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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
Even though I agree with most of Bertrand Russell's opinions about ancient philosophers up until the "Enlightenment" era, it's a little too opinionated for most audiences to benefit from, particularly towards the end when he criticizes his contemporaries and sometimes misunderstands people like Henri Bergson. De-mythologizing philosophers is a good thing, but this book was written for beginners and casual readers, who might adopt his opinions because they don't know any better.
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
I read this in the beginning of the 1980s (at least large parts of it), and was very impressed. Since then, once in a while I took a look at some of the bits, and was struck by the very obstinate opinions of Russell. An enticing read, but perhaps outdated by now?
As many others surely have pointed out there are two main problems I can see with this book.
1) Bertrand Russell is an analytical philosopher and thus automatically looks upon all continental philosophy with the smugness and superiority so typical of the British.
2) This was written in the middle of World War II and thus every philosopher is viewed with a contemporary lens of suspicion. Often Russell will simply sort out philosophers as being either proto-Fascists, proto-Communists or Liberals like himself.
There are some interesting chapters here and there but in many sections Russell's blatant bias becomes irritating. This bias becomes especially heavy handed once we get to the "modern" philosophers.
If you're looking for a decent introduction on Western philosophy, keep looking.
1) Bertrand Russell is an analytical philosopher and thus automatically looks upon all continental philosophy with the smugness and superiority so typical of the British.
2) This was written in the middle of World War II and thus every philosopher is viewed with a contemporary lens of suspicion. Often Russell will simply sort out philosophers as being either proto-Fascists, proto-Communists or Liberals like himself.
There are some interesting chapters here and there but in many sections Russell's blatant bias becomes irritating. This bias becomes especially heavy handed once we get to the "modern" philosophers.
If you're looking for a decent introduction on Western philosophy, keep looking.
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
The entire historeeeeh of western philoslophiehhhhh
Said in the poshest British accent humanly possible. I love saying the slightly modified title of this book whenever I am reminded of it and never fails to make me chuckle.
Bertrand Russel, himself a famous philosopher, has a supreme intellect and crystal clear rational thinking, and an acute sense of logic that is virtually unmatched, which he uses to explain complex ideas with clear, relatable examples and dissect the wrong thinking and contradictions of philosophers discussed. There are only a handful of individuals who could write a book like this.
From it, I got a rough sketch of the development of ideas and their historical context but also, but I feel like my immune system against faulty thinking has improved. While also improving my confidence to develop my own ideas.
I think Russel nailed how much he let his own ideas comment on the philosophers. And I don't disagree with anything he said, even if my temperament and values differ from his. Other than that I'll leave the review of the big book short because I swallowed it whole. Yum yum.
Said in the poshest British accent humanly possible. I love saying the slightly modified title of this book whenever I am reminded of it and never fails to make me chuckle.
Bertrand Russel, himself a famous philosopher, has a supreme intellect and crystal clear rational thinking, and an acute sense of logic that is virtually unmatched, which he uses to explain complex ideas with clear, relatable examples and dissect the wrong thinking and contradictions of philosophers discussed. There are only a handful of individuals who could write a book like this.
From it, I got a rough sketch of the development of ideas and their historical context but also, but I feel like my immune system against faulty thinking has improved. While also improving my confidence to develop my own ideas.
I think Russel nailed how much he let his own ideas comment on the philosophers. And I don't disagree with anything he said, even if my temperament and values differ from his. Other than that I'll leave the review of the big book short because I swallowed it whole. Yum yum.
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced