A (very) Brief History of Bertrand Russell

In this episode, we cover the history of the primarily 20th century British mathematician, logician, philosopher, and political activist, most notable for co-authoring the logic text Principia Mathematica with Alfred North Whitehead. As per usual, I don't go too heavy into the mathematics, largely covering his history.
Notes:
- Russell met his first wife the summer of 1889, not 1899
- When I discuss his travels to China, I say "In September 1920, Russell went to Beijing...". He left for Beijing then, and ended up there in October 1920.
Sources: docs.google.co...
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[@ccvisions]

That final quote is great and profound, and deserves to be read not in a casual cadence at the greatest speed possible, but with real thought, proper emphasis and appropriate measure.

[@gmseed1908]

Good stuff. You could also have mentioned that Russell won the Nobel Prize, not for maths or philosophy but Literature.

[@orlock5510]

Amazing

[@robertsimonian2801]

P

[@dragonmartijn]

There is no Nobel Prize in philosophy, to award him they gave him Literature.

[@markbracegirdle7110]

@@dragonmartijn Or in maths, come to that.

[@user-nb3mq3cg8k]

They awarded him the most prestigious mathematics medal too not the field medal though the other one

[@williamhyde7310]

His book History Of Western Philosophy is very interesting being an excellent summary of a large period of Western history and he was a superb writer. It would a good desert island book. Available now as an ebook for nothing.

[@ms.annthrope415]

I had read most of his History of Western Philosophy many years ago as well as several books on atheism. What a mental giant. Hard to imagine how he gained such a fabulous mind.

[@user-nb3mq3cg8k]

He grew up with early private education and he encountered a lot of paradoxes between his early and middle life and one of those he Investigated is the status of the axioms of Euclidean Geometry.

[@BecomeUseful]

Thanks for putting this together. I'm a big fan of Russell and you did a great overview of his life.

[@words911]

What exactly are you a fan of?

[@BecomeUseful]

@@words911 I’m a fan of lots of things, but here’s a few. His activism, his viewpoint on logic/thought/ethics and his dedication to taking complex issues and writing about them in a clear way so that everyday people could understand and engage with the ideas. He was a great writer and fun to read.

[@words911]

@@BecomeUseful did you know he delved into indoctrinating kids under 10 in school? Look up how he tried to brainwash children into thinking snow was black. The children were told to never tell their parents. His methods of suggestion and indoctrination are prevalent today. The media, education, etc. An atheist chaos agent tbh

[@VernCrisler]

A man in whom wisdom and folly were carefully balanced.

[@codswallop321]

I was looking for a short summary of the life and work of Bertrand Russell- this was exactly it. Thank you so much!

[@brendanchamberlain9388]

Really good quality. You definitely deserve more attention, great work!

[@nathandaniel5451]

Wait.... Holy shit... I only just realized he doesn't have tens of, if not hundreds of thousands of views.

[@raginald7mars408]

.. as a German Biologist - in our German High School in the 1960´s we discussed Russell. He appeared eternal and immortal - no hurry to get to know him. In a way - he still his present. Our world today is disintegrating fast in all areas. We may be the last Generation- self extinction.

[@Come_to_light119]

This video tells us about everything that can be told about Bertrand Russell in 22 minutes. You have covered everything thing from his life, his ideas, contributions and precise introduction to his major works in such a short video. Excellent!

[@milkoansah-johnson8768]

Not quite; he omitted Nobel Prize in literature.

[@Come_to_light119]

@@milkoansah-johnson8768 .....n you've done the rest. Great!

[@topdog5252]

Great. Now it is complete

[@simpleuser0001]

I was intrigued by him in so many ways as an adolescent. His works made me both skeptical yet open minded.

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

Me too. I named my first vehicle after him. 🤣

[@jtgd]

@@jeanettewaverly2590 Bertrand, Russell, or Bertrand Russell?

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

@@jtgd Bertrand Russell!

[@joea363]

A good summary and well presented. I read the two volume biography of Russell by Ray Monk which I highly recommend.

[@orlock5510]

I must read that book.

[@christophergarwood2320]

I swear this is the first I am hearing of Mr Russell but I am glad I came across your Video. Great stuff.

[@ucctgg]

Russell was Not an atheist, He was an Agnostic and he wrote many papers explaining this. In a 1953 essay on agnostics he wrote: "it is impossible, or at least impossible at the present time, to know the truth in matters such as God and the future life with which Christianity and other religions are concerned." Knowing this is crucial to understanding the man. Please edit this nice video so this fact will be understood.

