Bertrand Russell on Uncertainty
Is there virtue in uncertainty?
Bertrand Russell was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, social critic, political activist and Nobel laureate. He campaigned against the wars of his time, and he was an eccentric and rebellious person (as many great thinkers often are). During a long, productive, and often turbulent life, he published more than 70 books and about 2,000 articles, married four times and became involved in many public controversies.
Russel was jailed in 1918 for anti-war views and then again at the age of eighty-nine, he was sent to Brixton Prison for seven days for breach of peace after taking part in an anti-nuclear demonstration in London. The magistrate offered to exempt him from jail if he pledged himself to "good behavior", to which Russell replied: "No, I won't."
His independent thought and insight is often contained in a wry comment or pithy paradox. Russell left many. While a grouping of quotes of a person might be without important nuance and context, I am fond of this form of distilled expression as a prompt for my broader awareness. Here are some of Russell's sayings, for a quick read on life, thinking, and perhaps for a call to the importance of uncertainty.
ON THINKING
Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.
Most people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so.
If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do.
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.
Whoever wishes to become a philosopher must learn not to be frightened by absurdities.
I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong.
ON LIFE
The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.
To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.
War does not determine who is right - only who is left.
One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.
The main things which seem to me important on their own account, and not merely as means to other things, are knowledge, art, instinctive happiness, and relations of friendship or affection.
Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool’s paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.
I believe four ingredients are necessary for happiness: health, warm personal relations, sufficient means to keep you from want, and successful work.
ON UNCERTAINTY
It is said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this.
There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge.
The point of philosophy is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth stating, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will believe it.
In all affairs, it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.
Is there any knowledge in the world which is so certain that no reasonable man could doubt it?
Not to be absolutely certain is, I think, one of the essential things in rationality.
I see uncertainty as that state of mind in which alternatives and different possibilities permeate as viable alternatives. It is a valuable precursor to resolute determination and committed action. It is the awareness that "fact" may not be so, and perception might be temporary and contingent. Perhaps it is an intuitive and tacit acknowledgment that others might think differently. Maybe uncertainty is the seedbed of renewal and creativity.
Is there virtue in uncertainty?
I think so. But I am not certain.
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Comments
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #47
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #46
Sara Jacobovici I appreciate your comment Sara and highlighting some of my description on uncertainty. Thank you for joining the comment thread.
Harvey Lloyd
6 years ago #45
Sara Jacobovici
6 years ago #44
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #43
Lada \ud83c\udfe1 Prkic Your gracious comment shows how you live what Russell said: "The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge." Thanks for reading and commenting on the post, Lada - I certainly welcome you stopping by.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #42
Lada 🏡 Prkic
6 years ago #41
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #40
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #39
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #38
Ian Weinberg Thank you for reading Ian - and I appreciate your comments. I sincerely hope wisdom becomes (even of only a little) more over time - you will know as well as I do we need it in our environment.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #37
Robert Cormack That is a stand out line and I look forward to your article Robert.
Phil Friedman
6 years ago #36
Milos Djukic
6 years ago #35
Phil Friedman
6 years ago #34
Gert Scholtz, the following is my list of top ten. It is purely idiosyncratic, but based on what I deem to be level of original insight, lack of obscurity (save, perhaps for Wittgenstein), and contribution to reason and rationality. Plato, Aristotle, John Locke, David Hume, A.J. Ayer, Bertrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Karl Popper, Noam Chomsky, Ian Hacking. Cheers!
Ian Weinberg
6 years ago #33
Robert Cormack
6 years ago #32
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #31
Savvy Raj I think you strike at the heart of it Savvy, when you refer to "spaces in between of what is, was and the might be." A short and accurate description of uncertainty. Many thanks for reading and adding your good prose to the comments.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #30
Edward Lewellen What you highlight is the necessary tension between certainty of our core and adaptation to our roles. Once the dynamic tension is lost, adaptability reduces. Thanks reading and for a great comment Lewellen - one that made me think again.
Ken Boddie
6 years ago #29
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #28
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #27
Lisa Vanderburg Very happy to see that you enjoyed the post Lisa! And what is better than once in a while, to laugh at the uncertainty, truths and half-truths around us - whatever we perceive them to be. Special thanks for reading, sharing and commenting.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #26
Phil Friedman I guess that is part of what makes the man such a great thinker - as you say his writing is completely free of obscurity and pretension. I would be very interested to know who is on your list of ten greatest philosophers and social commentators in Western history. Glad to see it might have brought back some remembrances of your days studying and teaching philosophy. Thank you for commenting and reading Phil - most appreciated.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #25
Randall Burns I am very, very sure - in fact absolutely certain that "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts" :) Thanks Randall - appreciate your reading the post.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #24
Debasish Majumder Why am I not surprised that you have read Russell's writing. Thank you for your kind comment Debasish, and for sharing the post.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #23
Zacharias \ud83d\udc1d Voulgaris I am not 100% certain - but I really like your comment :) Thanks Zacharias.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #22
Yogesh Sukal Absolute truth is a tricky subject - at least to me it is. I did read your post on singularity and absolutism - and I am still trying to fully understand it :) Thank you for commenting Yogesh.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #21
Deb \ud83d\udc1d Helfrich "Truly innovative thought pierces deep into the complexities of the things about the world that frighten our sensible & sensical minds" - you do have a way with words Deb - and with thought - thanks for the extensive comment and telling about your (rebellious) reading of Russell at a young age.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #20
Pamela \ud83d\udc1d Williams Having known you for a while on beBee - that is exactly you, Pam - a believer in knowledge for knowledge sake. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #19
Very nice alliteration Mohammed! Thanks - and for sharing the post.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #18
Laurent Boscherini The quote by John Allen Paulos is great Laurent - thank you for that, and for sharing the post.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #17
Pascal Derrien Somehow when it comes to original thought - Russell and Derrien sounds similar to me. Thank you Pascal - good to have you reading and commenting.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #16
VDS Brink Baie goed om jou hier op beBee te sien VDS. Dankie!
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #15
Paul Walters Thank you Paul.
Gert Scholtz
6 years ago #14
Lisa Vanderburg
6 years ago #13
haha....like I'll remember that; memory of a peeled parsnip :)
Randall Burns
6 years ago #12
Lisa Vanderburg
6 years ago #11
Debasish Majumder
6 years ago #10
Jerry Fletcher
6 years ago #9
Debesh Choudhury
6 years ago #8
Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris
6 years ago #7
Phil Friedman
6 years ago #6
Mohammed Abdul Jawad
6 years ago #5
Laurent Boscherini
6 years ago #4
Pascal Derrien
6 years ago #3
Paul Walters
6 years ago #2
Bill Stankiewicz
6 years ago #1