Bertrand Russell: Philosophy in an Hour

Philosophy for busy people. Read a succinct account of the philosophy of Russell in just one hour.

Bertrand Russell claimed to be driven by three great passions that drove his personal as well as his intellectual life: a longing for love, a quest for knowledge and a heart-rending pity for human suffering. His philosophical outlook, which took deep account of the science of his time, was nonetheless rooted in logic and empiricism. Russell’s greatest efforts were made in epistemology – the search for the ultimate grounds of our knowledge about the world. How can we be certain that what we know is true? Where lies the certainty in our experience of the world?

Here is a concise, expert account of Bertrand Russell’s life and philosophical ideas – entertainingly written and easy to understand. Also included are selections from Bertrand Russell’s work, suggested further reading, and chronologies that place Russell in the context of the broader scheme of philosophy.

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About the author

Paul Strathern has lectured in philosophy and mathematics and now lives and writes in London. A Somerset Maugham prize winner, he is also the author of books on history and travel as well as five novels. His articles have appeared in a great many publications including the Observer (London) and the Irish Times. His own degree in philosophy was earned at Trinity College, Dublin.