Bertrand Russell’s Work in the History of Philosophy

Abstract This chapter examines Russell’s two major works in the history of philosophy, his Philosophy of Leibniz and the History of Western Philosophy. The first argued that a history of philosophy which concentrates on the influences on a philosopher often misses the crux of the philosophy and so advocated a “purely philosophical attitude” which examines the logic of the system. The work on Leibniz fits this mold, revealing connections in Leibniz’s system but distorting some of his views in the process. The History of Western Philosophy, however, starts with the very position rejected in the Philosophy of Leibniz. The discussion of both works examines what Russell said about the philosophers, Russell’s methodology, and what critics said about these works. The chapter concludes with a discussion of Russell’s views on causality and the study of history in general.