their own life or interested in one of the greatest modern philosophers. ... Read more

Book Description
In this timely work, Russell, philosopher, agnostic, mathematician, and renowned peace advocate, offers a brief yet insightful study of the conflicts between science and traditional religion during the last four centuries. Examining accounts in which scientific advances clashed with Christian doctrine or biblical interpretations of the day, from Galileo and the Copernican Revolution, to the medical breakthroughs of anesthesia and inoculation, Russell points to the constant upheaval and reevaluation of our systems of belief throughout history. In turn, he identifies where similar debates between modern science and the Church still exist today. Michael Ruse's new introduction brings these conflicts between science and theology up to date, focusing on issues arising after World War II. This classic is sure to interest all readers of philosophy and religion, as well as those interested in Russell's thought and writings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

"Religion and Science" as opposed to "Religion vs. Science"
This book is the culmination of lengthy and grueling contemplations. It really reveals the author's depth of knowledge.

Religion and science are two major aspects of life. Religion (or to worship something more superior and powerful) has been around since the day humankind was created. In every epoch, in every land, human beings felt a need to believe in something which they can seek refuge when they are in need of protection, relief, solace and peace of mind. Whether you believe in a religion or not, it plays, perhaps, the biggest role in our lives everyday. Science, on the other hand, is the grand sum of all the endeavors that mankind expended in search of unraveling the mysteries of the universe.

In my opinion, the author could have named the book "Christianity and Science" as well, because he refers to other religions very briefly. I am sure he was not unaware of them, but to name a book with such a generic name, it entails a comprehensive treatise of all major religions. Although there are many common denominators among them, there are as well many stark contrasts. Furthermore, the historical development of major religions exhibit different features, distinct approaches and methodologies.

Having been raised in a Christian environment, it is not unusual for the author to bring forth such a book. At that time, the Islamic civilization was (and still is) in a state of decline and inertia. The concept of "religion and science" should be discussed in a forum with participants from all major religions. Hence, one will be able to produce a comprehensive treatise.

As for this book specifically, the chapter "Demonology and Medicine" is especially striking and includes very powerful stories. The outstanding difference between today's Western civilization and the Medieval Europe is characterized very successfully.In the latter chapters, the evolution of scientific thought in West is discussed with very illustrative examples. The notion of "relativity" in the sense that every human being perceives the Universe from a different angle with different assumptions and premises is argued and scrutinized very logically, effectively. This book really makes you ponder over the Universe in which you live, from many perspectives, with the ideas that shape it.

Personally, science and religions are not archnemeses. They are very powerful tools, which go parallel to each other, to perceive and comprehend the secrets of life.

Overall, a very powerful book for those who are not afraid of thinking!

Comments on 2 CD Audio...
Hard to believe that this Book (here in CD Audio Format) was written was back in 1932! Most of it is as current and relevent now as then. The CD is broken down in to several parts, including RELIGION AND THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD,RELIGION AND DISEASE,RELIGION AND EVOLUTION, RELIGION AND MYSTICISM. Always very polite and a bit understated, the CD begins commenting on Copernicus and Galileo, scientists contradicting the dogma of their times. Then onto Church responses to disease including 1600's Plagues, and Smallpox. The blame was put on demons and devils, not germs aor viruses. His comments on the Smallpox outbreak in 1880's Montreal are worth the price of the CD. Evolution and biology are discussed, and Russll has some interesting thoughts on mysticism. Very worthwhile in this CD format!

Two Titans' Battle is Reviewed by Capable Hands
Quick overview of the centuries long conflict between religion and science. Russell firmly believes that religion has stood in the natural path of science on multiple fronts. Every time religion has been "pushed aside" by science (sometimes violently), man has made tremendous progressive strides. This includes discovering that blood flows through the body and the failure to find the soul within the body, amongst dozens of other examples.

The book's age takes very little away from the book. Russell even acknowledges that the fields of science he speaks about are still progressing and his words about them will one day be less poignant.

Fascinating and quick, I read "S&R" after "The Problems of Philosophy" and "The Conquest of Happiness," but before "Why I Am Not a Christian."

Religion and Science
I really enjoyed this book. Basically this is a history book of science and religion and how they have interacted over the history of mankind.Bertrand explains how almost every great scientific finding or revolution is oppressed ...by religion in some way or another. Copernicus, Newton, Galileo, Darwin, Vesalius, Harvey, Simpson, and many other distinguished scholars have all been at least fearful of the reactions of the churches, but also of the general population. Bertrand also goes into detail how the idea of ?soul? has changed through time: ?We not only react to external objects, but we know that we react. The stone, we think, does not know it reacts, but if it does it has ?consciousness.? Here also, on analysis, the difference will be found to be one of degree.? I rate this book with five out of five stars; I enjoyed it and still do enjoy it thoroughly.

