Bertrand Russell, British philosopher, mathematician and logical positivist. His major works include Principia Mathematical (arettes), and Principles of Psychology and Induction. His main thesis was that there are no axioms in science. His ideas are widely regarded as having exerted a tremendous influence on those who followed him including quantum mechanics, relativity and prime number theory. Bertrand Russell was born in Scotland, where his mother was a professional artist. He is said to have been influenced by his uncle, who was a professor at King’s College, London.
Bertrand Russell invented a model of how the physical universe is constructed. This model is now known as the Russell sympathectomy. It states that truth in science is self-explanatory. Russell thus went on to develop other theories based on the ideas he had outlined in his many books.
Bertrand Russell was one of the first modern philosophers to put forth the idea of a free society. He held that all men are equal although some are better than others. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, to choose, and to pursue their dreams. The only restraint placed upon a person is self-restraint. He rejected absolute freedom as it leads to tyranny.
Russell maintained that all men are bound for a common cause; a cause which they call “the interests of the race”. All men are enjoined to preserve social peace and freedom. Bertrand Russell further contended that there is but one form of freedom, and that is freedom of choice.
Freedom of choice, according to Russell, is the freedom of the thinker. This means that man may pursue his chosen course of action even if it leads to the downfall of society. Russell maintained that freedom is a blessing because it allows man to think independently of society and other individuals. It is a curse, however, because it prevents man from sharing his thoughts with others. Freedom of choice also allows freedom of expression.
Bertrand Russell also maintained that man is obligated to be at liberty and that he cannot be compelled against his will. A great deal of freedom is related to self-ownership. Russell defines a free man as one who owns his own soul, mind, body, and possessions. He also claimed that in a democracy, the law tends to support the masses instead of the demos. This suggests that a majority of citizens have more influence over government policy than the demos because they possess a free mind.
In the United States, the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States protects freedom of speech and press. It also protects the right of petition for redress of grievances, which in the case of labor or religious worship. It is important to note that these rights originate with the English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes. Other philosophers and writers such as Locke, Enlightenment philosopher Sir Walter Pater, and the French thinker, Montaigne, once shared Russell’s skepticism regarding government. However, many other philosophers have rejected or given little thought to the claim that there are inherent limitations on the freedom of individuals.
Bertrand Russell is recognized as one of the most influential philosophers of all time. His contributions to mathematics and science greatly advanced those fields. His works remain highly relevant today and are used in a variety of classrooms around the world.
Russell’s works are widely praised for their clarity and simplicity, and for his contributions to analytic philosophy. His major work, Principia Mathematica, remains one of the most influential books ever written by a single person. The main thesis of this book is that the natural laws upon which our civilization is based upon are mathematically precise, thus providing us with a practically unlimited means to understand the universe and the truth about it.
Russell did not succeed in explaining every issue of physics, including those of black hole radiation, the GPS, and the Flat Floor. Nevertheless, he did succeed in laying the foundation for quantum mechanics and thereby provided a great introduction to this subject. Quantum mechanics revolutionized our understanding of the world around us. Bertrand Russell is also famous for bringing philosophy into science, specifically mechanics. A prime example of his theories in this area is his theory of relativity, which demonstrated that space and time are unified.
Bertrand Russell wrote over forty books, which many people believe to be his finest work. All of these are essential reading for those interested in the foundations of science, including physics, astronomy, and others. In a recent interview, Russell was asked what his favorite books were, and he answered: “I like to read philosophy. I can never decide, though. The trouble is that when you start looking at a book you find that there are fifty ideas in it! It’s difficult to choose one.”