Bertrand Russell on Nuclear War, Peace, and Language: Critical and Historical Essays

by McHugh, James T.

• ISBN13: 9780313318719
• ISBN10: 0313318719
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-12-01
• Publisher: Greenwood Pub Group

Summary

One of the most prominent philosophers and activists of the 20th century, Bertrand Russell is known not only for his fundamental contributions on the scope of human knowledge and on mathematical logic, but also for his often-controversial views on ethical and linguistic topics. This edited collection of original essays by prominent Russell scholars focuses on the philosopher's positions on the key issues of nuclear war, peace, and language. The contributors critically assess Russell's arguments within their historical and philosophical context and show the significance and topicality that his ideas have retained to the present day, some 80 years since their first articulation. Among the issues examined are Russell's advocacy of preventive war against the Soviets, his activism for peace, his critical assessment of Wittgenstein's analysis of ordinary language, and his account of mathematical statements.

Author Biography

ALAN SCHWERIN is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at Monmouth University. The current president of the Bertrand Russell Society, he has published four books and several scholarly articles.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Introduction	xi
Alan Schwerin
PART I: ON NUCLEAR WAR AND PEACE
Bertrand Russell and Preventive War	3	(12)
Ray Perkins
Russell and the Communist-aligned Peace Movement in the Mid-1950s	15	(26)
Andy Bone
Russell on Happiness	41	(18)
Jose Idler-Acosta
PART II: ON LANGUAGE
Russell, Wittgenstein, and Cogito ergo sum	59	(14)
Antony Flew
Reference Revisited	73	(18)
Rom Harre
Our Statements Are Likely to Be Wrong: On Russell's Big Thesis	91	(26)
Alan Schwerin
Russell, Logicism, and `If-thenism'	117	(22)
Nicholas Griffin
Index	139	(4)
About the Contributors	143