The Problems of Philosophy

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) was a British philosopher, mathematician, and social critic. Russell was often compared to Voltaire due to his wide range of interests about which he wrote extensively, including analytic philosophy, humanities, mathematical logic, natural sciences, politics, religion, and ethics. He continues to be highly regarded for his contributions to these numerous fields. Russell received numerous awards throughout his life: the 1932 De Morgan Medal, 1934 Sylvester Medal, 1949 Order of Merit, 1950 Nobel Prize in Literature, 1957 Kalinga Prize, and 1963 Jerusalem Prize.

Russell’s parents were eccentric members of the British aristocracy. His father was a deist, and he named philosopher John Stuart Mill as Russell’s secular godfather. When Russell’s mother died in 1874 and his father died in 1876, he and two siblings moved in with their grandfather, the former Prime Minister Earl Russell, and grandmother, Countess Russell. Russell’s privileged upbringing is evident in The Problems of Philosophy since he uses examples such as the Eiffel Tower, which point to his travel experience and cultural capital. Nevertheless, although Countess Russell was a conservative Presbyterian, she taught Russell about the importance of social justice and standing up for what is right.

As a boy, Russell experienced depression. However, he found comfort in studying mathematics and poetry. He questioned his religious upbringing and, by the time he was 18, identified as an atheist. In his 1927 lecture “Why I Am Not a Christian,” he compares religion to a type of disease brought on by fear. His atheism is foundational in The Problems of Philosophy because he disagrees with the idea that God produces object permanence.

Russell studied mathematics and philosophy at Trinity College in Cambridge. In 1896, he published his first work entitled German Social Democracy, a subject he taught at the London School of Economics. In 1897, he published An Essay on the Foundations of Geometry, his first book about mathematics. He gained notoriety for his three-volume Principia Mathematica and The Principles of Mathematics. He taught at Trinity College, University of Cambridge, and City College in New York. His role as a teacher informs his authoritative and didactic tone in The Problems of Philosophy.

In February of 1901, Russell experienced a philosophical transformation. After watching a colleague’s wife experience angina, he became overwhelmed with the desire to pursue a philosophy that would transform how people think about life. This is reflected in The Problems of Philosophy, in which he explores everyday experiences and objects such as looking at a desk or reading words on a page.

During World War I, Russell was a pacifist and participated in the Leeds Convention in 1917, a gathering of anti-war socialists focused on promoting a peace treaty. His outspoken political views led to multiple convictions. Although he remained a pacificist during World War II, he altered his views under the concern that Hitler would undermine democracy across Europe. Russell continued his advocacy work throughout his life. During the 1950s and 1960s, he openly opposed the Vietnam War and wrote a manifesto that called upon government leaders to disarm their nuclear weapons and programs.

Russell, along with philosophers G. E. Moore, Gottlob Frege, and Ludwig Wittgenstein, who studied under Russell, is credited for founding analytic philosophy. He also contributed greatly to logicism, a branch of study that combines mathematical and logical truths into a unified system. Russell’s emphasis on analytic philosophy and logicism represents his commitment to demystifying the complicated philosophical approaches of the past and making learning accessible to others. During his life, Russell published more than 70 books and 2,000 articles.