A must read for the religious and nonreligious alike
Russell's "Religion and Science" explores, in a thoughtful and intelligent fashion, essentially the dark side of religion and its historical resistance (to say the least) to scientific discovery.This is clearly a must read for any rational thinking human. ... Read more

Book Description
Since its first publication in 1945? Lord Russell's A History of Western Philosophy has been universally acclaimed as the outstanding one-volume work on the subject -- unparalleled in its comprehensiveness, its clarity, its erudition, its grace and wit. In seventy-six chapters he traces philosophy from the rise of Greek civilization to the emergence of logical analysis in the twentieth century. Among the philosophers considered are: Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Empedocles, Anaxagoras, the Atomists, Protagoras, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, the Cynics, the Sceptics, the Epicureans, the Stoics, Plotinus, Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, Benedict, Gregory the Great, John the Scot, Aquinas, Duns Scotus, William of Occam, Machiavelli, Erasmus, More, Bacon, Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, the Utilitarians, Marx, Bergson, James, Dewey, and lastly the philosophers with whom Lord Russell himself is most closely associated -- Cantor, Frege, and Whitehead, co-author with Russell of the monumental Principia Mathematica.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (80)

Absolutely Loved It
I've read A History of Western Philosophy more than a few times, and even gave it as a gift to a few friends. Russell has accomplished a lot with this, having created a page-turner that you just can't put down, while at the same time providing one of the most lucid histories of philosophy ever written. He also editorialized a good amount, commenting and interpreting the concepts of others in a honest manner.

Fives stars but it deserves ten.

A brief comment
I read this book almost 30 years ago as a young philosophy student, and found it one of the best intros to the subject that was available back then. The coverage of some topics is a little uneven (Russell was, after all, more a mathematical logician rather than a philosophical historian like Copleston), but overall, it's a readable, enjoyable, and even-handed introduction to the subject. I eventually went on to read graduate level works in the area (although I was by training mostly a biologist, but I felt it important to know some philosophy), and this was one of the books that was invaluable to my early education in the subject.

A classic and a delight to read
What Bertrand Russell brings to the history of western philosophy is a clear, readable style and a delightfully opinionated stance.Unlike some writers on western philosophy, Russell is quick to give his opinion on the rigor and the agreeability of not only the philosophies presented, but of the philosophers themselves.He speaks with authority of course since he is considered one of the great minds of the twentieth century.He reaches a wide readership because of his great celebrity, and he is accessible to that readership because of his elegant, straightforward, and concrete (especially for a philosopher!) style.I understand that Russell wrote one draft, edited it and that was it.This is in contrast to some other writers (James Thurber comes to mind) who wrote twenty drafts and still were not satisfied.

He had the gift of a great memory, combined with an ease of composition that allowed him to be a most prolific writer over a long lifetime that began in 1872 and ended almost a hundred years later in 1970.He has something of the English Don and the 19th century naturalist about him as well as the 20th century progressive.He was intensely engaged in various political projects throughout his long life, most notably as an anti-war and later as an anti-nuclear activist while writing academic philosophy and mathematics as well as many volumes directed toward the general public.He was infamous (in some circles) for his free-love advocacy and his public rejection of Christianity.He was thrown into prison for his pacifism during WWI.He won the Noble Prize for Literature (not peace) in 1950.

Here he takes delight in surveying the entire spectrum of western philosophy beginning with the pre-Socratics and ending with his own philosophy of logical analysis.Curiously (or not so curiously) he does not mention Wittgenstein.His critique of the Greeks, especially Plato, is most edifying and fun to read.He sees modern philosophy as reaching its zenith with David Hume's empiricism.He finds Nietzsche disagreeable and is dismissive of Kant.

I am reading this for the second time, having first read it as a young man.It delights me anew.As I read I am unsure as to whether I find his opinions so congenial because they are so similar to mine or because in fact I acquired many of my early opinions through reading Russell!He had quite an influence on several generations before I came of age, although perhaps he reached the epitome of his fame (at least) during the fifties before I presumed to read philosophy.

Anyone interested in philosophy of any kind, especially of course western philosophy, should read this book.It is one of those books that cannot be ignored.First published in 1945, it is still in print today and will be for many decades to come.I only regret that Russell did not take the time to study eastern philosophies as well and to include them in this volume.How interesting it would be to read Russell on say, Buddhism, Taoism and Vedanta.

The Hobo Philosopher
This is clearly one of the best concise overviews of the major philosophers and what they had to say. It is right next to Will Durant's "The Story of Philosophy" on my reference shelf. Russell is witty, rational and easy to read. He makes many difficult concepts simple. This book is clearly written for the general reader. If you want to get difficult he has other books for the more advanced. I'm not trying to learn everything about all the philosophers but rather a little about some of the more famous. This book is perfect and objective. I am aware of many of Russell's controversial personal opinions and none are detectable in this work as far as I can determine. This is about classical philosophers and their philosophies. The general reader can not miss with this purchase.

Great, but not perfect
Russell's Introduction is a well-written, entertaining introduction to philosopy. It is very expansive, covering dozens of philosophers and philosophical movements/trends/systems/etc., and spanning thousands of years.

The only issue I have with this book is its exclusion of certain, lesser known philosophers whom I particularly like (a minour issue), and its sometimes superficial overviews of the philosophers within. That is why I suggest corroborating your knowledge with another, more in-depth introduction to philosophy, like Durant's Story of Philosophy.

Though it is not necessarily a criticism, I would like to point out that Russell's bias toward philosophers appears very strongly herein, so the reader should not expect a completely objective, neutral approach-- Russell is adamently opposed to many he deals with, such as Rousseau, Marx, Nietzsche, and other, less logic-inclined philosophers! Be warned: you are not likely to agree with his analysis all the time, and might at times find it somewhat inappropriate. ... Read more

Book Description
Russell's classic The Principles of Mathematics sets forth his landmark thesis that mathematics and logic are identical—that what is commonly called mathematics is simply later deductions from logical premises. His ideas have had a profound influence on twentieth-century work on logic and the foundations of mathematics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

An interesting read after the Principia
I don't have much to say beyond what I would say about Russell: a clear writer but nothing sweeping philisophically appears here.

