Bøger af Bertrand Russell

In dark days, men need a clear faith and a well-grounded hope; and as the outcome of these, the calm courage which takes no account of hardships by the way. The times through which we are passing have afforded to many of us a confirmation of our faith. We see that the things we had thought evil are really evil, and we know more definitely than we ever did before the directions in which men must move if a better world is to arise on the ruins of the one which is now hurling itself into destruction. We see that men's political dealings with one another are based on wholly wrong ideals, and can only be saved by quite different ideals from continuing to be a source of suffering, devastation, and sin.Political ideals must be based upon ideals for the individual life.

El ser humano busca respuestas y ante esa necesidad, nació primero la Religión y luego la Ciencia. Inevitablemente, llegó un momento donde sus versiones discreparon.Desde hace más de cuatrocientos años, las explicaciones sobre el mundo que parten de sistemas religiosos han sido relegadas por las teorías científicas modernas. Primero, los intelectuales religiosos lucharon por mantener una explicación astronómica y física acordes con los dogmas cristianos. Pero, ante las poderosas teorías presentadas por Copérnico, Kepler, Galileo, Descartes y Newton, este ámbito pronto fue abandonado.Igualmente, fueron negados los avances de la geología moderna, inicialmente desarrollada por Hutton, Playfair y Lyell. La idea clave de estas teorías para explicar los problemas geológicos, fue que la Tierra cambiaba y se formaba mediante variaciones paulatinas. Estas y otras teorías que ubicaban el inicio de la Tierra más atrás de 4.000 años antes de Cristo, fueron rotundamente rechazadas por los religiosos. No mucho después, este bastión tuvo también que renunciarse ante sus evidentes debilidades explicativas. Finalmente, los defensores de la religión intentaron evitar la teoría de Darwin sobre la evolución biológica, pues esta tesis, evidentemente, no es acorde con las leyendas religiosas sobre la creación humana y, asimismo, porque implicaba una situación extremadamente problemática para la creencia en el alma y en el libre albedrío. Como se sabe, aquí tampoco las cosas fueron bien para las teorías que eran afines con la religión. Bertrand Russell mantuvo durante su larga vida, una actitud firme ante todos los problemas que abordaba como crítico, libre pensador y, en suma, desde un posicionamiento racionalista. Todo su esfuerzo intelectual consistió en negar las apelaciones a la confianza, la intuición y la autoridad, como formas de fundamentar las ideas y las teorías sobre cualquier tema. Todo debe pasar el juicio de la razón crítica, fuera de ella se encuentra el dogmatismo y su consecuente estancamiento intelectual.Además de ser uno de los filósofos modernos más influyentes (Premio Novel incluido), Russell era un ferviente pacifista y ateo. Como demuestra en el presente libro, desarrollando sus argumentos de forma amena y directa revisando la disputa epistemológica entre Ciencia y Religión.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

An admirable statement of the aims of the Library of Philosophy was provided by the first editor, the late Professor J. H. Muirhead, in his description of the original programme printed in Erdmann's History of Philosophy under the date 1890. This was slightly modified in subsequent volumes to take the form of the following statement: "The Muirhead Library of Philosophy was designed as a contribution to the History of Modern Philosophy under the heads: first of Different Schools of Thought-Sensationalist, Realist, Idealist, Intuitivist; secondly of different Subjects-Psychology, Ethics, Aesthetics, Political Philosophy, Theology. While much had been done in England in tracing the course of evolution in nature, history, economics, morals and religion, little had been done in tracing the development of thought on these subjects. Yet 'the evolution of opinion is part of the whole evolution'. "By the co-operation of different writers in carrying out this plan it was hoped that a thoroughness and completeness of treatment, otherwise unattainable, might be secured. It was believed also that from writers mainly British and American fuller consideration of English Philosophy than it had hitherto received might be looked for. In the earlier series of books containing, among others, Bosanquet's "History of Aesthetic," Pfleiderer's "Rational Theology since Kant," Albee's "History of English Utilitarianism," Bonar's "Philosophy and Political Economy," Brett's "History of Psychology," Ritchie's "Natural Rights," these objects were to a large extent effected. "In the meantime original work of a high order was being produced both in England and America by such writers as Bradley, Stout, Bertrand Russell, Baldwin, Urban, Montague, and others, and a new interest in foreign works, German, French and Italian, which had either become classical or were attracting public attention, had developed. The scope of the Library thus became extended into something more international, and it is entering on the fifth decade of its existence in the hope that it may contribute to that mutual understanding between countries which is so pressing a need of the present time." The need which Professor Muirhead stressed is no less pressing to-day, and few will deny that philosophy has much to do with enabling us to meet it, although no one, least of all Muirhead himself, would regard that as the sole, or even the main, object of philosophy. As Professor Muirhead continues to lend the distinction of his name to the Library of Philosophy it seemed not inappropriate to allow him to recall us to these aims in his own words. The emphasis on the history of thought also seemed to me very timely; and the number of important works promised for the Library in the very near future augur well for the continued fulfilment, in this and other ways, of the expectations of the original editor.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

