'These propositions may seem mild, yet, if accepted, they would absolutely revolutionize human life.'
With these words Bertrand Russell introduces what is indeed a revolutionary book. Taking as his starting-point the irrationality of the world, he offers by contrast something 'wildly paradoxical and subversive' - a belief that reason should determine human actions. Today, besieged as we are by the numbing onslaught of twenty-first-century capitalism, Russell's defence of scepticism and independence of mind is as timely as ever. In clear, engaging prose, he guides us through the key philosophical issues that affect our daily lives - freedom, happiness, emotions, ethics and beliefs - and offers no-nonsense advice.
Biography
Bertrand Russell (1872-1970). The leading British philosopher of the twentieth century, who made major contributions in the areas of logic and epistemology. Politically active and habitually outspoken, his ethical principles twice led to imprisonment.
'The result is the present volume, a collection of some of the most beautifully written and engaging essays in the English language, in which he tries to show that sceptical doubt can change the world.' - John Gray
'This collection rocked me when I was in my early 20s.' - The Age Sunday Life Magazine