Classic
Russell was a keen and original thinker.He and Whitehead wrote the Principia in an attempt to explain mathematics in terms of logic and put it on a firm logical basis.This was proved impossible by Godel later in the century.This book gives Russell's definitions and thinking on the subject, and discusses Frege and Cantor and Dekind and Hilbert and their approaches to mathematics and number system.I find the book historically
interesting, but I am not qualified to criticize the mathematics
or axioms proposed in the volume.

Russell's Magnum Opus
Bertrand Russell's greatest pieces of philosophical writing could probably be said to be "The Principles of Mathematics", "On Denoting" and with Alfred North Whitehead "Principia Mathematica", there is however one sense in which it could be said that the russellian magnum opus is The Principles of Mathematics, from here on TPM.

TPM is, arguably, the culmination in print of a long process of thought and concern, philosophically speaking, of Russell's intellectual preoccupations from his adolescence, youth and maturity with questions relating to the foundations of mathematics. Ever since Russell read Mill in his adolescence he had thought there was something suspect with the millian view that mathematical knowledge is in some sense empirical. Though he lacked the sophistication at the time to propose a different view of the foundations in mathematics his concerns with these topics remained with him well into the completion of Principia Mathematica. Logic and Mathematics were, by that time, seen as separate subjects dealing with distinct subject-matters, it came to be, however, the intuition of Russell (an intuition shared, and indeed, anticipated by Frege) that mathematics was nothing more than the later stages of logic. He did not came into this view easily, after a long period of hegelianism and kantianism in philosophy, in which Russell sought to overcome the so called antinomies of the infinite and the infinitesimal, etc; Russell saw light coming, not from the works of philosophers, but from the work of mathematicians working to introduce rigour in mathematics. Through the developments introduced by such mathematicians as Cantor and Dedekind Russell saw, or indeed thought he saw, that the difficulties in the notion of infinite and infinitesimal could be dealt with by solely mathematical methods, and it was through the continued development of formal logic by Peano and his followers that Russell saw the possibility of defining the notions of zero, number & successor in purely logical terms. Before all of these developments and ideas were put together by Russell and developed into the philosophy of mathematics known as logicism he made several sophisticated though unsuccesful attempts at questions having to do with the foundations of mathematics, one such attempt is his "An Analysis of Mathematical Reasoning". In TPM all of these developments are taken together with the formal logic Russell was developing following the steps of Peano, indeed the TRUE foundations of mathematics are for Russell: the calculus of classes (Set Theory), the propositional calculus and the predicate calculus (first-order classical logic).

And indeed the book not only presents these developments, argues for them and introduces the reader to the whole theoretical and philosophical edifice of formal logic, but also with these tools Russell delves in an exploration of all or most concepts relevant in the mathematics of the day. He showsthat with the methods he proposes he can construct the whole of the real numbers, and that the concept of infinity can be dealt with through the set-theory of Cantor. Russell's theory of relations, a theory which made possible to deal with relations in formal logic as well as to refute the metaphysical views of Bradley and others, appears in the book. The chapter on "The Philosophy of the Infinite" is a tour de force for anyone interested in the philosophy of mathematics. This book is quite long, but it is absolutely breathtaking in its depth, its subtle arguments, its sophistication and originality (for its time). The book already contains a philosophy of language and reference not very different from that of Frege in "Sense and Reference". As I said, it is thorough in its philosophical examination and explanation of mathematical concepts, and it delves into physics through the russellian investigation of space and time, as well as his incorporation of logicism into physics through rational dynamics. Russell's paradox makes its first appeareance in this book, it has a chapter to itself. And indeed, Russell's theory of types also makes an appearance in an earlier form in one of its appendix. It is well known that Russell and Frege each came to his views independently, and indeed Russell had just read Frege by the time his book had been finished and so added another appendix discussing and commending Frege's work. All in all, this book is worth every penny, it is one of the masterpieces of XX century philosophy by any standards. One professor of mine once remarked that if Russell had developed his famous theory of descriptions by the time he wrote TPM and had included it in the book, the already master piece would then be wholly perfect, I am inclined to agree.

Spliting Hairs Infinitesimally
He doesn't do much theorem proving, but he tackles
head on all the basic problem of mathematics that were known
a hundred years ago. It was how well he did everything
that makes this still a must read if you love mathematics.
There is actually only one equation in his book that I can think of:
and it is of a Clifford geometry measure! This man was a mathematician's
mathematician and a metamathematics master in the language of
philosophy as well! The pages are falling out and I still
go to this and Sommerville when I want inspiration or understanding of really hard issues.

