A History of Western Philosophy

The Introductory sets forth some points about philosophy in general and about the method Russell will use in the book, as well as giving evidence of Russell’s own distinct philosophical viewpoint. Russell situates philosophy as “something intermediate between theology and science” (xiii). Like theology, philosophy seeks to answer deep metaphysical and moral questions, but, like science, its appeal is to human reason rather than to authority or revelation. As such, philosophy is something of a “No Man’s Land” (xiii) and has been open to attack from both religion and science. Yet, while the questions of philosophy are beyond science’s ability to answer, people in the modern world are no longer satisfied with the definite answers provided by theology.

Philosophy asks the deepest questions of existence, including whether or not the universe has any goal or purpose, what man’s place in the universe is, and how we should live our lives. This implies that philosophy is closely connected to the historical narrative of mankind and civilization. Russell’s purpose in the book will be to depict this history, emphasizing how social circumstances have influenced philosophical beliefs, and vice versa. Russell sees the history of philosophy as an interaction between freedom and authority—as embodied in social or political bonds—in which mankind gradually frees itself from dogmas and learns to “live without certainty” (xiv). Although philosophy still seeks answers to the ultimate questions, modern people realize that it may not offer “indubitable answers.”

From the beginning, Russell openly displays bias against religion, which he characterizes as “comforting fairy tales” (xiv). At the same time, Russell will attempt to deal fairly and objectively with religious thought as it relates to the questions and history of philosophy. Philosophy, after having been first developed by the ancient Greeks, was dominated by theological considerations after the rise of Christianity. From the early modern period onward, science superseded religion as the determining factor. Russell gives a capsule summary of the interaction between religion, philosophy, science, and political power in the entire period covered in the book.

As his summary foreshadows, Russell will analyze philosophical trends since the 18th century as having definite consequences in the present day (1945). In particular, Russell sees World War II as resulting from a turn away from reason and toward subjectivism and the worship of power that started in the Romantic period. He himself will advocate liberalism and an analytical and science-oriented form of philosophy as antidotes to chaos and disorder in the modern world.