Difference between revisions of "Bertrand Russell"
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Russell failed in his effort. In fact, [[Kurt Godel]] proved in 1931 that what Russell attempted to do is mathematically impossible. | Russell failed in his effort. In fact, [[Kurt Godel]] proved in 1931 that what Russell attempted to do is mathematically impossible. | ||
| − | A member of British nobility with the title of "Earl", Russell remained a hero to those on the political left, particularly in the English-speaking world, throughout his life. | + | A member of British nobility with the title of "Earl", Russell remained a hero to those on the political left, particularly in the English-speaking world, throughout his life. |
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| + | Russell's politics were left-wing. During the Cold War he advocated nuclear disarmament, provoking controversy with the phrase "better Red than dead." | ||
Revision as of 16:55, March 2, 2007
Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) was a 20th century atheist championed by liberals and awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950 for his pacifist writings.
Russell was part philosopher and part mathematician. His biggest work was a three-volume attempt to derive all mathematical principles from a well-defined set of axioms and inference rules in symbolic logic, entitled Principia Mathematica (1910-1913). He published this work with Alfred North Whitehead.
Russell failed in his effort. In fact, Kurt Godel proved in 1931 that what Russell attempted to do is mathematically impossible.
A member of British nobility with the title of "Earl", Russell remained a hero to those on the political left, particularly in the English-speaking world, throughout his life.
Russell's politics were left-wing. During the Cold War he advocated nuclear disarmament, provoking controversy with the phrase "better Red than dead."