Dated, but still a gold mine.
10-Point Rating: (8.75)
One of the claims of the analytical school of western philosophy is that math is reducible to logic, specifically the logic of groups, classes, or sets. In this vein, I can think of no better introduction than Russell's Principles of Mathematics. Although many of the ideas he proposes are intellectually outdated, Russell's method is rigorous and his presentation is lucid. While this book is not for everyone, no serious student of mathematical foundations should be without it. The chapters on zero and the concept of continuity are especially insightful. ... Read more

Book Description
One of his great works, and a must-read for any student of philosophy, The Problems of Philosophy was written in 1912 as an introduction to Russell's thought.As an empiricist, Russell starts at the beginning with this question: Is there any knowledge in the world that is so certain that no reasonable man could doubt it? This, according to Russell, is where the work of philosophy begins. He covers topics such as reality, the nature of matter, inductive reasoning, truth, and the limits of philosophical knowledge.As one of the greatest minds in Western philosophy, Russell's thoughts are profoundly informative and provocative and suitable for anyone wishing to expand his mind. British philosopher and mathematician BERTRAND ARTHUR WILLIAM RUSSELL (1872-1970) won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950. Among his many works are Why I Am Not a Christian (1927), Power: A New Social Analysis (1938), and My Philosophical Development (1959).Download Description
IN this chapter we have to ask ourselves whether, in any sense at all, there is such a thing as matter. Is there a table which has a certain intrinsic nature, and continues to exist when I am not looking, or is the table merely a product of my imagination, a dream-table in a very prolonged dream? This question is of the greatest importance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Nice overview
This was a really nice overview of various topics for a course I have.It's very concise and well organized and is written in language that is easy to understand.

Exceptional insight
Bertrand Russell is one of my favorite philosophers to read and this book was the one that started it all. Russell's analysis of man's epistemological limitations is truly enlightening. A theory of everything, origin of the universe, teleology- concepts that have galvanized human beings for ages are extrapolated from a new perspective by Russell.
The first few chapters that explain data processing by the human mind, perceptions and reality as experienced by the senses is of utmost importance to truly understand what Russell is saying. Lucid imagery and explanations are abundant in Russell's prose.
By the time I was done with this book, I was left wondering if the title 'Problems with human perception' would have been more appropriate.

Great Introduction
This book is a model of exposition, covering an amazing amount of ground in just over 150 pages - and the excellent writing makes it seem even shorter than that. It is not really a standard introduction to all of philosophy, however, since it deals mainly with questions of epistemology. But as an introduction to that branch of philosophy, it is definitely one of the best. Among other things, it includes Russell's famous chapter "On Induction", criticisms of idealism, of Kant, and (perhaps surprisingly) of empiricism, and a defense of the correspondence theory of truth.

The five star rating does not mean that I agree with everything in it, however. Russell himself came to disagree with much of what he said in this book (e.g., with respect to his views on universals). But in spite of being somewhat dated, it is definitely worthwhile, especially for the beginning student.

Amazing book
Russell does an amazing job of dissecting philosophy and getting to squishy center and practical basis that let's us attempt to understand the world. It's very easy to read and enjoyable. And despite being written in 1912, it reads like it was written yesterday (other then a few anachronisms, here and there).

The only downside is that, obviously, it doesn't say much about philosophical developments in the 20th century.

Still, it's a fantastic and easy to understand book, and everyone who can read should read it.

The Problems of Philosophy
This book is compulsory reading to anyone studying Philosphy, it is written in such a style as to take away the mysteke normally associated with the subject. Anyone can read this book and gain an understanding.
Dr. Wallace Devlin, Ph.D ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Theologian's Nightmare
+++++

This book consists of twenty-one essays written by Bertrand Russell (1872 to 1970) between 1912 and 1961.They were compiled and edited by Al Seckel, a member of the Bertrand Russell Society and one who has lectured extensively on Russell's life and work.According to Seckel, "the purpose of this collection is to bring together in one...volume some of Russell's most delightful thought-provoking essays on [organized] religion."

Some topics discussed are agnosticism, atheism, rationalism, churches, God, the soul, science, free thought, sin, and faith.He examines these and other topics with "rational skepticism" which is "withholding judgment where the evidence is not sufficient, or, even more so, when there is contrary evidence."

This collection of essays definitely captures the scope and depth of Russell's thinking on religion.His logic and reasoning are impeccable.I now understand why he was called "the world's most famous atheist."

The book is divided into five parts.Here are the titles of my favorite essays taken from each part:

I. (6 essays)

(1) Why I am not a Christian.
(2) The faith of a rationalist.(No supernatural reasons are needed to make humans kind.)

II. (5 essays)

(1) A debate on the existence of God. (Between Russell and a Father of the church.)

III.(2 essays)

(1) Science and religion.

IV.(6 essays)

(1) An outline of intellectual rubbish.
(2) The value of free thought.(How to become a truth-seeker and break the chains of mental slavery.)
(3) Ideas that have harmed mankind (and womankind).
(4) Ideas that have helped mankind(and womankind).

V.(2 essays)

(1) The theologian's nightmare.

Before the first essay begins, there is a brief biography of Bertrand Russell (later Lord Russell) by Seckel.It is very thorough as evidenced by the more than 55 footnotes at its end.

Finally, the only problem I had with this book is with regard to referencing.All essays are not referenced or inadequately referenced.I know that Russell in his other works extensively referenced.Thus, I'm not sure if Seckel edited out references to save space and assumed that the reader would believe everything Russell said due to his reputation.On a subject like this, I think references should have been kept in.Also, there is a bibliography at the end of the book.But it is really just a list of books written by Russell.

In conclusion, this is a fascinating collection of essays by one of most prolific and brilliant thinkers and writers of the twentieth century.Now I understand why Russell won the 1950 Nobel Prize in literature!!

