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Was Bertrand Russell good or evil?
I recently read that in his book "Marriage and Morals" he expressed support for eugenics, I read that he changed his views in later life though. Also in his work "The Impact of Science on Society" he writes some very worrying things, I read some opinions that aid he was not advocating the things in the writings and some that say he was. The things I've read by Russell are opposite to the things that appear in "The Impact of Science on Society" . Any information will be appreciated.
I read some articles saying that Russell did not advocate a first strike by the USA but that the USA should use the bomb as diplomatic leverage over the soviets. There is so much ambiguitysurrounding Russell.
1 Answer
- 9 years agoFavorite Answer
Just after WWII he advocated that the USA attack the Soviet Union with nuclear weapons while it still had the nuclear monopoly. Russell thought that a nuclear war was inevitable if both the USA and the USSR had nuclear weapons. He thought that a one-sided nuclear war wouldn't destroy the whole human race.
Luckily, the USA was governed by Harry Truman (and Congress) at the time. He was only a high school graduate, but his judgment in practical affairs far exceeded Russell's.
Russell also liked to fool around with other men's wives.
In some ways, Russell was none too bright or good. Russell was a great mathematician and his History of Western Philosophy was a good book.
PS: I have to go with the traditional belief that Russell did advocate that crazy idea of bombing the Soviets into harmlessness. It has been referenced by many over the years, and that it was such an embarrassingly bad idea would only have given Russell (and his supporters) more reason to lie about it. Here is a good short from YouTube. I agree with Malcolm Muggeridge's assessment of Russell.
Source(s): http://english.safe-democracy.org/2006/06/05/bertr... http://www.economist.com/node/699582 http://www.worldpress.org/eduView.cfm/hurl/id=27