[@moderndaymath]

In 1958, Russell explicitly called himself an atheist. Please look up "Russel's Teapot" on wiki.

[@weewee2169]

indeed you can be an agnostic and an atheist, agnosticism is a statement regarding the truth of religion, and atheism is a statement on ones belief in religion i.e. he says one cannot know if god exists, and also that he does not believe in god, both not being mutually exclusive

[@Loots1]

A/gnosticism deals with knowledge, a/theism deals with belief, russell was an atheist plz read a book before typing

[@JimboJazz]

“You can’t prove Jesus didn’t exist” alert

[@user-nb3mq3cg8k]

He is kinda both agnostic at the eyes of philosophers and an atheist for the eyes of the public.

[@Yellowblam]

This is the most worthy video I’ve seen on KZbin in a while. Many thanks. 🙏

[@theklaus7436]

I admire that man so much. May he never be forgotten. Why you don’t mention his Nobel prize is a flaw .

[@williamblair9597]

You've done a very good job with assembling your information on such an incredibly complicated and forward thinking individual.

[@antoramram968]

A clear analytical mind despite personal tumult.

[@markscott554]

I remember the student apartments at Essex University being named after Russell and others.

[@brucequinn]

What a nice channel, I got served the Bertrand Russell video randomly, and I’m looking forward to exploring many of the others.

[@tedgrant2]

"Why I am not a Christian" changed my life in 1966 I was surprised and pleased to discover that such opposition to Christianity was permitted. Nowadays, of course, the practice is very common and very popular. As a result I bought many of Russell's books, including the autobiography.

[@dukadarodear2176]

Sorry.. but why was he not a Christian?

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

It was a watershed for me too. His writings guided my through the shark-infested waters of adolescence.

[@tedgrant2]

@@jeanettewaverly2590 Good. I'm glad you've found a path through the valley of death. But don't walk through the valley of death. Run !

[@tedgrant2]

@@dukadarodear2176 If you read his book or listen to it being read, you'll find the answer. It's free, online !

[@Harold710]

@@dukadarodear2176 he writes in that book why he wasn't a Christian.

[@JosephElfassi]

Exactly what I was looking for!

[@Mrrogerthurman]

Excellent piece, enjoyed it immensely. Good microphone technique too!

[@keremkelleboz6959]

honestly I find it quite surprising that no one ever mentions that his grandfather who raised him, Lord Russel, was a diplomat and prime minister. he even met Napoleon!

[@justdev8965]

Yes

[@robertschlesinger1342]

Excellent video. Very interesting, informative and worthwhile video.

[@Lynne-28]

Fascinating and I'm going to listen to your ARTICULATE account again. 🕊

[@kraxmalism]

One of the greatest thinkers of all times.

[@docyagamikiko]

When he started talking about mathematics my brain went from 🤯🤯🤯 to ⚰️ real quick! 😵

[@segunmola1]

Hahahaha 🤣

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

One of the great minds of our times.

[@brucejackson4219]

Very interesting. Russell a "character" [no harm in that]: I don't recall the episode mentioning his Nobel Prize-surely worth at least a passing comment.

[@4623620]

12:54 "[...] first meeting her in the summer of 1899, when he was just 17. [...] marrying on December 13 1894". So he married at the age of 12, five years before he first met her . . .

[@valmid5069]

Fun Fact: *The first actor who played Davros-a villain from famous sci fic show Doctor Who, based his performance as Davros on Bertrand Russell*

[@routeman680]

Interesting. I can't think which of Russell's characteristics he made use of.

[@jamilkhan715]

Very educative. Thanks.

[@martitinkovich4489]

educative? really?

[@jamilkhan715]

@@martitinkovich4489 Thanks Marti. I really love the professor. Wish we have more like him in all countries of the world. Wish you all the best.

[@lukapranic8380]

Great video, You gave a lot of information to think about and investigate I didnt knew anything about Russell before but You helped me to learn and get useful info about him on fun way

[@user-zc4yd9ss7h]

One of the great polymaths. His grandfather who had been been born in the C18th , became Prime Minister twice at the height of the British Empire (and therefore one of the most powerful men on Earth) met Napoleon. BR himself met Lenin, another hugely consequential figure in history - as well as many others, including Einstein. A man brought up by grandparents born in the late C18th and whose own life was long enough to encompass the Beatles, would surely make a great dinner guest -notwithstanding his own amazing mind.