**** 1/2

(essay collection published 1986;acknowledgements;biography of Bertrand Russell;5 parts or 21 chapters;main narrative 300 pages;"bibliography;"name index;subject index)

+++++

It's Good
Russell is not concerned with refuting the claims of any specific religion with philosophic rigor. He shouldn't be. Since religion is not based on evidence, carefully refuting it would be like refuting the ancient Greek belief that Zeus and other gods reside on Mount Olympus. The only difference between that religion and current religions is that the Greek pantheon is out of fashion.

If you are a staunch believer and want to test your faith by subjecting it to a withering logical assault, you are wasting your time with this book (In fact, you are wasting your time period, since faith has nothing to do with logical arguments). If you want to read the thoughts of a great 20th century thinker on religion, and understand why he rejects it, then enjoy. I think that Russell is one of those men who values truth over everything else - a rare quality, even (especially?) among the followers of organized religion.

Everything I expected
After reading 'Why I am not a christian', I was excited to find that there existed an even larger collection of Mr. Russells essays. Some of the essays in this book are already in 'Why I am not a christian', including that particular essay. The others I had not read before were informative, well-structured, and balanced. He was truly a man ahead of his time.

Not impressed
As a Christian who has studied math and philosophy, I am quite familiar with Bertrand Russell's contributions to logic and philosophy, I am quite impressed with his brilliance.When I first got this book, I was afraid ofwhat kind of powerful arguments he might present against my beliefs,instead I was shocked to find his arguments poorly constructed, hispremises, shoddy, his logic full of holes. I expect much better from aman of his genius. It is quite obvious that his atheism wasn't based on areasoned analysis of philosophy, a rigorous deduction from the evidence,rather, it was the result of a strong emotional bias against Christianethics, particularly sexual ethics, period.A disappointment through andthrough. Whether you are atheist or theist, if you are looking for agood, through, reasoned arguments against God, you should look elsewherethan the writing of Bertrand Russell.

Religion understood as a terrible bar of truth
It appears in these selections that Russell was a very complex person who thought a great deal about religion. His views are not always consistent and they are pervaded by emotion. His general tendency is against religion.He especially hates Christianity as it has been practiced throughouthistory and the idea of Christian faith. He takes faith to be a set ofrelated beliefs, on substantial issues, for which one has no good reasons.This selection is light reading, but it is too unfair to be used as anintroduction to the philosophy of religion. Of course, this is one of thefeatures of Russell's thought on religion that makes him psychologicallyinteresting. ... Read more

Book Description
Dedicated as few men have been to the life of reason, Bertrand Russell has always been concerned with the basic questions to which religion also addresses itself -- questions about man's place in the universe and the nature of the good life, questions that involve life after death, morality, freedom, education, and sexual ethics. He brings to his treatment of these questions the same courage, scrupulous logic, and lofty wisdom for which his other work as philosopher, writer, and teacher has been famous. These qualities make the essays included in this book perhaps the most graceful and moving presentation of the freethinker's position since the days of Hume and Voltaire.

"I am as firmly convinced that religions do harm as I am that they are untrue," Russell declares in his Preface, and his reasoned opposition to any system or dogma which he feels may shackle man's mind runs through all the essays in this book, whether they were written as early as 1899 or as late as 1954.

The book has been edited, with Lord Russell's full approval and cooperation, by Professor Paul Edwards of the Philosophy Department of New York University. In an Appendix, Professor Edwards contributes a full account of the highly controversial "Bertrand Russell Case" of 1940, in which Russell was judicially declared "unfit" to teach philosophy at the College of the City of New York.

Whether the reader shares or rejects Bertrand Russell's views, he will find this book an invigorating challenge to set notions, a masterly statement of a philosophical position, and a pure joy to read.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (149)

A rationale explanation of faith
I bought the book driven mainly by the title. What I found is a collection of essays about religion that go far beyond Christianity. I personally share Mr. Russell's comments so my reviewed will be undoubtedly biased, but I can say that every argument is clearly and exceptionally grounded in facts. And since faith and facts don't always walk together, a rationale explanation of faith is not possible unless you do it from an atheist point of view.
What I personally enjoyed the most is the appendix: "How Bertrand Russell was prevented from teaching at The College of the City of New York". It is a clear example of the limits to freedom of speech that can be found in America. Many years after that, some people are still discussing whether to teach Darwin at US schools...

Insightful Diatribe
I love anything and everything written by BR. He was one of the most lucid and intelligent thinkers of the last 100 years.

That said, he does on occasion lend his credibility to activism, which is a bad habit. His arguments are at their weakest in this essay. The suggestion that religion is based on fear is a less than honest overview of religious motivation.

The essay on Christianity attempts to show all of religion in one light, when in fact we know that there are many ways of believing in a Christian God, and many personal reasons to believe, not many of which should be subject to criticism by a man who occupied himself with more important questions.

My biggest concern is why write the essay to begin with? One might as well write an essay entitled "Why I do not like the color blue". It's personal preference, and has nothing at all to do with anything that Bertrand Russell should be concerned with.

Bertrand Russell's classic essay
This was one of the first essays to (logically) disprove the delusion of a "God".It is a classic.I remember reading the essay back in the 1960's.It was passed around amongst students and fired our imagination toward a world where truth was more common that superstition.

