Bertrand Russell

Mysticism and Logic and Other Essays Bertrand Russell

A collection of essays written in the typical style of Bertrand Russell: as clearly as possible, but inevitably hard to follow sometimes, mainly when the author delves into certain aspects of philosophy I'm unfamiliar with.




His essay on mysticism versus logic is by far the best part of the work, and he succeeds in demonstrating clearly why he rejects the traditional Platonic worldview, as well as what is his particular position on the subject.




So far, Russell seems to be for philosophy what Carl Sagan seemed to be for science: the perfect popularizer. His clear and concise style keeps the attention of the reader, yet he's never oblivious of the necessity of adequate phrasing and vocabulary now and then, which makes some passages hard to read, but never as hard to read as, say, a Kant or a Hegel.




Admittedly, I skipped certain passages too hard for my brain, yet I read practically 75% of the book, so I'm sure my opinion on it counts. I recommend it, though I advise the essays get harder to follow throughout the book. (Nisus)