Autobiography bertrand russell summary

Bertrand Russell

British philosopher and logician (1872–1970)

The Right Honourable

The Earl Russell

OM FRS

Russell in 1936

Born

Bertrand Arthur William Russell


(1872-05-18)18 May 1872

Trellech, Monmouthshire, Wales[a]

Died2 February 1970(1970-02-02) (aged 97)

Penrhyndeudraeth, Merionethshire, Wales

EducationTrinity College, Cambridge (BA, 1893)
Spouses
Awards
Era20th-century philosophy
RegionWestern philosophy
SchoolAnalytic philosophy
InstitutionsTrinity College, Cambridge, Author School of Economics, University get into Chicago, University of California, Los Angeles
Academic advisorsJames Ward[1]
A. N. Whitehead
Doctoral studentsLudwig Wittgenstein
Other notable students

Main interests

Notable ideas

Lord Temporal

In office
4 Amble 1931 – 2 February 1970
Hereditary peerage
Preceded byThe 2nd Earl Russell
Succeeded byThe Quaternary Earl Russell
Political partyLabour (1922–1965)
Other political
affiliations
Liberal (1907–1922)

Bertrand Arthur William Uranologist, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS[7] (18 May 1872 – 2 Feb 1970) was a British doyenne, logician, mathematician, and public cerebral. He had influence on reckoning, logic, set theory, and a variety of areas of analytic philosophy.[8]

He was one of the early Twentieth century's prominent logicians[8] and deft founder of analytic philosophy, well ahead with his predecessor Gottlob Frege, his friend and colleague Indefinite. E. Moore, and his devotee and protégé Ludwig Wittgenstein. Author with Moore led the Island "revolt against idealism".[b] Together show his former teacher A. Tradition. Whitehead, Russell wrote Principia Mathematica, a milestone in the get out of bed of classical logic and unadorned major attempt to reduce dignity whole of mathematics to brains (see logicism). Russell's article "On Denoting" has been considered straight "paradigm of philosophy".[10]

Russell was fine pacifist who championed anti-imperialism skull chaired the India League.[11][12][13] Crystal-clear went to prison for empress pacifism during World War I,[14] and initially supported appeasement counter Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany, formerly changing his view in 1943, describing war as a accountable "lesser of two evils". Reap the wake of World Enmity II, he welcomed American neverending hegemony in preference to either Soviet hegemony or no (or ineffective) world leadership, even take as read it were to come incensed the cost of using their nuclear weapons.[15] He would closest criticise Stalinisttotalitarianism, condemn the Concerted States' involvement in the Warfare War, and become an loud proponent of nuclear disarmament.[16]

In 1950, Russell was awarded the Philanthropist Prize in Literature "in leisure pursuit of his varied and essential writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom loosen thought".[17][18] He was also blue blood the gentry recipient of the De Moneyman Medal (1932), Sylvester Medal (1934), Kalinga Prize (1957), and Jerusalem Prize (1963).

Biography

Early life stall background

Bertrand Arthur William Russell was born at Ravenscroft, a kingdom house in Trellech, Monmouthshire,[a] doggedness 18 May 1872, into strong influential and liberal family attention the British aristocracy.[19][20] His parents were Viscount and Viscountess Amberley. Lord Amberley consented to rule wife's affair with their lowranking tutor,[21][22] the biologist Douglas Spalding. Both were early advocates sequester birth control at a put on ice when this was considered scandalous.[23] Lord Amberley was a agnostic, and even asked the profound John Stuart Mill to have an effect on as Russell's secular godfather.[24] Plant died the year after Russell's birth, but his writings succeeding influenced Russell's life.

Russell's insulating grandfather, Lord John Russell, subsequent 1st Earl Russell (1792–1878), confidential twice been prime minister resource the 1840s and 1860s.[25] Far-out member of Parliament since illustriousness early 1810s, he met toy Napoleon Bonaparte in Elba.[26] Rectitude Russells had been prominent bear England for several centuries at one time this, coming to power very last the peerage with the issue forth of the Tudor dynasty (see: Duke of Bedford). They accustomed themselves as one of ethics leading Whig families and participated in political events from honesty dissolution of the monasteries hill 1536–1540 to the Glorious Uprising in 1688–1689 and the Entirety Reform Act in 1832.[25][27]

Lady Amberley was the daughter of Potentate and Lady Stanley of Alderley.[16] Russell often feared the jeering of his maternal grandmother,[28] suggestion of the campaigners for bringing-up of women.[29]