Okay book
Russell's arguments against Christianity are excellent, but the book is boring at times. I know it's a collection of essays, but some of the essays were quite boring, and didn't even talking about religion and Christianity. It still is a decent book. I just wish that I only read the parts on Christianity, and skipped the rest.

Never mind the bollocks...
An incredible, clearly-written, thoroughly-argued masterpiece of human intelligence, and a clarion call for the fight against muddle-headed mysticism. This book gives me hope for a rational, sane future. ... Read more

Book Description

One of Russell's most important and interesting books which reconciles the materialistic tendency of psychology with the anti-materialistic tendency of physics.

Book Description
Human Knowledge is Bertrand Russell's classic examination of the relation between individual experience and the general body of scientific knowledge. It presents a rigorous examination of the problems of an empiricist epistemology. This paperback edition includes a new introduction by John G. Slater. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Strictly reserved for the serious
To my knowledge, one of the best books ever written. Russell's English has a wonderful, graceful clarity. But this is not an easy book to read. What does it mean to "know"? what do we know? how far can we be sure that we do in fact know? These are fundamental questions about human thought, and this book is an essential item in the library of anyone who is concerned with such questions. ... Read more

Book Description
"The books of Bertrand Russell are a modern substitute for the Bible."—Time

"The Conquest of Happiness, a primer of self-regeneration, is a most excellent book. This manual of systemized common sense, sane and forthright, should be read by every parent, teacher, minister and Congressman in the land."—Atlantic Monthly ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Too simple ideas for a philosopher
There are parts in the book I liked a lot like the emphasis on enthusiasm; and the causes of unhappiness were almost tragic in the sense how well they fit the present time. Russell's ideas about guilt and religion are very biased because of his well-known atheism. The new psychological studies show that one can not contrast reason and emotion. Guilt - like religiousness - is a positive factor in life and is related to well-being. When reading this book I cannot forget how selfishly he lived and how easily he changed his opinions without noticing it.

gloriously obvious
Essentially a self-help book written by the hypereminent philosopher Bertrand Russell. I have not read any other self-help books I don't think but from what I know this one is completely different: well-thought out, insightful and completely lacking in poppy answers. My real pleasure was getting an insight into Russell's way of thinking, his humour, his zest for life, his outlook which may seem simple or naive but is in my opinion far superior to most.

The book is very dated - from the 1930s. However the advice is not - in fact I have nothing but admiration for how far ahead of his time Russell was. Those few actually-dated passages only serve to endear the book more.

Heartily recommended. Contrary to popular belief, it often takes nothing short of genius to state the obvious, especially if an entire society is blinded to it. In the Conquest of Happiness, Russell does exactly that.

What a little gem
There is no way I would criticise Bertrand Russell's writing as he is just a master of prose and his writing is a purely joyful experience. I do though wish this book had a bit more to say about ways to generate happiness - it is split into the causes of unhappiness (quite a long list) and then the solutions (quite a short list). Its a great book and sticks to immutable facts about human beings. Timeless and valuable but life is hard work, a fact Mr Russell acknowledges from the first with the title using the word "conquest" - it is a conquest to become happy.

Note that it's a conquest, not a search
A refresher from a philosophical heavyweight...Please read this and you'll understand how this perspective on happiness can simplify and refocus your life and well... actually... lead to true "happiness," not just momentary contentedness.A classic for all times and all people.

Very sensible
That description could apply to everything Bertrand Russell ever wrote, I think.It is refreshing to read a respected philosopher's thoughts on this subject without having him try to convince you of some preconceived notion any child should know is untrue: like virture makes you happy even if you're being tortured to death.Russell is here writing for the ordinary person in good health and living in ordinary circumstances.I think you will find his thoughts on the subject as clear, well thought-out, and likely to be true as any of the latest research into positive psychology or "happiness." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Provocative
It's hard not to cheer when you realize Russell wrote so forward-thinking a piece in the late '20s. Its ideas are still being debated today, especially in light of the recent trend toward opting out of conventional, legally bound marriages in Western countries. As a married man myself, I found Russell's condemnation of conventional sexual morality quite convincing. He doesn't advocate immature hedonism, nor does he pardon all infidelity. He actually favors marriage when children are involved. He simply rocks the foundation of marriage on Christian asceticism ('fornication is sin') and the need for certain paternity. He gives an anthropological & historical perspective on the issue that is broader than anything you're likely to hear in current debates.

My only complaint with this otherwise provocative & well-reasoned work is that some of his commentary borders on anti-Catholic. I'm not Catholic myself, but I couldn't help but wonder whether some of his persistent jabs at the Church weren't motivated by a prejudice common at that time. That isn't to say he doesn't critique Protestant morality as well, but he seems to take inordinate glee in poking the Vatican.

Marriage & Morals
I found this book very well-written and full of information about the history of marriage, sexual ethics, and morals. Bertrand, in his usual style, examines the social problems of his time and why they exist. This book was written in 1929, but is still logical and modern in thinking. Bertrand wittily and cynically speaks out against the restrictive dogmas of sex and love: ?It would seem that it is only with the introduction of the patriarchal system that men came to desire virginity in their brides. Where the matrilineal system exists young women sow their wild oats as freely as young men, but this could not be tolerated when it became of great importance to persuade women that all intercourse outside of marriage is wicked.? I strongly recommend this book for anyone doing a research paper on love, marriage, or sexual ethics. If you?re looking for something to make you think, it?s also a great book. I give it four out of five stars.

