A History of Western Philosophy - Bertrand Russell Audiobook
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Unabridged
Bertrand Russell’s A History of Western Philosophy serves as the perfect introduction to its subject; it remains unchallenged as the greatest account of the history of Western thought. Charting philosophy’s course from the pre-Socratics up to the early twentieth century, Russell relates each philosopher and school to their respective historical and cultural contexts, providing erudite commentary throughout his invaluable survey. This engaging and comprehensive work has done much to educate and inform generations of general readers; it is written in accessible and elegantly crafted prose and allows for an easy grasp of complex ideas.
Download the accompanying reference guide.
©1945 Bertrand Russell (P)2013 Naxos AudioBooks
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This post has 21 comments with rating of 5/5
December 18th, 2023
A wonderful introduction to Western Philosophy in general (one of the tiny number of general works to deal credibly with the scholastic period). But also a precious time capsule (Russell wrote it during the rise of Nazism and the early years of WWII: a moment when there was a serious possibility that Western philosophy was about to stop, and when intellectuals were looking for an alternative tradition, which turned out to be Positivism).
December 19th, 2023
Thank you.
December 19th, 2023
Crikey, prydeful, you either haven’t read the bk or you really don’t know philosophy (so put it with history; politics; the history of ideas generally).
Positivism was almost a century old at that point, & essentially moribund in the period following (killed off by the work of Thomas Kuhn et al). It’s purview was hopelessly reductive & narrow.
By the 1960s, philosopher John Passmore was saying that it was “dead, or as dead as a philosophical movement ever becomes.”
Continental philosophy & postmodernism actually came to dominate.
Russell’s coverage of medieval philosophy generally is a lost opportunity, & fails to be incisive (philos professors advised us not to rely on his treatment of this area, in partic). There’s the example of his rejection of the idea of infinite causal series, while giving no indication of fully comprehending it. He also rejected Islamic writers as having contributed “nothing.” Moreover, he had no consideration of crucial figures like Maimonides. “Arabic philosophy is not important as original thought.” Such blanket assertions had the dubious virtue of saving authorial & editorial time.
Russell was honest in admitting his considerable bias. Wittgenstein - a great admirer, friend & colleague of his - used say that Russell’s bks ought to be bound in 2 covers, those dealing with mathematical philos in blue, & every student of philos should read them, while those dealing with pop subjects should be bound in red & no one should read ‘em.
In fairness, your confusion is understandable. Many find the subject area daunting & never really get to grips with it. It’s still worth trying, however. There’s a world of knowledge there, once you finally make the start.
December 19th, 2023
@caesar - Written like a true Christian!
December 19th, 2023
Indeed: the History of Western Philosophy doesn’t really do much with the Middle East.
The clue is in the title.
December 19th, 2023
Ah, you certainly did not read it, pryderi. If you had honestly read it, you would certainly know that Russell does indeed try to cover Islamic/Arabic philosophy, as I pointed out. Of course he does, he even refers to it as “Mohammedan” through the treatment.
Developments in Jewish & Islamic philosophy are addressed, including Ibn Sina & Ibn Rushd - as far afield as Persia.
As for the “Middle East” - the Western tradition partly arose in the Middle East: encompassing both Athens & Jerusalem. This is fairly elementary in the history of ideas.
December 19th, 2023
“He [Russell] also rejected Islamic writers as having contributed “nothing.””
“Russell does indeed try to cover Islamic/Arabic philosophy, as I pointed out.”
I admit not reading the book, but still your usual pontificating sounds a bit contradictory.
December 19th, 2023
No problem there, illodiini. His assessment of Muslims is entirely dismissive. He asserts that their contribution was negligible: “Arabic philosophy is not important as original thought.”
December 19th, 2023
However, I do appreciate your honesty in admitting that you haven’t read the bk. There ought to be more of that honesty about.
If you’re interested in exploring the subject, you’d be better off not using this as your introduction. Best to focus on specific eras, movements or individual philosophers - depending on your level of interest. While Russell isn’t too bad on relatively recent, anglophone writers, he’s not very accurate when it comes to Ancient, Medieval or German philosophers (incl Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche).
December 19th, 2023
You do acknowledge that most philosophers (you mentioned) are atheist?
The little I’ve read I think I like Russell most.
December 19th, 2023
“most philos (u mentioned) r atheist” - Where are you getting that idea? The only one I mentioned there that was atheist was Nietzsche. (You’re not just guessing are you?)
And so? It’s the ideas & models of thought that ultimately count. If you’re only evaluating through the prism of narrow ideology, then you aren’t interested in ideas at all.
December 20th, 2023
Ideas and models, yes, but without the burden of religion(s). While I’m fairly sure there is no god, certainly not Christian god, I admit the moral impact of various religious sects to western civilization. Not all of it good, mind. I consider the notion of god with the flat-earth belief. That said -
Merry Christmas!
December 20th, 2023
Merry Christmas & Hyvää uutta vuotta (hope that’s near correct, my google translate is quite rusty).
Over hols, p’haps inquire of your perspicacious cat, why is there something rather ‘n nothing; how can u account for necessary causation; how do u possibly ground objective ethics/truth, etc; how do u account for the universe’s intelligibility - I could list a myriad of these, but u get the flat-earth drift.
All of us who stumbled in our adolescent atheism must at some point honestly confront these issues (which was Nietzsche’s point, that his fellow atheists had not grappled with the real consequences of their atheism - the impossibility of objective meaning, truth & morality on atheist grounds - “I have come too soon!” his madman concludes).
If u want to exclude all relig people - theists & deists - from your list of greatest thinkers - writers, scientists & philosophers - u are left with v few. We cannot coherently think without believing in objective truth, logic & intelligibility.
On the good - ought we also identify all atheism with its very worst expressions? its ideological genocides, forced famines & slave states? Particularly for those who believe atheism to be the “civilised” alternative? It’s a stumping quandary.
In any event, the peace, love & joy of Christmas to you & yours. Go easy on the beverages.
December 20th, 2023
I’m content with those atheist thinkers, thank you very much. I do read and listen also those with religious handicaps. You being religious nut a prime example. But I do hope you embrace the dark side some day…
Anyway, I haven’t drink alcohol in nary a seventeen years.
December 20th, 2023
Oh, forgot that. Congrats, keep on the wagon (off the wagon?). Better it not be 17 ‘long’ yrs (that’s in keeping with knowing exact date of the last drink/cigarette). We scarcely drink at all in my villa. There were some in the famiglia (Julian gens) who overindulged (they know who they are).
I was on the dark side for a long time, but I still know a great many atheist headbangers, yeah.
December 26th, 2023
@caesar963 What books would you recommend on Western though?
December 26th, 2023
*thought
December 29th, 2023
Hey royalq (your regal highness) - if you want the big, broad sweep, you could take on the epic “A History of Philosophy” by Frederick Copleston. It’s now in 11 volumes (used to be 9). Probably the best available. You can select from it the eras, movements & subjects that most intrigue you.
Hope you’re having a nice Christmas & all the best for the Novel Year.
December 29th, 2023
@caesar963 Thanks for the recommendation! I’ll find it (11 volumes can’t hide easily!).
December 29th, 2023
It’s very thorough, and a major commitment - of course, given the scope. There might be a robo-read available on youchewb, but the audio is thus far untouched by human hands. Your friendly neighbourhood librarian ought to be able to track down royal copies.
June 24th, 2025
W.T. Jones is way more accessible as an introduction than Copleston (for one, he’s not a Lisper when it comes to his prose) (if (you) know what ((I) mean)) and it’s only 5 volumes, less of a commitment.
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