Cambridge Scholars Publishing Reflections on Russell: Musings on a Multidimensional Man

The book contributes some original interpretations on the thought of Bertrand Russell (1872-1970). Instead of dwelling on the purely mathematic logic which tends to be the focus of professional philosophers, it explores Russell’s philosophy, especially his philosophy of science and philosophy of religion. It features some original interpretations of Bertrand Russell’s thoughts and it counters some competing interpretations of his philosophy. Russell could be labeled both a probabilist and empiricist, albeit with critical qualifications. He never left the Pythagorean/Platonic worldview entirely behind. He preferred Spinoza over Locke, and believed that many sciences simply beg questions rather than prove philosophic tenets. Although he rejected spiritualistic metaphysics, he was able to identify some value in George Berkeley’s philosophy. This book shows that Russell developed a philosophy incorporating atheism and spirituality. About the Author Chad Trainer has been reading the history of philosophy from the ancient Greeks to modern times since the 1970s. He discovered Bertrand Russell in 1977, and continues to study him today. Trainer has been a frequent presenter at the Bertrand Russell Society’s annual meetings since 2000, and has written for the Russell Journal, the Bertrand Russell Society Bulletin, the Heythrop Journal, Philosophy Now, and Free Inquiry. He is especially interested in Russell’s critique of religion, his philosophy of science, and value theory, and served as Chair of the Bertrand Russell Society’s Board of Directors from 2005 to 2018.