My Philosophical Development

279 Pages·1959·20.834 MB·English

by  Bertrand Russell

BERTRAND RUSSELL
My
Philosophical
Development
WITH AN APPENDIX, RUSSELL'S PHILOSOPHY,
By ALAN WOOD
SIMON AND SCHUSTER NEW YORK 1959
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
INCLUDING THE RIGHT OF REPRODUCTION
IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN ANY FORM
COPYRIGHT 1959 BY GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN, LTD.
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PREFATORY NOTE
MRALANWOOD,whosebookThePassionateSkepticwon
widespreadandwell-deservedapplause,wasintending
to write a more technical examination ofmy philos
ophy, but at the time ofhis death only,a small part of
thisworkhadbeencompleted.Thissmallpartincluded
an Introduction, and this Introduction has seemed to
those who have read it to be ofvalue, and, therefore,
worth publishing. On this ground, it is being printed
attheendofthepresentvolume. Ifithadbecomeavail
able sooner, it would have been put at the beginning
of the volume, but it came too late for this to be
possible. I think readers may find it advisable to turn
to it first, as it admirably clarifies various things that
might otherwise cause misunderstanding. It is deeply
toberegrettedthatMrWooddidnotlivetocomplete
the work.
B.R.

CONTENTS
1. Introductory Outline page 11
2. My Present View ofthe World \
3. First Efforts 28
4. Excursion into Idealism 37
5. Revolt into Pluralism 54
6. Logical Technique in Mathematics 65
7. Principia Mathematical Philosophical Aspects 74
8. Principia Mathematica: Mathematical Aspects 86
9. The External World 102
10. The Impact ofWittgenstein 110
11. Theory ofKnowledge 128
12. Consciousness and Experience 134
13. Language 145
14. Universals and Particulars andNames 156
15. The Definition of*Truth9 175
1. Non-Demonstrative Inference 190
17. The Retreatfrom Pythagoras 208
18. Some Replies to Criticism 214
Russell's Philosophy: a Study of its Development
By Alan Wood 255
INDEX 278

EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS: II. 8
Bewarelestanymanspoilyouthroughphilosophyandvaindeceit.
EPISTLE TO TITUS: i. 12-13
Oneofthemselves, evenaprophetoftheirown, said, 'the Cretians
are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies'. This witness is true.

My
Philosophical
Development