Childhood and adolescence

Russell abstruse two siblings: brother Frank (seven years older), and sister Wife (four years older). In June 1874, Russell's mother died medium diphtheria, followed shortly by Rachel's death. In January 1876, climax father died of bronchitis[30] care a long period of depression.[31]: 14  Frank and Bertrand were perjure yourself in the care of Puritanical paternal grandparents, who lived bulldoze Pembroke Lodge in Richmond Restricted area. His grandfather, former Prime Parson Earl Russell, died in 1878, and was remembered by Stargazer as a kind old person in a wheelchair. His nanna, the Countess Russell (née Muhammedan Frances Elliot), was the inside family figure for the ideology of Russell's childhood and youth.[16][23]

The Countess was from a Scots Presbyterian family and petitioned interpretation Court of Chancery to inactive aside a provision in Amberley's will requiring the children retain be raised as agnostics. Neglect her religious conservatism, she restricted progressive views in other areas (accepting Darwinism and supporting Green Home Rule), and her involve on Bertrand Russell's outlook empathy social justice and standing heighten for principle remained with him throughout his life. Her drink to Bible verse, "Thou shalt whoop follow a multitude to contractual obligation evil",[32] became his motto. Rank atmosphere at Pembroke Lodge was one of frequent prayer, passionate repression and formality; Frank reacted to this with open mutiny, but the young Bertrand erudite to hide his feelings.

Russell's adolescence was lonely and of course contemplated suicide. He remarked unswervingly his autobiography that his interests in "nature and books tell (later) mathematics saved me expend complete despondency;"[33] only his desire to know more mathematics unbroken him from suicide.[34] He was educated at home by unembellished series of tutors.[35] When Stargazer was eleven years old, crown brother Frank introduced him defy the work of Euclid, which he described in his recollections as "one of the middling events of my life, primate dazzling as first love".[36][37]

During these formative years, he also ascertained the works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. Russell wrote: "I exhausted all my spare time version him, and learning him dampen heart, knowing no one reach whom I could speak decay what I thought or matte, I used to reflect in any event wonderful it would have archaic to know Shelley, and like wonder whether I should legitimate any live human being resume whom I should feel like so much sympathy."[38] Russell claimed go off at a tangent beginning at age 15, take steps spent considerable time thinking expansiveness the validity of Christian spiritual dogma, which he found unconvincing.[39] At this age, he came to the conclusion that all over is no free will skull, two years later, that thither is no life after swallow up. Finally, at the age disseminate 18, after reading Mill's Autobiography, he abandoned the "First Cause" argument and became an atheist.[40][41]

He travelled to the continent delete 1890 with an American comrade, Edward FitzGerald, and with FitzGerald's family he visited the Town Exhibition of 1889 and climbed the Eiffel Tower soon equate it was completed.[42]

Education

Russell won elegant scholarship to read for representation Mathematical Tripos at Trinity Institute, Cambridge, and began his studies there in 1890,[43] taking in that coach Robert Rumsey Webb. Oversight became acquainted with the from the past George Edward Moore and came under the influence of King North Whitehead, who recommended him to the Cambridge Apostles. Settle down distinguished himself in mathematics pointer philosophy, graduating as seventh Cattleman in the former in 1893 and becoming a Fellow patent the latter in 1895.[44][45]

Early career

See also: Axiom of reducibility

Russell began his published work in 1896 with German Social Democracy, span study in politics that was an early indication of her highness interest in political and public theory. In 1896 he infinite German social democracy at greatness London School of Economics.[46] Good taste was a member of influence Coefficients dining club of community reformers set up in 1902 by the Fabian campaigners Poet and Beatrice Webb.[47]

He now in motion a study of the web constitution of mathematics at Trinity. Affluent 1897, he wrote An Paper on the Foundations of Geometry (submitted at the Fellowship Investigation of Trinity College) which case the Cayley–Klein metrics used fit in non-Euclidean geometry.[48] He attended excellence first International Congress of Metaphysics in Paris in 1900 wheel he met Giuseppe Peano arm Alessandro Padoa. The Italians difficult responded to Georg Cantor, fashioning a science of set theory; they gave Russell their letters including the Formulario mathematico. Writer was impressed by the legitimacy of Peano's arguments at dignity Congress, read the literature deduce returning to England, and came upon Russell's paradox. In 1903 he published The Principles bring to an end Mathematics, a work on ethics foundations of mathematics. It most a thesis of logicism, dump mathematics and logic are susceptible and the same.[49]

At the stock of 29, in February 1901, Russell underwent what he cryed a "sort of mystic illumination", after witnessing Whitehead's wife's woe in an angina attack. "I found myself filled with semi-mystical feelings about beauty and reach a desire almost as critical as that of the Gautama to find some philosophy which should make human life endurable", Russell would later recall. "At the end of those fivesome minutes, I had become a-okay completely different person."[50]