[@suzanneoshannessy7666]

Brilliant and extraordinary man Bertrand Russell thought outside the box

[@jehadibrahim1]

Great stuff, but no matter what was said about Russell here it is not enough. Personally, I believe that his work on reconnecting Math with its Formal logic roots is some of the greatest accomplishments in human history, and there is so much to be done in this field even beyond Russell's and Kurt godel's work !

[@johnryskamp2943]

Youre an idiot. Read A. Garciadiego, Bertrand Russell and the Origins....

[@rkp317]

Thank you for posting this. :)

[@lizgichora6472]

Freedom of expression! Thankful for you Lord Bertrand William Russell, practical purposes.

[@8nansky528]

I ADORE READING

[@talhabedir3812]

amazing summary of a great mind

[@wmp3346]

Similar to Wikipedia, married 4 times. Frank also had marital issues but died much younger.

[@frank93907]

Beautiful work

[@sunalouw348]

What a life and contribution to humanity.

[@thedinnerparty4795]

Very well presented. Most enjoyable.

[@Grace.allovertheplace]

Thank you 🙏 I found listening to this really inspiring.

[@smarajitpunaykanti6463]

Such a long life . 98 years

[@Johnconno]

English Aristocracy.

[@DevonHyland]

Great job! I really enjoyed this video.

[@rodolfomorales7017]

From the moment I discovered Bertrand Russell he became my " godfather " in matters of philosophy ( pun intended, I also am an atheist). I've enjoyed reading a good number of his books, and continue to enjoy them. Interesting to notice there is no mention of his getting the most prestigious prize in the world. For me the fundamental source of inspiration is his autobiography, highly recommended.

[@blomman43]

I hope that the rest of the video is good because when I got to Peano I could no longer stand the piano music.

[@Reel___]

lol how did it end up

[@stconstable]

Like a neighbour banging away on the keys while you're trying to read a book.

[@gmseed1908]

A great deal of this was lifted from Wikipedia, which in turn was lifted from other sources.

[@jtgd]

What if the information was good anyways?

[@royerreasonist]

Thank you so much!

[@preetisingh9362]

Hiedgaar, Quine, P F Strawson, GE Moore, Wittingstine, Hussrel please cover.

[@martitinkovich4489]

headgear? westinghouse? whattt?

[@sanjaygadhalay]

Very succinct and factual would have helped to have subtitles

[@tones_tony]

helpful for my logic module!

[@paulbouwman2018]

Extremely interesting. But the background music is distracting.

[@davidroser5519]

Great photographs but surprisingly naive summary from what I've seen. Russell was not an atheist but rather a self described agnostic for starters - see Routledge compilation. Mathematician and logician he certainly was but a philosopher in the sense commonly used? As a scientist I see a quite different man to that described in this summary. If I was to pigeon hole Russell in 100 words or less I would call him a mathematician/logician whose late Victorian/Edwardian certainties were smashed by World War 1. Whence he sought a different framework to the universe using the tools he had acquired in his first 44 years. Central to this exploration was his science based view of the world where acceptance of mathematical uncertainty is central in contrast to the certainty philosophers seem to ascribe generally to their anthropocentric mental models. The result was the polymath on display in the diversity of his subsequent output.

[@antoniocortijo-rodgers75]

He’s legit well known as a philosopher. Nothing necessarily contradictory with being both a philosopher and mathematician. Hell mathematicians have been both. Scientism isn’t the big brain high horse you think it is.

[@barraqali336]

Brilliant brief biography .

[@pa-steli]

Please cover Paul Érdos

[@pratikghosal8907]

Brilliant video. Please also make video on G H Hardy

[@EducationalChannel28349]

Underrated

[@hansvetter8653]

Bertrandt Russel ... what a great spirit & soul !

[@CreativeRecipeswithKaren]

In 1899 Russell could not be 17 years old if he were born in 1872.

[@Noahkk12]

Thank you

[@ConsultantSal]

Am I the only one that thinks Alfred North Whitehead ( 3:47 ) looks like Vladimir Putin? Not to undermine the value of this video, it was excellent and informative. It's just, uncanny.

[@Trex100]

Very interesting to learn about this important man’s private life.

