Historical Dictionary of Bertrand Russell's Philosophy: (Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements Series)

Academic philosopher, logician, public intellectual, educator, political activist, and freethinker, Bertrand Russell was and remains a colossus. No other single philosopher in the last 200 years can be said to have created so much and influenced so many. His Principia Mathematica, written with A. N. Whitehead, ranks as one of the greatest books on logic since Aristotle. His philosophical work on language, meaning, logic, mind, and metaphysics formed the basis of 20th-century philosophy. Russell was active in numerous political movements of liberation and peace, and his popular writings, including the best-selling History of Western Philosophy, won the Nobel prize in literature in 1950. Historical Dictionary of Bertrand Russell's Philosophy offers a comprehensive, current guide to the many facets of Russell's work. Through its chronology, introductory essay, bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on concepts, people, works, and technical terms, Russell's impact on philosophy and related fields is made accessible to the reader in this must-have reference.

About the Author :
Rosalind Carey is assistant professor of philosophy at Lehman College-CUNY. She is the author of Russell and Wittgenstein on the Nature of Judgement, serves on the board of directors of the Bertrand Russell Society, and founder and is president of the History of Early Analytic Philosophy Society. John Ongley is editor of the Bertrand Russell Society Quarterly and serves on the board of directors of the Bertrand Russell Society. He teaches philosophy-most recently at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania-and is currently writing Bertrand Russell: A Guide for the Perplexed.

Review :
Carey and Ongley do a fine job of locating Russell philosophically and historically, and of giving critical explanations of his many important contributions. The Russell corpus is vast, so having a quick reference source is helpful. Recommended. The range of Bertrand Russell's (1872-1970) interests makes a historical dictionary approach to him and his work of particular value....Where the interests of a subject range so widely, a work that helps readers navigate their way through so many themes and strands is helpful....As a result, the editors make it easy for readers, particularly those coming to Russell's work as newcomers (many implied readers will be students at college and university), to follow through themes on women's rights or ethics or religion, as well as the philosophy and logic that lie at both the centre of the book and the centre of Russell's own thinking....This historical dictionary is a welcome addition and can and should be regularly updated by readers in the field. The most significant characteristic that grabs the reader (especially if one is fluent in Russell's entire pedagogy) i the breadth and scale of this work. To contemplate and produce such a treatise about a figure, that straddles many genres, is both telling and daunting....the work, as a whole, provides both the expert and the novice with an excellent guide through Russell's epistemology, pedagogy, and history. It is simultaniously accessible and penetrating, wihtout overwhelming the reader. General libraries will find it useful, especially if they don't have works by Russell and are looking for a volume that encompasses his whole life's work. But it will draw its greatest utilitarian value from academic libraries, where the volume will greatly aid university philosophy, history, and computer science departments with its depth and scope. Carey and Ongley interweave Russell's philosophical and political views throughout the dictionary. This dictionary also includes a concise introduction to Russell's evolving thought and expands upon key concepts. Carey and Ongley have produced a wonderful addition to this series, distilling and introducing a very prolific and controversial philosopher to students of philosophy. A joy to read these entries....An excellent resource.