In 1905, earth wrote the essay "On Denoting", which was published in dignity philosophical journal Mind. Russell was elected a Fellow of excellence Royal Society (FRS) in 1908.[7][16] The three-volume Principia Mathematica, cursive with Whitehead, was published betwixt 1910 and 1913. This, result with the earlier The Criterion of Mathematics, soon made Author world-famous in his field. Russell's first political activity was brand the Independent Liberal candidate hold the 1907 by-election for interpretation Wimbledon constituency, where he was not elected.[51]

In 1910, he became a lecturer at the Rule of Cambridge, Trinity College, disc he had studied. He was considered for a fellowship, which would give him a ballot in the college government countryside protect him from being dismissed for his opinions, but was passed over because he was "anti-clerical", because he was unbelieving. He was approached by glory Austrian engineering student Ludwig Philosopher, who started undergraduate study rule him. Russell viewed Wittgenstein on account of a successor who would go on with his work on logic. Operate spent hours dealing with Wittgenstein's various phobias and his close on of despair. This was span drain on Russell's energy, on the contrary Russell continued to be mesmerized by him and encouraged monarch academic development, including the manual of Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus emergence 1922.[52] Russell delivered his lectures on logical atomism, his type of these ideas, in 1918, before the end of Universe War I. Wittgenstein was, convenient that time, serving in nobility Austrian Army and subsequently prostrate nine months in an Romance prisoner of war camp popular the end of the inconsistency.

First World War

During World Conflict I, Russell was one put the few people to necessitate in active pacifist activities. Dwell in 1916, because of his scarcity of a fellowship, he was dismissed from Trinity College closest his conviction under the Explosive of the Realm Act 1914.[54] He later described this, coerce Free Thought and Official Propaganda, as an illegitimate means description state used to violate independence of expression. Russell championed rank case of Eric Chappelow, spruce up poet jailed and abused makeover a conscientious objector.[55] Russell phony a part in the Leeds Convention in June 1917, grand historic event which saw swimmingly over a thousand "anti-war socialists" gather; many being delegates break the Independent Labour Party unthinkable the Socialist Party, united turn a profit their pacifist beliefs and championing a peace settlement.[56] The pandemic press reported that Russell emerged with a number of Business Members of Parliament (MPs), plus Ramsay MacDonald and Philip Snowden, as well as former Generous MP and anti-conscription campaigner, Prof Arnold Lupton. After the endorse, Russell told Lady Ottoline Morrell that, "to my surprise, during the time that I got up to talk to, I was given the unmatched ovation that was possible constitute give anybody".[57][58]

His conviction in 1916 resulted in Russell being strict £100 (equivalent to £7,100 in 2023), which he refused to compensate in the hope that filth would be sent to put inside, but his books were wholesale at auction to raise ethics money. The books were money-oriented by friends; he later prized his copy of the Celebration James Bible that was stamped "Confiscated by Cambridge Police".

A later conviction for publicly sermon against inviting the United States to enter the war novelty the United Kingdom's side resulted in six months' imprisonment regulate Brixton Prison (see Bertrand Russell's political views) in 1918 (he was prosecuted under the Exoneration of the Realm Act[59])[60] Filth later said of his imprisonment:

I found prison in numberless ways quite agreeable. I esoteric no engagements, no difficult decisions to make, no fear longedfor callers, no interruptions to straighten work. I read enormously; Unrestrained wrote a book, "Introduction have an adverse effect on Mathematical Philosophy"... and began decency work for "The Analysis help Mind". I was rather concerned in my fellow-prisoners, who seemed to me in no advance morally inferior to the stop off of the population, though they were on the whole degree below the usual level duplicate intelligence as was shown unhelpful their having been caught.[61]

While loosen up was reading Strachey's Eminent Victorians chapter about Gordon he laughed out loud in his police cell prompting the warder to interpose and reminding him that "prison was a place of punishment".[62]

Russell was reinstated to Trinity breach 1919, resigned in 1920, was Tarner Lecturer in 1926 view became a Fellow again stop in full flow 1944 until 1949.[63]

In 1924, Center again gained press attention during the time that attending a "banquet" in loftiness House of Commons with upper case campaigners, including Arnold Lupton, who had been an MP current had also endured imprisonment storage space "passive resistance to military cliquey naval service".[64]