A Curious Book
At first blush it looked like Russell wrote this book after having an extra-marital affair!

It's perhaps one of the greatest ironies with homosapiens that while they themselves will not always avoid adultry, they will never tolerate it when it's commited by their partner.

Even then the proposition that infidelity in marriage, since it cant be elliminated, should be tolerated is not a feasible solution not only from purely moral view point but also when human character is viewed in the light of evolutionary biology - men will not tolerate it because they will end up investing in others' offspring, and women because they will loose social and material resources to raise theirs.

Our capacity to form moral judgement (as on pre- , post-marital sex) developed much later than when we developed the strategies for reproductive success. It remains this constant struggle between our morality and our nature that will continue to trouble all those who concern themselves to give, or have, an explicit answer.

Perhaps the answer is in that immortal line of Forester (_African Queen_): "Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we were put on this earth to rise above."

That aside, despite being written eighty years ago it's still a good book especially for readers from oriental part of this world.

Read it if you have not read on this topic.

An Objective Criticism of Conventional Sexual Morality
In this, one of his most brilliant works, Lord Russell educates the reader about the evils of traditional sexual morals.

He explains how conventional views on sex have had a harmful and detrimental effect on the individual, and on society at large.

According to Russell, the taboos on pre-marital and extra-marital sex, which were promoted by several different religious institutions, including the Church, as well as by a countless number of moralizing zealots, are totally unjustified. Moreover, as he points out, they do not take into account the practical realities of life.

It is indeed tragic that Russell (who died in 1970) did not live to see the full fledged effects of the Sexual Liberation movement, which began in the 1960s.

The taboo on pre-marital sex has been dispensed with in most Western countries, though extra-marital affairs are not yet fully acceptable, and are branded as acts of 'infidelity'.

A superb read for anyone with more than a passing interest in matters of sexuality.

An old book, but surprisingly still interesting
This book was originally published in 1929 so in many ways it is inevitably dated.But in many ways it is still fresh, and despite all the talk about "new morality", the controversies in his day stillrage today.(This is the book that got Lord Russell in so much trouble atCity College of New York)What is unique about this book that it addressessome of the dilemmas of domestic life.Dilemmas that are real yetapparently other writers don't have the courage to face.

This bookdeserves to be in the library of every serious thinker. ... Read more

Book Description
In the summer of 1937, Europe was being torn apart by extremist ideologies. With the world on the brink of war, Bertrand Russell set out to found a "new science," one which would make sense of the traumatic events of the day and offer an explanation for those that would follow. The result was Power, a remarkable book which Russell regarded as one of the most important of his long career.

Power, Russell argues, is man's ultimate goal, and is, in its many guises, the single most important element in the development of any society. Countering the totalitarian desire to dominate, Russell shows how political enlightenment and human understanding can lead to peace. Power is a passionate call for independence of mind and a celebration of the instinctive joy of human life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Lots of good sense, little entertainment
As always, Russell shines with his clarity and unwavering good sense, but most of the book is pretty dry. The last chapter is by far the most interesting (in which he describes how to tame power) and some of his suggestions are novel even for today. I thoroughly enjoyed the last chapter but it couldn't make up for the many chapters of tiring text before it.

Broad Scope, Fascinating
Bertrand Russell's Power is very ambitious in scope.Support for his thesis that the taming of power should be of chief concern to thinking people (his favorite audience in the three Russell books I've read) includes support from references to ancient China, medieval Europe, Machiavelli, the American businessman, the rise of the Catholic Church, American reverence for the Constitution, causes of the Protestant Reformation, ancient Greece and Rome and their governments, and more.As is to be expected of Lord Russell, his writing is an edifying, entertaining glimpse into the mind of a genius.

Russell's descriptions of the motivations behind power seeking individuals and organizations, the appeal of leaders, types of power and the basis for authority are compelling.The means for acquiring and exercising power are described by Russell in a systematic, conspiratorial manner.By understanding its appeal and the methods by which it is attained, Russell argues, mankind can hope to tame power. I felt that in this book Russell sought to deliver a "world-view" a la Karl Marx, whose communist ideas were based on the belief that the source of conflict in the world was man's alienation.With a twist, Russell might say that man's (and man's organizations, which he grants develop an organic life of their own) grasping for power is the chief cause of pain, stifled freedom, and stunted progress.

It's important to keep in mind that this book was first published in 1938 - though it's not hard to do while reading since Russell continuously warns of an impending great war.He refers to WWI as the "War" and an imminent WWII as the "Great War."I think, perhaps, the great motivation for writing it may have been to explain the rise of despotic and totalitarian governments during the era preceding its publication.A defining quote is:

"No other organization rouses anything like the loyalty aroused by the national State.And the chief activity of the State is preparation for large-scale homicide.It is loyalty to this organization for death that causes men to endure the totalitarian State, and to risk the destruction of home and children and our whole civilization rather than submit to alien rule."

