Noam Chomsky on Bertrand Russell

[aaaatttt]

I spoke to Chomsky once and asked him if he ever met Russell. He said "No, but we did correspond over the war in Vietnam, which we both were Vehemently against."

[svendbosanvovski]

I wouldn't be the first person to see the parallels between these two great men: Noam's linguistic work and Bertrand's work on analytical logic, their work as public intellectuals, their prodigious literary output, both academic outsiders and courageous critics of institutional power. No wonder Noam has that wonderful portrait in his study.

[jerryjones]

While reading The History of Western Philosophy, I was stunned by his true genius. He was a wonderful example of the obligation of intellectuals. His was a life of integrity.

[blackbird]

Russell makes the comment that love is wise and hatred is foolish. How much we need to hear this. I tell myself this daily.

[drewhunkins]

My favorite Russell books: 'History of Western Philosophy, ' 'Why I am Not a Christian, ' 'In Praise of Idleness, ' and 'Conquest of Happiness.'
My favorite Chomsky books: 'Chronicles of Dissent, ' 'World Orders Old and New, ' and 'Year 501.'

[whatwasthequestion]

Bertrand Russell is a HERO... All of his books show his talent as a writer.

[Majesties]

I don't believe in heroes, but Bertrand Russell comes as close as you can get in the Western world. Incredibly decent man who did and said and wrote many important things. His contributions to the 20th century are incalculable.

[sullivansongz]

The distinctive sound of nails being hit on the head

[musiclover]

Russell invents the mic drop with that last quote.

[OnewaytickettoPalookaville]

Everyone should read “History Of Western Philosophy” Bertrand Russell makes a somewhat difficult subject accessible to ordinary people like myself

[AguedaFernandaFalconialv-ilnf]

Hare Krishna 🕉️ The Bhagavad -Gita AS IT IS.Transcendental KNOWLEDGE.This KNOWLEDGE is never a waste of time.

[robsmith]

Read Russell's lecture "Poltical Ideals" magnificent and very thought provoking.

[MultiBmorgan]

both some of the best modern humanity has to offer, Incredibly thoughtful and people many of us can learn from.

[c.galindo]

Very nice to hear an intelligent person admire another intelligent person. It goes to show how admiration for wellbeing isn’t dead amongst humanity

[shelleyharris]

It's 3:21 in the AM 😇🌍🌍🌎🌎🏠🦉🦉🦉🦉🧩🦋💐🪽🪶🕊️💛🤓

[onepalproductions]

"They will spend much time in the open air, and will be given no more book-learning than is absolutely necessary. Upon temperament so formed, docility will be imposed by methods of the drill-sergeant or perhaps by the softer methods employed upon Boy Scouts. All boys and girls will learn from an early age to be what is called "co-operative, " i.e. to do exactly what everybody is doing. Initiative will be discouraged in these children, and insubordination, without being punished, will be scientifically trained out of them." Their education throughout will be in great part manual, and when their school years come to an end

"...they will be discouraged from serious thought: they will be made as comfortable as possible, and their hours of work will be much shorter than they are at present; they will have no fear of destitution or of misfortune to their children. As soon as working hours are over, amusements will be provided, *of a sort calculated to cause wholesome mirth, and to prevent any thoughts of discontent which otherwise might cloud their happiness."

“Although this science will be diligently studied, it will be rigidly confined to the governing class. The populace will not be allowed to know how its convictions were generated. When the technique has been perfected, every government that has been in charge of education for a generation will be able to control its subjects securely without the need of armies or policemen…”

— Bertrand Russell, Scientific Technique and Education: The Scientific Outlook.

[mulliganthemouse]

It would be difficult to name a philosopher today who has the same impact Russell did on his time. Maybe Post Malone. Who knows; maybe every generation isn't blessed with a Bertrand Russell, a renaissance man and a philosopher's philosopher.

[LucianTSkeptic]

Anyone know why William Buckley despised Bertrand Russell so much? I remember Buckley making nasty comments about Russell, but I never heard him explain why.

[jamesdrynan]

It's a sad fact that people such as Russell and Chomsky will shuffle off their mortal coil. Ideally, they should live at least another century, although I'm sure they would both not want to re-coil, so to speak.

[TheEleatic]

People who start wars are cruel and irrational, so protesting against them is futile. Russell and Chomsky didn’t accomplish anything with their valiant efforts. The only solution is to prevent tyrants from seizing power, but the military industrialists know how to fuel conflict.