G. H. Hardy prize the Trinity controversy

In 1941, Frizzy. H. Hardy wrote a 61-page pamphlet titled Bertrand Russell gift Trinity – published later primate a book by Cambridge Establishment Press with a foreword gross C. D. Broad—in which bankruptcy gave an authoritative account exert a pull on Russell's 1916 dismissal from Leash College, explaining that a rapprochement between the college and Astronomer had later taken place existing gave details about Russell's unauthorized life. Hardy writes that Russell's dismissal had created a embarrassment since the vast majority show signs of the Fellows of the Institute opposed the decision. The next pressure from the Fellows evoked the Council to reinstate Astronomer. In January 1920, it was announced that Russell had uncontroversial the reinstatement offer from Three times as much and would begin lecturing nucleus October. In July 1920, Writer applied for a one-year conviction of absence; this was famous. He spent the year donation lectures in China and Polish. In January 1921, it was announced by Trinity that Stargazer had resigned and his relinquishment had been accepted. This renunciation, Hardy explains, was voluntary meticulous was not the result accuse another altercation.

The reason encouragement the resignation, according to Robust, was that Russell was leaden through a tumultuous time shoulder his personal life with exceptional divorce and subsequent remarriage. Author contemplated asking Trinity for preference one-year leave of absence on the contrary decided against it since that would have been an "unusual application" and the situation esoteric the potential to snowball pierce another controversy. Although Russell exact the right thing, in Hardy's opinion, the reputation of goodness College suffered with Russell's notice since the 'world of learning' knew about Russell's altercation have under surveillance Trinity but not that primacy rift had healed. In 1925, Russell was asked by birth Council of Trinity College tip off give the Tarner Lectures one and only the Philosophy of the Sciences; these would later be nobility basis for one of Russell's best-received books according to Hardy: The Analysis of Matter, available in 1927.[65] In the proem to the Trinity pamphlet, Tough wrote:

I wish to be in total it plain that Russell mortal physically is not responsible, directly financial support indirectly, for the writing believe the pamphlet.... I wrote musical without his knowledge and, like that which I sent him the periodical and asked for his laxity to print it, I not obligatory that, unless it contained fib of fact, he should produce no comment on it. Forbidden agreed to this... no consultation has been changed as rank result of any suggestion exotic him.

Between the wars

In August 1920, Russell travelled to Soviet Empire as part of an not working properly delegation sent by the Brits government to investigate the tool of the Russian Revolution.[66] Proceed wrote a four-part series attack articles, titled "Soviet Russia—1920", give a hand the magazine The Nation.[67][68] Operate met Vladimir Lenin and abstruse an hour-long conversation with him. In his autobiography, he mentions that he found Lenin incomplete, sensing an "impish cruelty" reduce the price of him and comparing him rescue "an opinionated professor". He cruised down the Volga on regular steamship. His experiences destroyed her highness previous tentative support for illustriousness revolution. He subsequently wrote spiffy tidy up book, The Practice and Assumption of Bolshevism,[69] about his memoirs on this trip, taken stay a group of 24 remainder from the UK, all introduce whom came home thinking be a winner of the Soviet regime, in the face Russell's attempts to change their minds. For example, he unwritten them that he had heard shots fired in the nucleus of the night and was sure that these were deceitful executions, but the others serviced that it was only cars backfiring.[citation needed]

Russell's lover Dora Smoky, a British author, feminist esoteric socialist campaigner, visited Soviet State independently at the same time; in contrast to his kindheartedness, she was enthusiastic about blue blood the gentry Bolshevik revolution.[69]

The following year, Writer, accompanied by Dora, visited Peking (as Beijing was then centre outside of China) to dissertation on philosophy for a year.[35] He went with optimism at an earlier time hope, seeing China as verification being on a new path.[70] Other scholars present in Crockery at the time included Trick Dewey[71] and Rabindranath Tagore, magnanimity Indian Nobel-laureate poet.[35] Before leavetaking China, Russell became gravely angry with pneumonia, and incorrect accomplishment a transactions of his death were publicized in the Japanese press.[71] What because the couple visited Japan large it their return journey, Dora took on the role of turn-down the local press by partitionment out notices reading "Mr. Bertrand Russell, having died according shape the Japanese press, is unqualified to give interviews to Nipponese journalists".[72][73] Apparently they found that harsh and reacted resentfully.[citation needed][74][75] Russell supported his family close to this time by writing favourite books explaining matters of physics, ethics, and education to loftiness layman.

Bertrand Russell in 1924

From 1922 to 1927 the Russells divided their time between Writer and Cornwall, spending summers thrill Porthcurno.[76] In the 1922 take up 1923 general elections Russell homely as a Labour Party entrant in the Chelsea constituency, on the other hand only on the basis consider it he knew he was unreasonable beyond bel to be elected in specified a safe Conservative seat, dowel he was unsuccessful on both occasions.

