The Value Of Philosophy By Bertrand Russell - 803 Words

The essay The Value of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell suggests that many â€Å"practical† people view philosophy as rather useless, because these people are – according to Bertrand Russell – operating both with wrong conceptions about the ends of life and wrong conceptions about what goods philosophy strives to achieve. According to Russell the value of philosophy is in what it does for the person who studies it. He makes the point that goods of the mind are as important in life as goods of the body. He says that the main value of philosophy is that it enlarges one’s thoughts, brings one into union with the â€Å"not-Self†, and helps us avoid being caught in narrowness as human beings. His main ideas are that philosophy is to be studied to enrich our intellects, diminish our dogmatism, and make us citizens of the universe. In the essay, Russell presents the study of philosophy as a valuable undertaking, even though it does not directly help the whole world or increase one’s material wealth. The value is to be found for the student of philosophy herself or himself. This value is primarily found in the intellectual development that is available for those who undertake the study philosophy. They can escape narrowness, dogmatism, and narrowness as they become citizens of the world, with enriched intellectual capacities. Russell concludes with the idea that the mind becomes enlarged through the study of philosophy. [PLEASE NOTE!: I have not put much commentary on the quotes here, butShow MoreRelatedThe Value Of Philosophy By Bertrand Russell1959 Words   |  8 PagesThe Value of Philosophy In Bertrand Russell’s article â€Å"The Value of Philosophy† in his The Problems of Philosophy, he may as well be looking at the problems of his argument. Russell does reach his purpose and is able to make valid conclusions that are well supported for why and how philosophy is valuable, but his credibility can be called into question. He makes cases that allow for weaknesses and sets limitations on what he says. It is limitations he puts on how he defines philosophy and the weaknessRead MoreBertrand Russell And The Greatest Philosopher1261 Words   |  6 PagesBERTRAND RUSSELL Bertrand Russell was born on May 18, 1872 into British aristocracy, In 1931 career centered on work as a philosophy professor, writer and public lecturer. He not only knew but worked with many dominant figures in the late 19th and 20th century as a philosopher, a mathematician, science as well as politics. Russell was arguably the greatest philosopher in the 20th century. 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All of whom will be discussed, and agreement or disagreementRead MoreAnalysis of Bertrand Russell ´s The Problems of Philosphy Essay1048 Words   |  5 Page s06455401 1) The philosopher Bertrand Russell in his work, â€Å"The Problems of Philosophy,† comes to some conclusions of the truth of objects in our world. Through questioning certain ideas and problems in our world, he breaks down what can know what really exists in the world and what does not. Russell, an empiricist, believes that through our sensory perception of our environment. However, our own individual perception can be skewed, and therefore is susceptible to err. Russell gives an example of three