A classic collection of Bertrand Russell's more controversial works, reaffirming his staunch liberal values, Unpopular Essays is one of Russell's most characteristic and self-revealing books. Written to combat... the growth in Dogmatism, on first publication in 1950 it met with critical acclaim and a wide readership and has since become one of his most accessible and popular books.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Why Men Fight: A Method of Abolishing the International Duel. By Bertrand Russell

A must-read for anyone desiring a better understanding of philosophy, Bertrand Russell here gives us a brief and accessible guide to the various problems it presents while introducing the theories of several major philosophers from the ages, including Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Locke, Kant, and others.

The first essay, which gives its title to the volume, endeavours to define the respective spheres of logic and mysticism. Bertrand Russell describes this and the four essays that follow as `entirely popular'. They are concerned with The Place of Science in a Liberal Education, A Free Man's Worship, and The Study of Mathematics.

"Whoever contemplates the world in the light of an ideal - whether what he seeks be intellect, or art, or love, or simple happiness, or all together - must feel a great sorrow in the evils that men needlessly allow to continue, and - if he be a man of force and vital energy - an urgent desire to lead men to the realisation of the good which inspires his creative vision. It is this desire which has been the primary force moving the pioneers of Socialism and Anarchism, as it moved the inventors of ideal commonwealths in the past. In this there is nothing new. What is new in Socialism and Anarchism, is that close relation of the ideal to the present sufferings of men, which has enabled powerful political movements to grow out of the hopes of solitary thinkers."

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Available for the first time in many years, Commonsense and Nuclear Warfare presents Russell's keen insights into the threat of nuclear conflict, and his argument that the only way to end this threat is to end war itself. Written at the height of the Cold War, this volume is crucial for understanding Russell's involvement in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and his passionate campaigning for peace. It remains an extremely important book in today's uncertain nuclear world, and is essential reading for all those interested in Russell and postwar history. Includes a new introduction by Ken Coates, Chairman of The Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation.

The attempt to conceive imaginatively a better ordering of human society than the destructive and cruel chaos in which mankind has hitherto existed is by no means modern: it is at least as old as Plato, whose "Republic" set the model for the Utopias of subsequent philosophers. Whoever contemplates the world in the light of an ideal, whether what he seeks be intellect, or art, or love, or simple happiness, or all together, must feel a great sorrow in the evils that men needlessly allow to continue, and, if he be a man of force and vital energy, an urgent desire to lead men to the realization of the good which inspires his creative vision.It is this desire which has been the primary force moving the pioneers of Socialism and Anarchism, as it moved the inventors of ideal commonwealths in the past. In this there is nothing new. What is new in Socialism and Anarchism, is that close relation of the ideal to the present sufferings of men, which has enabled powerful political movements to grow out of the hopes of solitary thinkers. It is this that makes Socialism and Anarchism important, and it is this that makes them dangerous to those who batten, consciously or unconsciously upon the evils of our present order of society.

An Essay on the Foundations of Geometry was first published in 1897, and is based on Russell's Cambridge dissertation as well as lectures given during a journey through the USA. Bertrand Russell's Preface from the book:The present work is based on a dissertation submitted at the Fellowship Examination of Trinity College, Cambridge, in the year 1895. Section B of the third chapter is in the main a reprint, with some serious alterations, of an article in Mind (New Series, No. 17). The substance of the book has been given in the form of lectures at the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and at Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania.My chief obligation is to Professor Klein. Throughout the first chapter, I have found his "Lectures on non-Euclidean Geometry" an invaluable guide; I have accepted from him the division of Metageometry into three periods, and have found my historical work much lightened by his references to previous writers. In Logic, I have learnt most from Mr Bradley, and next to him, from Sigwart and Dr Bosanquet. On several important points, I have derived useful suggestions from Professor James's "Principles of Psychology."