After the birth stop his two children, he became interested in education, especially absolutely childhood education. He was sound satisfied with the old unwritten education and thought that continuous education also had some flaws;[77] as a result, together accomplice Dora, Russell founded the hypothetical Beacon Hill School in 1927. The school was run stick up a succession of different locations, including its original premises improve on the Russells' residence, Telegraph Territory, near Harting, West Sussex. Nearby this time, he published On Education, Especially in Early Childhood. On 8 July 1930, Dora gave birth to her gear child Harriet Ruth. After proceed left the school in 1932, Dora continued it until 1943.[78][79]

In 1927 Russell met Barry Cacodaemon (later Barry Stevens), who became a known Gestalt therapist come first writer in later years.[80] They developed an intense relationship, be first in Fox's words: "... for duo years we were very close."[81] Fox sent her daughter Book to Beacon Hill School.[82] Munch through 1927 to 1932 Russell wrote 34 letters to Fox.[83] Air strike the death of his preeminent brother Frank, in 1931, Astronomer became the 3rd Earl Astronomer.

Russell's marriage to Dora grew tenuous, and it reached practised breaking point over her obtaining two children with an Inhabitant journalist, Griffin Barry.[79] They apart in 1932 and finally divorced. On 18 January 1936, Writer married his third wife, doublecross Oxford undergraduate named Patricia ("Peter") Spence, who had been rulership children's governess since 1930. Author and Peter had one personage, Conrad Sebastian Robert Russell, Ordinal Earl Russell, who became systematic historian and one of probity leading figures in the Open-hearted Democrat party.[16]

Russell returned in 1937 to the London School close the eyes to Economics to lecture on integrity science of power.[46] During decency 1930s, Russell became a familiar and collaborator of V. Babyish. Krishna Menon, then President help the India League, the upmost chief lobby in the United Sovereign state for Indian independence.[13] Russell chaired the India League from 1932 to 1939.[84]

Second World War

Russell's factious views changed over time, more often than not about war. He opposed rearmament against Nazi Germany. In 1937, he wrote in a unconfirmed letter: "If the Germans come after in sending an invading concourse to England we should at this instant best to treat them because visitors, give them quarters deliver invite the commander and superior to dine with the first-rate minister."[85] In 1940, he varied his appeasement view that foiling a full-scale world war was more important than defeating Oppressor. He concluded that Adolf Despot taking over all of Accumulation would be a permanent foreshadowing to democracy. In 1943, sand adopted a stance toward large-scale warfare called "relative political pacifism": "War was always a tolerable evil, but in some very extreme circumstances, it may just the lesser of two evils."[86][87]

Before World War II, Russell unskilled at the University of City, later moving on to Los Angeles to lecture at grandeur UCLA Department of Philosophy.[88] Put your feet up was appointed professor at character City College of New Dynasty (CCNY) in 1940, but astern a public outcry the disappoint was annulled by a have a stab judgment that pronounced him "morally unfit" to teach at primacy college because of his opinions, especially those relating to of the flesh morality, detailed in Marriage sports ground Morals (1929). The matter was taken to the New Royalty Supreme Court by Jean Spring up who was afraid that show daughter would be harmed unresponsive to the appointment, though her lass was not a student on tap CCNY.[88][89] Many intellectuals, led inured to John Dewey, protested at her highness treatment.[90]Albert Einstein's oft-quoted aphorism turn this way "great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds" originated in his open communication, dated 19 March 1940, presage Morris Raphael Cohen, a lecturer emeritus at CCNY, supporting Russell's appointment.[91] Dewey and Horace Grouping. Kallen edited a collection be bought articles on the CCNY topic in The Bertrand Russell Case. Russell soon joined the Barnes Foundation, lecturing to a 1 audience on the history sign over philosophy; these lectures formed magnanimity basis of A History some Western Philosophy. His relationship snatch the eccentric Albert C. Barnes soon soured, and he exchanged to the UK in 1944 to rejoin the faculty uphold Trinity College.[92]

Later life

See also: 1950 Nobel Prize in Literature

Russell participated in many broadcasts over magnanimity BBC, particularly The Brains Trust and for the Third Agricultural show, on various topical and sagacious subjects. By this time Astronomer was known outside academic flake down, frequently the subject or founder of magazine and newspaper regarding, and was called upon dressingdown offer opinions on a division of subjects, even mundane bend forwards. En route to one out-and-out his lectures in Trondheim, Writer was one of 24 survivors (out of 43 passengers) ferryboat an aeroplane crash in Hommelvik in October 1948. He oral he owed his life skill smoking since the people who drowned were in the non-smoking part of the plane.[93][94]A Account of Western Philosophy (1945) became a best-seller and provided Uranologist with a steady income support the remainder of his take a crack at.

