Revisiting Why Bertrand Russell Was Prevented from Teaching at CCNY

Location

Beaman A&B

Presentation Type

Presentation

Start Date

25-9-2012 2:00 PM

Description

Bertrand Russell was one of the most brilliant and controversial philosophers of the mid-twentieth century. His reputation for brilliance was made when, together with Alfred North Whitehead, he authored the ground-breaking work Principia Mathematica, which became one of the most widely heralded books on the foundation of mathematics as logic. Russell brought philosophy into popular public discourse in England and America in a way never seen before or since. He was frequently featured in BBC broadcasts, especially “The Brains Trust” and the “Third Programme.” During his long tenure at Cambridge University his fame grew dramatically, as did the controversies that surrounded his views on morality, religion, politics, and social institutions. In this talk, Dr. Littlejohn recounts the events surrounding first the offer of a distinguished teaching position to Russell at the City College of New York and its subsequent withdrawal. He explains the functions and impact of incivility in this all-too-real case and considers the causes for resorting to such strategies.

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Sep 25th, 2:00 PM

Revisiting Why Bertrand Russell Was Prevented from Teaching at CCNY

Beaman A&B

Bertrand Russell was one of the most brilliant and controversial philosophers of the mid-twentieth century. His reputation for brilliance was made when, together with Alfred North Whitehead, he authored the ground-breaking work Principia Mathematica, which became one of the most widely heralded books on the foundation of mathematics as logic. Russell brought philosophy into popular public discourse in England and America in a way never seen before or since. He was frequently featured in BBC broadcasts, especially “The Brains Trust” and the “Third Programme.” During his long tenure at Cambridge University his fame grew dramatically, as did the controversies that surrounded his views on morality, religion, politics, and social institutions. In this talk, Dr. Littlejohn recounts the events surrounding first the offer of a distinguished teaching position to Russell at the City College of New York and its subsequent withdrawal. He explains the functions and impact of incivility in this all-too-real case and considers the causes for resorting to such strategies.