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A review by is_book_loring
The History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
5.0
“To understand an age or a nation, we must understand its philosophy, and to understand its philosophy we must ourselves be in some degree philosophers. There is here a reciprocal causation: the circumstances of men’s lives do much to determine their philosophy, but, conversely, their philosophy does much to determine their circumstances.”
The History of Western Philosophy provided the clear, accessible, general but comprehensive and substantial outline of the development of philosophy that I looked for. Bertrand Russell did have his own unconscious biases and subjectivity, but he acknowledged the fact of social effects and always stated clearly whenever the passage was his own view and not the philosophers'. Perhaps I am partial toward him, as I happen to like him and his humorous wit a lot; and find him an extremely intelligent, broad-minded person, and excellent writer, from whom I learned not only varying schools of philosophy, but also to dig deep into different perspectives but ready to empathize, to be critical but humble and not condemning, to always be curious and question everything but never grow apathetic, never lose hope in ourselves and humanity.
“To teach how to live without certainty, and yet without being paralyzed by hesitation, is perhaps the chief thing that philosophy, in our age, can still do for those who study it.”
The History of Western Philosophy provided the clear, accessible, general but comprehensive and substantial outline of the development of philosophy that I looked for. Bertrand Russell did have his own unconscious biases and subjectivity, but he acknowledged the fact of social effects and always stated clearly whenever the passage was his own view and not the philosophers'. Perhaps I am partial toward him, as I happen to like him and his humorous wit a lot; and find him an extremely intelligent, broad-minded person, and excellent writer, from whom I learned not only varying schools of philosophy, but also to dig deep into different perspectives but ready to empathize, to be critical but humble and not condemning, to always be curious and question everything but never grow apathetic, never lose hope in ourselves and humanity.
“To teach how to live without certainty, and yet without being paralyzed by hesitation, is perhaps the chief thing that philosophy, in our age, can still do for those who study it.”