¿Existe algún conocimiento en el mundo que pueda ser tan cierto que ningún hombre razonable pueda dudar de él? Esta pregunta, que a primera vista puede no parecer difícil, es realmente una de las más complicadas que se pueden hacer. Cuando nos damos cuenta de los obstáculos que hay para dar una respuesta directa y confiable a esta pregunta, estamos ya en el camino del estudio de la filosofía ¿ porque la filosofía es, simplemente, el intento de dar respuesta a ese tipo de preguntas, sin premura y sin dogmatismos, tal como se hace en la vida común e inclusive en las ciencias, sino críticamente, después de explorar todo lo que hace de esas preguntas un verdadero rompecabezas y después que nos hayamos percatado de toda la vaguedad y la confusión en las que se basan nuestras ideas comunes.

Free Thought and Official Propaganda is a speech delivered in 1922 by Bertrand Russell on the importance of unrestricted freedom of expression in society, and the problem of the state and political class interfering in this through control of education, fines, economic leverage, and distortion of evidence. Russell starts out by describing the more common use of the term "free thought" to mean that one does not accept unquestioning belief in the popular religion of a region, or ideally of any religion at all. He notes that this is not allowed in any country at all, with the possible exception of China at that time. One could not, for example, immigrate to the US without swearing they are not an anarchist or polygamous, and once inside must not be communist. In Great Britain he must not express disbelief in Christianity, in Japan of Shinto. Russell notes that countries like these may think of themselves as having freedom of expression, but that some ideas are so obviously "monstrous and immoral" that such tolerance does not apply to them. But, he points out, this is exactly the same view that allowed torture during the Inquisition, that all ideas must be allowed to be expressed, no matter how obviously bad. This repression by the political class, Russell notes, is not limited to religion. Believers in free love or communism are treated even worse.

In The Analysis of Mind, one of his most influential and exciting books, Russell presents an intriguing reconciliation of the materialism of psychology with the antimaterialism of physics.Bertrand Russell unfolds his ideas on consciousness, instinct and habit, desire and feeling, introspection, perception, sensations and images, memory, words and meaning, belief, and characteristics of mental phenomenon. Throughout, he explores the mystery of the mind, and proposes that there exists a fundamental material of which both mind and matter exist. "The stuff of which the world of our experience is composed is, in my belief, neither mind nor matter, but something more primitive than either." He wrote. "Both mind and matter seem to be composite, and the stuff of which they are compounded lies in a sense between the two, in a sense above them both, like a common ancestor." It remains one of the most important works on the philosophy of the mind.

In The Problems of Philosophy, Bertrand Russell attempts to create a brief and accessible guide to the problems of philosophy. He introduces philosophy as a repeating series of (failed) attempts to answer the same questions: Can we prove that there is an external world? Can we prove cause and effect? Can we validate any of our generalizations? Can we objectively justify morality? He asserts that philosophy cannot answer any of these questions and that any value of philosophy must lie elsewhere than in offering proofs to these questions.Focusing on problems he believes will provoke positive and constructive discussion, Russell concentrates on knowledge rather than metaphysics: If it is uncertain that external objects exist, how can we then have knowledge of them but by probability. There is no reason to doubt the existence of external objects simply because of sense data.A lively and still one of the best introductions to philosophy, this book is a closer reading for students, specialists and casual reading for the general public.

Political Ideals was written during the upheaval of World War I. It is, in many ways, a statement of Russell's beliefs, a declaration of the ideas that influenced his thinking on the major events of the 20th century. In this sense, it is essential reading for every student of this great philosopher.Russell criticizes both capitalism and socialism based on his strong conviction that everything of value comes ultimately from the individual. The only true aim of politics, he says, is to give free play, as far as possible, to every person's natural creativity. This means that political systems should be designed to curb the deadening forces of acquisition, power, and convention, all of which tend to stifle individual creative impulses. Russell suggests that in an ideal system there would be autonomy within each politically important group and the principle of employee-ownership and self-governance within businesses would be the norm. Government would serve only as a neutral authority to decide questions between the various self-governing groups.

Written in response to the devastation of World War I, Why Men Fight lays out Bertrand Russell's ideas on war, pacifism, reason, impulse, and personal liberty. Russell argues that when individuals live passionately, they will have no desire for war or killing. Conversely, excessive restraint or reason causes us to live unnaturally and with hostility toward those who are unlike ourselves.In this book Russell talks about the reasons for wars. He talks about institutions that shape the life of an individual such as schools, state, marriage, churches, etc. and how they contribute to wars. And he concludes how to change the state of affairs so that wars can be prevented.This book is a must read for all with an intent to make this world peaceful and a better place.