[@eduardobarreto6095]

excellent video

[@erickane7093]

Excellent

[@Flowing23]

intresting chap!

[@andrewsalmon100]

Very interesting. Thanks.

[@dcissignedon]

Russell was a wonderful writer.

[@oscarc.3597]

His style was too Latinate.

[@philaxx8888]

An agent of Rome

[@natepolidoro4565]

5:10 This same moment is in the John von Neumann video.

[@DjWellDressedMan]

My dad was an Atheist and an Academic, so it was an easy choice to be an Atheist and I have not regretted is for a second my entire life.

[@divinegon4671]

Sir Francis Galton

[@user-ye9yx4vm2o]

My father name is Aston Russell and my name is Marcus Russell bless up family 😂❤

[@peterfeltham5612]

Very interesting.

[@suzanneoshannessy7666]

Yes l agree there is no free will Everything is plan Brilliant man with wisdom and knowledge

[@alanhynd7886]

Read the History of Western Philosophy. Never understood Wittgenstein's omission. My only suspicion is that the book is based on his Lecturing notes, and he would never have lectured upon his protégé.

[@KAZVorpal]

Bertrand Russell was not a "full-blown atheist". He had the same disdain for what we think of as atheist today, that Albert Einstein had and that I happen to also have. He, like Einstein and myself, recognized that a positive belief in the non-existence of things outside nature is irrational and impossible to confirm. It ends up being belief, not knowledge. Which frankly makes it a kind of religion for the hard atheists. He, like Einstein and myself again, preferred the term agnostic.

[@wander67]

I can respect that, still hate him thought because of his opinion on USSR. If America did as he said, I wouldn't be alive.

[@KAZVorpal]

@@wander67 In what way? Russell was critical of the Soviets - once he visited them in 1920 - based on their centralization of authority.

[@castormajeur5557]

Atheism isn't a statement on the existence of god like: 'god doesn't exist" because to say that you would require absolute knowledge. Rather it's a statement of disbelief in the idea of god. The same way you could say 'i don't believe in gnomes" it doesn't mean you can prove they don't exist. it means you don't have any good reasons to believe they do. If you answer the question "do you believe in God?" In any other way than "yes" - you are an atheist. Gnosticism or agnosticism refer to knowledge but since you don't have absolute knowledge, you can't know for sure god does/doesn't exist it's an useless term but still you can claim that for yourself. For example: - You can be a gnostic theist - know for sure god exists - an agnostic theist - believe in god but not know for sure he exists (the only practically right option hence no absolute knowledge) -atheist (lack the believe in god) - an gnostic antitheist (again, kinda meaningless it would require absolute knowledge) - an agnostic antitheist ( believe that God doesn't exist and claim to know and be able to prove it) I hope it expains things. Atheism is simply a negetion of theism! Basically people who claim to know - gnostics, think it's possible to know for sure god exists/doesn't , but whether they are right or wrong idk.

[@KAZVorpal]

@@castormajeur5557 See, no real skeptic would assert disbelief because they don't have good reasons to think a thing exists. The default state, given lack of evidence, is neutrality, not disbelief. But the unicorn/gnome/spaghetti monster argument is a fallacy that nobody competent in logic would commit: Those are things that can be named and described in a specific way, and a comprehensive search for them can be mounted. This is impossible to do for a deity. So while one could say "since we haven't encountered those, they probably don't exist", it is impossible to say the same of the extra-natural. And no, like Russell and Einstein, I am not an atheist, because that term is tarnished by the many people who evangelically assert irrational belief in the non-existence of the supernatural/gods. To claim that we must be one is an etymological fallacy. It's amazing how many faux-skeptic, pseudo-intellectual atheists, despite their claims that everyone else commits logical fallacies, commit so many logical fallacies, themselves. I am agnostic, but not atheist. That is the rational position, the skeptical one.