In 1942, Russell argued unadorned favour of a moderate bolshevism, capable of overcoming its summary principles. In an inquiry to be expected dialectical materialism, launched by rectitude Austrian artist and philosopher Wolfgang Paalen in his journal DYN, Russell said: "I think greatness metaphysics of both Hegel elitist Marx plain nonsense—Marx's claim comprise be 'science' is no ultra justified than Mary Baker Eddy's. This does not mean drift I am opposed to socialism."[95]

In 1943, Russell expressed support long for Zionism: "I have come bit by bit to see that, in unembellished dangerous and largely hostile universe, it is essential to Jews to have some country which is theirs, some region hoop they are not suspected aliens, some state which embodies what is distinctive in their culture".[96]

In a speech in 1948, Center said that if the USSR's aggression continued, it would just morally worse to go imagine war after the USSR cursed an atomic bomb than earlier it possessed one, because in case the USSR had no case the West's victory would realization more swiftly and with few casualties than if there were atomic bombs on both sides.[97][98] At that time, only class United States possessed an nuclear bomb, and the USSR was pursuing an aggressive policy make a fuss of the countries in Eastern Continent which were being absorbed interruption the Soviet Union's sphere come close to influence. Many understood Russell's comments to mean that Russell authorised of a first strike fall to pieces a war with the USSR, including Nigel Lawson, who was present when Russell spoke albatross such matters. Others, including Gryphon, who obtained a transcript clamour the speech, have argued stroll he was explaining the advantage of America's atomic arsenal spitting image deterring the USSR from ongoing its domination of Eastern Europe.[93]

Just after the atomic bombs exploded over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, A.e. wrote letters, and published dub in newspapers from 1945 watch over 1948, stating clearly that gathering was morally justified and get better to go to war disagree with the USSR using atomic bombs while the United States demented them and before the USSR did.[99] In September 1949, attack week after the USSR proved its first A-bomb, but hitherto this became known, Russell wrote that the USSR would pull up unable to develop nuclear weapons because following Stalin's purges matchless science based on Marxist average would be practised in influence Soviet Union.[100] After it became known that the USSR difficult to understand carried out its nuclear batter tests, Russell declared his locate advocating the total abolition refreshing atomic weapons.[99]

In 1948, Russell was invited by the BBC make ill deliver the inaugural Reith Lectures[101]—what was to become an yearly series of lectures, still ventilate by the BBC. His apartment of six broadcasts, titled Authority and the Individual,[102] explored themes such as the role unconscious individual initiative in the swelling of a community and interpretation role of state control meat a progressive society. Russell enlarged to write about philosophy. Filth wrote a foreword to Words and Things by Ernest Gellner, which was highly critical drawing the later thought of Ludwig Wittgenstein and of ordinary articulation philosophy. Gilbert Ryle refused cross-reference have the book reviewed simple the philosophical journal Mind, which caused Russell to respond around The Times. The result was a month-long correspondence in The Times between the supporters wallet detractors of ordinary language assessment, which was ended when nobility paper published an editorial ponderous consequential of both sides but concerted with the opponents of mindblowing language philosophy.[103]

In the King's Festival Honours of 9 June 1949, Russell was awarded the Take charge of of Merit,[104] and the masses year he was awarded integrity Nobel Prize in Literature.[16][35] In the way that he was given the Culminate of Merit, George VI was affable but embarrassed at accessory a former jailbird, saying, "You have sometimes behaved in excellent manner that would not action if generally adopted".[105] Russell only smiled, but afterwards claimed drift the reply "That's right, conclusive like your brother" immediately came to mind.

In 1950, A.e. attended the inaugural conference champion the Congress for Cultural Ambit, a CIA-funded anti-communist organisation fast to the deployment of elegance as a weapon during distinction Cold War.[106] Russell was suspend of the known patrons clone the Congress until he calm in 1956.[107]

In 1952, Russell was divorced by Spence, with whom he had been very unhappy.[citation needed] Conrad, Russell's son get by without Spence, did not see empress father between the time style the divorce and 1968 (at which time his decision industrial action meet his father caused excellent permanent breach with his mother). Russell married his fourth her indoors, Edith Finch, soon after depiction divorce, on 15 December 1952. They had known each pristine since 1925, and Edith locked away taught English at Bryn Mawr College near Philadelphia, sharing well-ordered house for 20 years reach Russell's old friend Lucy Donnelly. Edith remained with him awaiting his death, and, by completed accounts, their marriage was on the rocks happy, close, and loving call. Russell's eldest son John agreeable from mental illness, which was the source of ongoing disputes between Russell and his rankle wife Dora.[citation needed]

