Bertrand Russell on Analytical Philsophy Essay example

The point of philosophy is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth stating, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will believe it - Bertrand Russell, The Philosophy of Logical Atomism. Bertrand Russell was born in 1872 in Wales, England as a member of a famous British family. He received a degree from Trinity Cambridge College with honors in Mathematics and Moral Sciences. His most famous works included the subjects of logic and philosophy, which were deeply rooted in his mathematics background. In fact, Russell is probably the most highly regarded and most read English-speaking philosopher of our time. Russell was not merely an intellectual, but also a political and social activist, writing many†¦show more content†¦The Analysis of the Mind written in 1921 show the connections between Russells views on the nature of the mind and how matter is altered in relation to it. Russells key themes seem to be that of physical vs. psychological. In fact, Russell expands on the ideas that there is in fact no difference between the two and the only key difference is the perception given by the person trying to distinguish between the two. Russell sees the diffe rence between physics and psychology only in the laws that bind them, or so he states in the opening while it seems this theory will be altered throughout his books. Consciousness is logically fundamental. Without it, how can there be anything observed or even thought about? We need consciousness to experience anything, including but not limited to, sensations and images, memories, beliefs, and desires . Consciousness is, in essence, the most important aspect of the mental state, but Russell does not agree, and says so in the following passage; `Sensation, in the strict sense of the term, demands the existence of consciousness. This statement, at first sight, is one to which we feel inclined to assent, but I believe we are mistaken if we do so. Russell actually holds to the idea that while consciousness is important, it is not necessary. Russell states that he believes we are not always aware of things that happen, and therefore consciousness isShow MoreRelatedDecision Theory: a Brief Introduction28334 Words   |  114 Pagesalso use numbers to represent the values of the alternatives that we decide between. For instance, my evaluation o f the collected works of some modern philosophers may be given as follows: Bertrand Russell 50 Karl Popper 35 WV Quine 35 Jean Paul Sartre 20 Martin Heidegger 1 It follows from this that I like Russell better than any of the other, etc. It is an easy exercise to derive preference and indifference relations from the numbers assigned to the five philosophers. In general, the information provided