Talk:Bertrand Russell

Information Research Department

Hello Astrophobe, it looks like your recent edit here was fully justified. But there is a whole paragraph on Russell at Information Research Department#Bertrand Russell that might be worth integrating. Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 09:42, 20 February 2021 (UTC)

It's very possible that material about this could be worked into the article, and I definitely have no objection to that! I encourage you to work some of that material in. I think the best way to do it, in a way that's not undue, would be to associate it with material on the specific books in question, Why Communism Must Fail, What Is Freedom?, and What Is Democracy? Unless there are RS supporting some association between a much larger body of Russell's work with the IRD, then I highly doubt that it will belong in the lead. - Astrophobe (talk) 19:02, 20 February 2021 (UTC)

Quite agree not lead-worthy. Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 19:09, 20 February 2021 (UTC)

Omit "United Kingdom" infobox

Should I omit "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland" on birthplace and death place parameter on the infobox, I really don't know what I should replace instead of "United Kingdom" parameter? --49.150.116.127 (talk) 12:08, 18 September 2021 (UTC)

Yes. Wales is perfectly fine - that's where he was born and died. No one would ever refer to these places as being in the UK in common usage, so per COMMONNAME we're good with Wales. I shall change it now. Blue Square Thing (talk) 23:08, 21 November 2021 (UTC)

In fact Wales, for his place of birth, is problematical (see footnote [b]). Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 23:14, 21 November 2021 (UTC)

So, was Monmouthshire in Wales in 1872? We previously had a form that was an acceptable compromise. Martinevans123 (talk) 20:06, 30 November 2021 (UTC)

UK is perfectly acceptable in this case. Whether Monmouthshire was "in Wales" in 1872 was a contentious matter, and there is no obvious need to include it. Ghmyrtle (talk) 15:38, 10 January 2022 (UTC)

The only slight issue is that including UK after Monmouthshire suggests that Wales, after Caernarfonshire, was not in UK? 15:49, 10 January 2022 (UTC)

It might be unquestionable for removing the "UK" from birthplace parameter. --Aesthetic Writer (talk) 14:49, 11 January 2022 (UTC)

Recent edits

The most notable combined effect of these edits yesterday and today was to remove most of the lead section. I've reverted them so there can be further discussion here, if necessary. Ghmyrtle (talk) 15:36, 10 January 2022 (UTC)

There seems to be some ongoing disagreement as to whether Russel should be described as British or Welsh, although he could easily, of course, be both. I'd just like to point out that, despite this, the article has no fewer than 28 categories that use "English" and only 6 that use "British". The only one that uses "Welsh" is Category:English people of Welsh descent. So some basic consistency is lacking. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:09, 16 March 2022 (UTC)

controversy?

I read that besides the claims of racism he was also a womanizer and egotist. (Just Googled russell womanizer and came up with this).

A long list of writers wrote about this: For example A Genius for Foolishness, Book review on The Philosophy of Philandering, Bertrand Russell on Sex and Love (the last one refuting the notion that he was a "womanizer") etc.

So I think a section on controversy, with references to claims of colonialism and racism mentioned above on this talk page, would be appropriate. I was originally exposed to this controversy in an article in Hebrew about Witgenstein in the Segula magazine. If I remember correctly they wrote that today in the Me2 era he would have become ostricized.פשוט pashute ♫ (talk) 09:42, 28 March 2022 (UTC)

That's not a very "long list", is it? I'm a bit concerned by the somewhat sensationalist tone of that Los Angeles Times review, e.g. "In his personal life, however, Lord Russell was a man of ruthless egotism, a womanizer capable of uncommon callousness and a father in later life whose behavior led to devastation and tragedy for his descendants (his oldest son went mad; his granddaughter committed suicide)." Use of the phrase "his oldest son went mad" does not really inspire confidence. And that review is 26 years old now. Martinevans123 (talk) 09:54, 28 March 2022 (UTC)

Philosopher or Polymath? Or both?

An older version of Russell's article had him classified as a polymath. While it is true that Russell was a philosopher, he wrote on divers subjects throughout his long life. At any rate, he had polymathic interests.

Aristotle is listed as a philosopher and polymath on his Wikipedia article; shouldn't the same be said for Russell? SpicyMemes123 (talk) 21:31, 1 April 2022 (UTC)

'Polymathic interests?' I've never heard that term in my life, could you clarify it (and does it justify calling someone a polymath? For instance, I have interests in physics, does that mean I'm a physicist?). Apart from that, I highly doubt that even his fields of interests went beyond philosophy, mathematics and logic, which in Russell's case were of course related, so we're basically talking about one thing: the foundation of mathematics. Apart from that he had certain interests with regard to social issues, but this does not define a polymath. A polymath is someone like Goethe, who was apart from a poet/novelist, also a scientist and a statesman, which are completely different fields.

Last but not least: what's of importants are the sources on which you're basing this. The majority of sources are simply referring to Russell as a philosopher. I've never read a source referring to Russell as a polymath. Have you? 213.124.174.59 (talk) 15:53, 12 April 2022 (UTC)