Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) was a British thinker and author, one of the vital analytic philosophers of the Twentieth century. He’s primarily recognized for his exploration of the logical basis of arithmetic, his idea of that means and his pacifism and social engagement. In his e-book “The Conquest of Happiness,” he discusses tips on how to discover happiness in life.
It’s at all times superb to see how the biographies of nice males decide a lot of what would change into their world-views and, within the case of philosophers, their life’s work. Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) isn’t any exception.
Bertrand Russell was born right into a household as aristocratic as they arrive. His godfather was one of many founders of utilitarianism, John Stuart Mill. The Russells have been concerned within the highest ranks of British society for hundreds of years earlier than Bertrand was born. His grandfather had been a major minister. On the finish of his first marriage, he had an affair with Lady Ottoline Morrell, well-known social determine in early Twentieth-century Britain, and maybe additionally with the primary spouse of poet T. S. Eliot. Regardless of his aristocratic roots, Russell had a eager sense for social justice and he was an activist for peace. Refusing to take part within the first World Battle, he was despatched to jail for six months. He wrote in regards to the expertise:
I discovered jail in some ways fairly agreeable. I had no engagements, no tough choices to make, no concern of callers, no interruptions to my work. I learn enormously; I wrote a e-book, “Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy”… and started the work for “The Evaluation of Thoughts”. I used to be fairly fascinated by my fellow-prisoners, who appeared to me under no circumstances morally inferior to the remainder of the inhabitants, although they have been on the entire barely under the standard degree of intelligence as was proven by their having been caught. (Bertrand Russell (1998). “8: The First Battle”. Autobiography. Psychology Press. p. 256.)
From quotes like this one can instantly see Bertrand Russell’s angle in the direction of life: distanced, cool, haughty even. But additionally, on the identical time, sympathetic in the direction of those that didn’t have his personal privilege. And likewise one other factor: at any time when one thing went flawed in his life, Russell turned to arithmetic as a technique to escape.
This started early: his mom died when he was two years previous; his father when he was 4. His grandfather two years later once more, in order that Russell needed to be raised by his paternal grandmother. He wasn’t completely satisfied dwelling alone together with her and he usually contemplated suicide as a boy. In his books, he states that it was solely his fascination for arithmetic that stored him alive. When he was eleven years previous, his brother launched him to the work of Euclid. Russell wrote later that this was for him like falling in love for the primary time.
So right here we have now the principle strokes that type the image of Bertrand Russell’s life — and what underlies his life’s work: a deeply rooted feeling of unhappiness with the world, regardless of the popularity of his personal privilege; an curiosity in arithmetic and logic that’s as robust as for others past love can be; and, lastly, the overcoming of private unhappiness via this love of arithmetic.
It’s no shock that Russell himself turned most well-known together with his work in logic and the foundations of arithmetic — attempting to construct up arithmetic from a set of axioms, similar to Euclid had accomplished for geometry. This second of affection that the eleven-year-old skilled by no means actually left him and have become the driving pressure for his biggest scholarly work, the three-volume “Principia Mathematica.”
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However his unhappiness regardless of his personal privileged place in society additionally confirmed him that outward standing and riches will not be vital or ample for happiness. Bertrand Russell himself had had all of it by way of worldly standing. At a time when Britain dominated the world, he was certainly one of a handful of people that have been subsequent in line to rule Britain. However nonetheless, he had misplaced his mom, his father, his grandfather. He was sad and felt that his life was nugatory. What higher demonstration may there be of the futility of worldly rank? However then: what saved him from this basic unhappiness? What may give a younger man the that means that energy and social rank couldn’t? Mental curiosity. Euclid, arithmetic, the riddles of logic, the everlasting world of philosophy. Just like Plato, Russell was in love with everlasting issues, a major instance of somebody climbing Diotima’s ladder to flee from himself.
As an older man of 58, already a world-famous thinker, Russell wrote his e-book “The Conquest of Happiness” that we’ll be discussing right here. It’s not a piece of summary philosophy, however a group of private notes. It’s the expertise of 1 man who was an sad youngster and who, via luck, expertise and arduous work in equal measure, managed to change into not solely well-known but additionally, in his personal analysis, a contented man. And on this e-book, he offers us the keys to this happiness.
So let’s dive in! Keep tuned for the subsequent publish on this collection, which can come this Friday on the mailing list.
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