Bertrand Russell's Philosophy: Religion, Science, and Contradictions

❖ Bertrand Russell's Philosophical Thought: Religion, Science, and Contradictions ❖​

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✿ Bertrand Russell and His Philosophical Views​

Bertrand Russell, a renowned philosopher and atheist of his time, was widely recognized for his philosophical and scientific thinking. His life spanned nearly a century, during which he continuously pondered the following critical questions:

• What can we know with certainty?
• How much of our knowledge is definite and how much is doubtful?

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❖ Types of Knowledge​

According to Russell, knowledge can be divided into two categories:

① Knowledge of Things: Based on sensory experiences — i.e., things we can perceive.
② Knowledge of Truths: Related to truths that transcend the senses and are known through inference.

❖ Inference and Science​

In Russell’s view, inference can be valid, particularly when it is scientific inference, i.e., based on observation. According to him:

• Both the real world and the world of beliefs fall within the scope of science.
• As science progresses, elements of belief increasingly become part of it.

Russell acknowledged the possibility of universal skepticism, though he did not adopt it entirely. He writes:

"I have reached the conclusion that sensory facts and the general truths of science can be accepted as initial data, although their truth is not absolutely certain."

❖ Russell's Thoughts on Theoretical Physics​

Russell considered theoretical physics to be extremely abstract. In his opinion:

• The principles and laws of physics describe only the logical structure of events, but not their intrinsic nature.
• Physics explains the abstract properties of transformations but remains silent on “what is” and “where from.”

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❖ Russell's Thought Approaching Religion​

Russell’s philosophical ideas — particularly his inferences — bring him somewhat closer to religion. He acknowledged that:

• Beliefs not provable by experience can still be rational.
• The design in the universe could be considered evidence for the existence of a designer.

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❖ Contradictions in Russell’s View on Religion​

In his book "Why I Am Not a Christian", Russell declared the major world religions to be false and harmful. Rejecting Aristotle's classical logic, he cited modern science and Darwinism. However, it is surprising that:

• He dismissed the argument of cosmic design based on Darwinism,
• Even though Darwinism itself is an uncertain and unproven theory,
• And the existence of order in the universe is an established reality, which can point to a designer.

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❖ Russell and the Theory of Evolution​

According to Russell, the theory of evolution attributes the existence of various life forms to material causes. Yet, this theory suffers from several weaknesses:

① The causes and details of evolution remain unknown.
② The theory is largely hypothetical and not demonstrable through observation.

❖ Objection Regarding Religion and Creation​

Russell’s assertion that the act of divine creation must be instantaneous is logically flawed. Religion has always held that creation can be gradual, just as a tree or a human grows over time. Even if life emerges through a long evolutionary process, this does not negate God’s absolute power.

❖ Conclusion​

Russell’s thoughts reflect a persistent tension between religion and science. On one hand, he accepts the order in the universe, and on the other, he denies it based on Darwinism. Analyzing his ideas reveals that he contradicts his own accepted truths by rejecting them on speculative grounds — indicating a clear contradiction in his philosophy.