A student's guide to the central ideas and key works of Bertrand Russell.

Winner of the 2014 Bertrand Russell Society Book Award Bertrand Russell was one of the greatest philosophers of the twentieth century. Over his professional career of 45 years Russell left his mark and influence in many domains of intellectual inquiry. This includes the foundations of mathematics, the philosophy of science, metaphysics, the theory of knowledge, the philosophy of language, education, religion, history, ethics and politics. In Russell: A Guide for the Perplexed, John Ongley and Rosalind Carey offer a clear and thorough account of the work and thought of this key thinker, providing a thematic outline of his central ideas and his enduring influence throughout the field of philosophy. The authors lay out a detailed survey of Russell's academic, technical philosophy, exploring his work on logic, mathematics, metaphysics, language, knowledge and science. This concise and accessible book engages the reader in a deeper critical analysis of Russell's prolific philosophical and literary output.

"What's especially good about Ongley and Carey's book is its accessibility to all intelligent readers, not just Russell scholars...And the chapters on the rest of his technical philosophy are not only clearly presented, but are neatly separated into the early, middle, and late Russell so that the reader can gain an understanding of the evolution and coherence of Russell's philosophical thought over more than half a century." - Bertrand Russell Society Book Award 2014