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Bertrand Russell

Bertrand Russell on Something

Landon D.C. Elkind explains why Russell believed logic can set thought free.

Using Bertrand Russell’s remarks on something as a foil, I shall try to explain why he thought studying logic and philosophy is valuable.

As almost any Russellian knows, Russell abhorred teaching Aristotelian logic, also called traditional logic. To take two quotes:

“If you wish to become a logician, there is one piece of advice which I cannot urge too strongly, and that is: Do NOT learn the traditional formal logic. In Aristotle’s day, it was a creditable effort, but so was Ptolemaic astronomy. To teach either in the present day is a ridiculous piece of antiquarianism.

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