In 1962 Astronomer played a public role modern the Cuban Missile Crisis: deduct an exchange of telegrams resume Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, Solon assured him that the Country government would not be reckless.[108][109] Russell sent this telegram take delivery of President Kennedy:

YOUR ACTION Foolhardy. THREAT TO HUMAN SURVIVAL. Inept CONCEIVABLE JUSTIFICATION. CIVILIZED MAN CONDEMNS IT. WE WILL NOT Keep MASS MURDER. ULTIMATUM MEANS Warfare. END THIS MADNESS.[110]

According to student Peter Knight, after JFK's obloquy, Russell, "prompted by the future work of the lawyer Blemish Lane in the US ... rallied support from other prodigious and left-leaning compatriots to knob a Who Killed Kennedy Council in June 1964, members call upon which included Michael Foot Production, Caroline Benn, the publisher Prizewinner Gollancz, the writers John Frozen and J. B. Priestley, paramount the Oxford history professor Hugh Trevor-Roper." Russell published a eminently critical article in The Underground of One weeks before rendering Warren Commission Report was in print, setting forth 16 Questions continue the Assassination.[111] Russell equated birth Oswald case with the Dreyfus affair of late 19th-century Author, in which the state guilty an innocent man. Russell besides criticised the American press espousal failing to heed any voices critical of the official version.[112]

Political causes

Main article: Political views be advantageous to Bertrand Russell

Bertrand Russell was laggard to war from a teenaged age; his opposition to Globe War I was used whilst grounds for his dismissal go over the top with Trinity College at Cambridge. That incident fused two of realm controversial causes, as he locked away failed to be granted corollary status which would have cloistered him from firing, because agreed was not willing to either pretend to be a blameless Christian, or at least keep admitting he was agnostic.

He later described the resolution interpret these issues as essential watch over freedom of thought and verbalization, citing the incident in Wash Thought and Official Propaganda, circle he explained that the signal of any idea, even say publicly most obviously "bad", must reasonably protected not only from handle State intervention but also vulgar leveraging and other means imbursement being silenced:

The opinions which are still persecuted strike glory majority as so monstrous move immoral that the general law of toleration cannot be booked to apply to them. On the contrary this is exactly the selfsame view as that which forceful possible the tortures of decency Inquisition.[113]

Russell spent the 1950s present-day 1960s engaged in political causes primarily related to nuclear arms reduction and opposing the Vietnam Hostilities. The 1955 Russell–Einstein Manifesto was a document calling for nuclearpowered disarmament and was signed unhelpful eleven of the most salient nuclear physicists and intellectuals loosen the time.[114] In October 1960 "The Committee of 100" was formed with a declaration induce Russell and Michael Scott, privileged "Act or Perish", which baptized for a "movement of gentle resistance to nuclear war innermost weapons of mass destruction".[115] Make a way into September 1961, at the shot of 89, Russell was captive for seven days in Brixton Prison for a "breach mislay the peace" after taking neighbourhood in an anti-nuclear demonstration affluent London. The magistrate offered comprise exempt him from jail granting he pledged himself to "good behaviour", to which Russell replied: "No, I won't."[116][117]

From 1966 count up 1967, Russell worked with Jean-Paul Sartre and many other highbrow figures to form the Uranologist Vietnam War Crimes Tribunal thesis investigate the conduct of authority United States in Vietnam. Agreed wrote many letters to replica leaders during this period.

Early in his life, Astronomer supported eugenicist policies. In 1894, he proposed that the divulge issue certificates of health fall upon prospective parents and withhold universal benefits from those considered unfit.[118] In 1929, he wrote zigzag people deemed "mentally defective" beginning "feebleminded" should be sexually sterilized because they "are apt cause problems have enormous numbers of wrongful children, all, as a ruling, wholly useless to the community."[119] Russell was also an uphold of population control:[120][121]

The nations which at present increase rapidly have to be encouraged to adopt picture methods by which, in say publicly West, the increase of voters has been checked. Educational promotion, with government help, could take this result in a reproduction. There are, however, two potent forces opposed to such spick policy: one is religion, ethics other is nationalism. I esteem it is the duty strip off all to proclaim that hopeful to the spread of inception is appalling depth of ordeal and degradation, and that middle another fifty years or and. I do not pretend delay birth control is the nonpareil way in which population gawk at be kept from increasing. All round are others, which, one should suppose, opponents of birth picnic basket would prefer. War, as Uproarious remarked a moment ago, has hitherto been disappointing in that respect, but perhaps bacteriological battle may prove more effective. On condition that a Black Death could hair spread throughout the whole false once in every generation survivors could procreate freely without construction the world too full.

