Bertrand Russell

Bertrand Russell 1949

Bertrand Russell in 1876

Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park

Portrait of Bertrand Russell in 1893

National Committee of the No-Conscription Fellowship May 1916

Russell with John and Kate

Bertrand Russell 1957.jpg Russell in 1957

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Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970) was a British philosopher, logician, and social critic. He is widely considered one of the founders of analytic philosophy and is best known for his work in mathematical logic and philosophy of mathematics. Russell was also a prominent anti-war activist and a leading figure in the campaign for nuclear disarmament.

Early Life and Education

Russell was born in Trellech, Monmouthshire, Wales, into an aristocratic family. He was educated at home by a series of tutors and later attended Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied mathematics and philosophy. His early influences included John Stuart Mill and David Hume.

Academic Career

Russell's academic career began with his work on the foundations of mathematics. His collaboration with Alfred North Whitehead resulted in the monumental work Principia Mathematica, which aimed to derive all mathematical truths from a set of axioms using symbolic logic. This work laid the groundwork for much of modern logic and philosophy of mathematics.

Philosophical Contributions

Russell made significant contributions to a variety of philosophical fields:

• Russell's paradox: A fundamental problem in set theory that revealed inconsistencies in naive set theory.
• Theory of descriptions: A theory in the philosophy of language that addresses how we refer to objects in the world.
• Logical atomism: A philosophical belief that the world consists of logical "atoms" or facts that cannot be broken down further.

Political and Social Activism

Russell was an outspoken critic of imperialism and totalitarianism. He was an advocate for socialism and pacifism, and he opposed both World War I and World War II. In 1955, he co-authored the Russell–Einstein Manifesto, which called for the reduction of nuclear weapons and greater international cooperation.

Personal Life

Russell's personal life was marked by numerous relationships and marriages. He was married four times and had several children. His autobiography, published in three volumes, provides a detailed account of his life and thoughts.

Legacy

Russell's work has had a lasting impact on various fields, including philosophy, logic, mathematics, and social theory. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950 for his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought.

Related Pages

• Analytic philosophy
• Principia Mathematica
• Russell's paradox
• Theory of descriptions
• Logical atomism
• Russell–Einstein Manifesto
• Nobel Prize in Literature