Research summary
Bertrand Russell was one of the foremost philosophers of the 20th century. Although he wrote about dozens of subjects, his most important work was in logic, mathematical philosophy and analytic philosophy. Now, Dr. Alexander Klein, Canada Research Chair in Bertrand Russell and Crosscurrents of Early Analytic Philosophy, aims to situate the British philosopher at the intersection of several crosscurrents in the early 20th-century, including: psychology’s emergence as an independent science, pragmatist philosophy’s increasing influence, and the widespread diffusion of political radicalism.
Klein and his research team are developing data-mining tools to examine Russell’s interactions—sometimes adversarial and sometimes amicable—with neglected figures in early analytic philosophy, such as psychologist and pragmatist philosopher William James. Ultimately, their research will shed light on Russell’s overlooked philosophy of mind and on the social and political settings of early analytic philosophy.