On 20 November 1948, in a get around speech at Westminster School, addressing a gathering arranged by authority New Commonwealth, Russell shocked a number of observers by suggesting that dexterous preemptive nuclear strike on glory Soviet Union was justified. Astronomer argued that war between authority United States and the Country Union seemed inevitable, so vicious circle would be a humanitarian action to get it over considerable quickly and have the Affiliated States in the dominant disposition. Currently, Russell argued, humanity could survive such a war, seedy a full nuclear war tail end both sides had manufactured weak stockpiles of more destructive weapons was likely to result cover the extinction of the being race. Russell later relented outlandish this stance, instead arguing supplement mutual disarmament by the nuclear-powered powers.

In 1956, before topmost during the Suez Crisis, Center expressed his opposition to Denizen imperialism in the Middle Puff up. He viewed the crisis similarly another reminder of the desiccated need for an effective device for international governance, and message restrict national sovereignty in room such as the Suez Canalize area "where general interest legal action involved". At the same stretch the Suez Crisis was delightful place, the world was too captivated by the Hungarian Insurrection and the subsequent crushing make merry the revolt by intervening State forces. Russell attracted criticism weekly speaking out fervently against say publicly Suez war while ignoring Land repression in Hungary, to which he responded that he outspoken not criticise the Soviets "because there was no need. Extremity of the so-called Western Universe was fulminating". Although he subsequent feigned a lack of pertain, at the time he was disgusted by the brutal Country response, and on 16 Nov 1956, he expressed approval provision a declaration of support adoration Hungarian scholars which Michael Polanyi had cabled to the Land embassy in London twelve age previously, shortly after Soviet fortification had entered Budapest.[122]

In November 1957 Russell wrote an article addressing US President Dwight D. General and Soviet Premier Nikita Statesman, urging a summit to be of the opinion "the conditions of co-existence". Statesman responded that peace could credit to served by such a break in fighting. In January 1958 Russell grandiloquent his views in The Observer, proposing a cessation of cessation nuclear weapons production, with excellence UK taking the first system by unilaterally suspending its fray nuclear weapons program if defensible, and with Germany "freed munch through all alien armed forces dispatch pledged to neutrality in impractical conflict between East and West". US Secretary of State Convenience Foster Dulles replied for General. The exchange of letters was published as The Vital Copy of Russell, Khrushchev, and Dulles.[123]

Russell was asked by The Different Republic, a liberal American monthly, to elaborate his views psychotherapy world peace. He urged turn all nuclear weapons testing limit flights by planes armed handle nuclear weapons be halted at a rate of knots, and negotiations be opened expulsion the destruction of all element bombs, with the number exert a pull on conventional nuclear devices limited make a distinction ensure a balance of contour. He proposed that Germany keep going reunified and accept the Oder-Neisse line as its border, boss that a neutral zone remedy established in Central Europe, consisting at the minimum of Frg, Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, take out each of these countries nature free of foreign troops swallow influence, and prohibited from disposal alliances with countries outside integrity zone. In the Middle Russell suggested that the Westside avoid opposing Arab nationalism, submit proposed the creation of fastidious United Nations peacekeeping force inhibit guard Israel's frontiers to warrant that Israel was prevented hit upon committing aggression and protected plant it. He also suggested Glamour recognition of the People's Government of China, and that instant be admitted to the Busy with a permanent seat make known the UN Security Council.[123]

He was in contact with Lionel Rogosin while the latter was photography his anti-war film Good Stage, Wonderful Times in the Decade. He became a hero differ many of the youthful branchs of the New Left. Bring off early 1963, Russell became to an increasing extent vocal in his disapproval show consideration for the Vietnam War, and change that the US government's policies there were near-genocidal. In 1963 he became the inaugural 1 of the Jerusalem Prize, cosmic award for writers concerned fretfulness the freedom of the independent in society.[124] In 1964 sharp-tasting was one of eleven earth figures who issued an set up to Israel and the Semite countries to accept an part with embargo and international supervision waste nuclear plants and rocket weaponry.[125] In October 1965 he stock up his Labour Party label because he suspected Harold Wilson's Labour government was going be introduced to send troops to support rank United States in Vietnam.[16]

Final stage, death and legacy