[@castormajeur5557]

@@KAZVorpal Thanks for the answer You know you can be an atheist and be an idiot at the same time? Not believe in god but believe in alternative medicine, magic and so on. People can be sceptical about god yet not use the same epistemology regarding other things like magic for example. As with god there are many descriptions/definitions so I don't see such a big difference with gnomes that also have different definitions/descriptions based on culture. The search of some gods can be made for example if they live on mount Olimp you can see and realise they are not there even tho they are also said to be "supernatural". But I understand what you mean. If god is outside logic, rationality then it's true, we cant know but the same thing applies to anything we can think of. You can make any description of fairies that they created the world and now they are with us but we can't see them since they are supernatural - beyond the laws of nature. Could you please elaborate why it's irrational? )) Have you proven that anything exists outside the material world? No? Then what right do you have to claim anything about the immaterial world? Have you proven that God exists? No? Then what right do you have to claim anything about him? Agnosticism is the lack of any knowledge about the object of belief - therefore, one can only be an agnostic (or gnostic) with respect to a logically positive belief, e.g. theism (belief in existence) or antitheism (belief in the non-existence of God). (I even made a mistake in my comment about it saying "agnostic atheist" so yea, i made a logical fallacy, i'm sorry lol I'm going to edit it) The prefix A means (according to the rules of the GREEK language from which it comes) lack, not opposite. Just as an amoral act is not an immoral act, but morally neutral. The word "anti-" describes the opposite position, not the opposing position. The opposite position to theism (i.e. belief in the existence of God) is antitheism (i.e. belief in the non-existence of God), not atheism (disbelief in god) which is not even a position, just the lack of a position. Three possible positions regarding the claim that God exists: 1. Yes (theism) 2. I do not accept that / I do not know / I have not taken a position (atheism) 3. No (antitheism)

[@ayoubsaadun2458]

There been huge fan of B.Russell thinking, philosophy in Iraq during 60s,70s , unluckily not current era

[@bakeredwards]

How to have a full life, what a guy.

[@user-ls9jk8jd5n]

Thank you. Q: Is Bert from Sesame Street a homage to Bertrand Russell?

[@heleynedaigle7021]

Grand MERCI 👌 de Québec 🌎

[@Zero-xy8bs]

What's the name of the music please at the very begining ?

[@Pavesef]

The beautiful music is from Iberia by Isaac Albéniz.

[@silaobanse2356]

What's the piano piece behind the narration?

[@Pavesef]

The beautiful music is from Iberia by Isaac Albéniz.

[@davemcclure9685]

He now knows for sure if there is God! I believe he said “ I would not die for my beliefs. I maybe be wrong!”

[@jackdarby2168]

Russel is thickheaded. Just listen to his debate with coplesten

[@dukadarodear2176]

No, he doesn't know at all, let alone for sure.

[@hellonewman5855]

@@dukadarodear2176 My thought precisely.

[@tomkingston4126]

Queen Victoria actually said Bertrands mother should be flogged for her feminist views.

[@martitinkovich4489]

ain't he a pistol[the queen]?

[@jtgd]

Perhaps Victoria should have been flogged. She’s as tight as Elizabeth I

[@dave9102]

I thoroughly enjoyed this video despite not being a fan of Russell, he's a typical leftie, not a Liberal despite what he claimed.

[@thegaypiratecorporation4579]

Thankyou

[@margaretpocock2249]

tentative tiptoeing thru the tulips ... didn't Wittengenstein die at young age ?

[@user-nb3mq3cg8k]

You didn't mentioned the copplestone-bertrand debate of existence of God

[@jacksondouglas5694]

I love Russell

[@Hughenn]

He was born exactly 90 years to the day before me.

[@rodolfomorales7017]

Good summary. Would have been nice to mention his Nobel prize in literature 1950. He sure was a beacon of critical thinking.

[@dedf15]

Are we sure we aren't just reviewing The Brothers Karamazov here?

[@tedgrant2]

Presumably, you thought the talk would be more interesting if it was accompanied by music. As a piano player myself, I found myself listening to the music, trying to figure out the structure. Is it perhaps a sonata by one of the Russian composers ?

[@miriamaguilar7977]

I am afriad to comment on this man.

[@Max-lx8dh]

How did he meet his first wife in the summer of 1899 but married her in 1894? Maybe you got these two dates mixed up

[@moderndaymath]

I misspoke 😄He met his first wife the summer of 1889

[@krishnantampi5665]

Thinking that u know when in fact u dont is fatal mistake to we are all prone, Bertrand Russell. A great man and great philosophy maker, but far away from realities of life, A man of Aristocratic blood line but controversial genius, may his soul rest in peace. Sky

[@iahmedkhaled7346]

I found it funny when you said "Thinking that u know when in fact u dont" when he was not certain about anything in his life and was agnostic in most of his philosophy

[@allensaunders449]

Why the constant piano serves no purpose just a distraction