 Bertrand (Arthur William)
Russell (1872-1970)
was one of the most influential
philosophers of the 20th century. His ethical,
philosophical and religious writings are a must read
for every person seeking an understanding of atheism
and the affect religion has and is still having on
humanity.
He was a prolific writer on issues
ranging through mathematics, philosophy, religion,
education and politics. Bertrand Russell had an
outstanding intellect which fuelled his devotion to
humanitarianism.
His life was very eventful both
professionally and personally. He was married 4
times, imprisoned twice for his pacifist principles
(the last being when he was 88!), banned from
teaching at 2 Universities, awarded the Nobel Prize
for Literature and received an Order of Merit.
America, Germany, Russia, China and
Australia were some of the places he visited during
his life. While in China he became very ill and a
report in a missionary newspaper in England stated
that he had died. The obituary notice read 'Missionaries
may be pardoned for heaving a sigh of relief at the
news of Mr Bertrand Russell's death,' to which
he wrote in his Autobiography "I fear they
must have heaved a sigh of a different sort when they
found that I was not dead after all." This
comment is typical of Bertrand Russell's humour and
wit.
His Autobiography is truly high up
amongst the most inspiring, funny, touching and
fascinating books ever written. From the very
beginning the reader is captured, with his touching
poem to Edith his fourth wife, then on to the
prologue What I have Lived for, an
insightful look into the heart of this remarkable
man.
Bertrand Russell remained politically
and socially active throughout his long life. The
campaigns he was involved with in his latter years
included anti nuclear movements, the US involvement
in Vietnam, the War Crimes Tribunal, assisting
political prisoners and sponsoring an investigation
into the Kennedy assassination.
He died on February 2nd 1970.
Quotes
"Many
people would sooner die than think. In fact they
do."
"Conventional
people are roused to fury by departure from
convention, largely because they regard such
departure as a criticism of themselves."
"Until
the deep conflicts of nations and classes which
infect our world have been resolved, it is hardly to
be expected that mankind will return to a rational
habit of mind. The difficulty is that so long as
unreason prevails, a solution of our troubles can
only be reached by chance; for while reason, being
impersonal, makes universal cooperation possible,
unreason, since it represents private passions, makes
strife inevitable. It is for this reason that
rationality, in the sense of an appeal to a universal
and impersonal standard of truth, is of supreme
importance to the well-being of the human
species."
"To save the world requires faith and courage: faith in reason, and courage to proclaim what reason shows to be true."
"There is something feeble and a little contemptible about a man who cannot face the perils of life without the help of comfortable myths"
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