Russell is my favorite philosopher and I'm planning to read many more of his books.I strongly recommend his History of Western Philosophy and The Conquest of Happiness.Russell wrote so many books on such a wide variety of subjects.My qualms with Power are its over ambitious reach, the frenetic pace of the writing and Russell's disdain for business and economics.Enjoy! ... Read more

Book Description
This book describes Russell's philosophical arguments clearly and explains why some philosophers now disagree with them. ... Read more

Book Description
Intolerance and bigotry lie at the heart of all human suffering. So claims Bertrand Russell at the outset of In Praise of Idleness, a collection of essays in which he espouses the virtues of cool reflection and free enquiry; a voice of calm in a world of maddening unreason. With characteristic clarity and humour, Russell surveys the social and political consequences of his beliefs. From a devastating critique of the ancestry of fascism to a vehement defense of 'useless' knowledge, with consideration given to everything from insect pests to the human soul, In Praise of Idleness is a tour de force that only Bertrand Russell could perform. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Challenging, clear, and controversial
This collection of essays could be titled, In Praise of the Individual. Our culture is a distraction from facing up to the essential problem: fear of death. If this is a prime issue for us, it is also the most taboo. To slow down is to become aware of that from which we are distracting ourselves.

Writing in 1930, Lord Russell laments the lack of individuality in outlook he finds in visiting America. Conformity makes a population listless.

Many of the same issues of the 1930's are with us today: economic uncertainty, fear, and an uncritical belief in a better world in the future.

The essay on "Useless" Knowledge is about appreciation and clearly a part of the Slow Lifestyle canon.

We are all more aware of our fellow-citizens than we used to be, more anxious, if we are virtuous, to do them good, and in any case to make them do us good. We do not like to think of anyone lazily enjoying life, however refined may be the quality of his enjoyment...We have not the leisure of mind, therefore, to acquire any knowledge except such as will help us in the fight for whatever it may happen to be that we think important.

Lord Russell advises a stoic approach which teaches us to be in command of ourselves and to assert our individuality. In order to be mentally healthy, we need to value courage, self-discipline, appreciation, and tolerance.

Do we value courage today?

Do we teach it in school?

This is still a stimulating and provocative book.

In Praise of this Book!!
+++++

Controversial philosopher and Nobel Prize winner (for Literature) Lord Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) gives us thirteen scintillating essays on which to whet our intellectual appetites.These short essays were written between 1925 and 1935.

Russell writes in an elegant, readable and understandable style.His arguments are well thought out.

The essays consider social questions not discussed in politics.The general theme that ties these essays together is that the world suffers from dogmatism and narrowness; what is needed is the willingness to question dogma.

The essays are a blend of philosophy with other disciplines such as psychology, economics, science, and history.All the essays are brutally honest and forthright.Each essay is packed with a load of wisdom.What's amazing is that these essays are as current today as when they were first written and they will probably remain relevant into the future.

My five favorite essays in this collection include the following:

(1) "In Praise of Idleness."Discusses work and the importance of leisure.In order to get a sample of Russell's insight that permeates this book, here's a sentence from this essay: "The morality of work is the morality of slaves, and the modern world has no need of slavery."

(2) "'Useless' Knowledge."States that all knowledge is useful not only knowledge that has a practical value.

(3) "The Case for Socialism."Russell gives nine arguments in favor of socialism, most notably the need for preventing war.

(4) "Western Civilization."Discusses its characteristics.One sentence from this essay that I like is, "I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent utility."

(5) "Education and Discipline."My favorite sentence from this essay is as follows: "Education...must be something more positive than a mere opportunity for growth...it must...also provide a mental and moral equipment [for] children."

In conclusion, this book is Bertrand Russell at his best.Enjoy!!

(first published in 1935; preface to this edition; introduction; original preface; 13 chapters, main narrative 150 pages; index)


+++++

Great reading
Being somewhat familiar with Russell's work in philosophy, I was a little taken aback by his use of broad generalizations and universal statements in these essays. Russell definately over-simplifies complex issues, but by doing so he presents ideas that are ingenious and downright revolutionary. His ideas are contentious and make for entertaining reading. These essays also prove that rationality and reason can be far more compassionate than any emotional arguments. In fact, rationality and reason may be the only means to compassionate action.

Some of the ideas in these essays seem a little bit dated, but others are as relevant (maybe even more so) as they were in Russell's day. This is a book that deserves to be read by contemporary readers, especially considering the popularity of current writers like Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein and the like. The preface and introduction in this edition serve well to place Russell's arguments in context of current issues and thought. ... Read more

Book Description
Russell on Religion presents a comprehensive and accessible selection of Bertrand Russell's writing on religion and related topics from the turn of the century to the end of his life. The influence of religion pervades almost all Bertrand Russell's writings from his mathematical treatises to his early fiction.This comprehensive selection of writings offers a clear overview of the development of his thinking about religion.

Russell contends with religion as a philosopher, historian, social critic and private individual. The selections papers are arranged chronologically, and span Russell's thinking with his personal statements, and his views on religion and philosophy, religion and science, religion and morality and religion and history.This collection shows the development and diversity of Russell's thinking on religion and exposes the reader to all aspects of his work on this subject. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Russell on Religion
Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) was one of the twentieth century's most important philosophers and one of its best-known free thinkers.Raised in a religiously liberal home, Russell abandoned liberal Christianity early on seeking a "religion of reason."Although he ultimately abandoned that as well, his views on religion remained complex.

This collection of Russell's writings on religious is organized by biographical accounts; religion and philosophy; religion and science; religion and morality; and religion and history. It contains most of Russell's most important work on the subject, such as the famous essay "Why I Am Not a Christian."I was disappointed however that it doesn't contain his famous debate with Fr. Copleston.

The intr