History of Western Philosophy (Routledge Classics)

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We therefore need to exercise caution in relying on Russell's methodology, perspectives and conclusions. This is because the book is not a mere history of philosophy, a mere account of ideas, by any stretch. What Israel is doing today cannot be condoned, and to invoke the horrors of the past to justify those of the present is gross hypocrisy.

Instead it is a critical survey, a long catalogue of what Russell agrees and disagrees with among all the major doctrines. We are frequently told that we must sympathize with Israel because of the suffering of the Jews in Europe at the hands of the Nazis.Por isso, não é de estranhar que Russell ataque praticamente todos os filósofos que lista ao longo das várias centenas de páginas.

In the second volume, Russell describes how Catholic philosophy developed throughout the Middle Ages. After every stage in this expansion Israel has appealed to “reason” and has suggested “negotiations”.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.

Many of the refugees are now well into the third decade of their precarious existence in temporary settlements. I'll probably pick Gottlieb's Dream of Reason for Greek philosophy, and later Anthony Kenny's book for another reference when I decide to do this again. Russell is quick to dismiss all religious thinkers as absurd (which isn't that far off the mark), but also treats Nietzsche with supreme cruelty as Nietzsche was a thinker that broke from the Enlightenment tradition and refused to play with numbers. I would have liked to see more about how contemporary (to Russell) issues like the Worlds Wars were connected to eighteenth century European thinkers such as Hegel. Over the years I have found various reasons to look into it now and again, but have never read the whole thing.This sentiment is more a reflection of philosophy's break between the analytic and the continental modes of thought than it is an honest criticism. The aggression committed by Israel must be condemned, not only because no state has the right to annex foreign territory, but because every expansion is an experiment to discover how much more aggression the world will tolerate. Providing a sophisticated overview of the ideas that have perplexed people from time immemorial, it is 'long on wit, intelligence and curmudgeonly scepticism', as the New York Times noted, and it is this, coupled with the sheer brilliance of its scholarship, that has made Russell's History of Western Philosophy one of the most important philosophical works of all time. I'm sure this book would be much to the liking of anyone with the same mindset as Russel himself, but have to say that objectivity is here greatly tarnished by shallow thought, misunderstanding, stupidity (yes), and an obsession with modern-day values and prejuidices with no apparent explanation for his own ethical standpoint.

Although I still think it is very handy as a ready reference on a great many philosophers – it is much better, as I've found, to have read it all first. Aristotle, whose philosophy was a reaction to Plato, putting more emphasis on this world (as opposed to Plato's world of perfect Ideas as only Truth), wasn't very helpful as a medicine against dogmatism. Each Chapter contains a summary of one major philosopher's key arguments interlaced with criticism that reflects Russell's own priorities and perspectives. As the book progresses it becomes more and more clear that it is a summary of Russell’s views, and not of the philosophers being discussed. Russell is not an expert on many of the subjects he is writing about here, so it is quite legitimate to disagree with him.Russell's objective is to explain how the entire history of Western philosophy is one of a recurring battle between "[philosophers] who wished to tighten social bonds and those who wished to relax them" (p. When Russell was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950, A History of Western Philosophy was cited as one of the books that won him the award. Russell realiza a sua História como arguente de provas, estando sempre à procura nas teses dos outros de problemas e defeitos, falhando demasiadas vezes no enaltecimento dos seus feitos e contributos, agravando as acusações realizadas pelo olhar totalmente racional que usa. First, Aristotle gradually disappeared from the scene, until he was re-discovered in the late Middle Ages. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950 "in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought.