History of Western Philosophy

A History of Western Philosophy And Its Connection with Political and Social Circumstances from the Earliest Times to the Present Day (1945) by the philosopher Bertrand Russell is a guide to Western philosophy from the pre-Socratic philosophers to the early 20th century. A History of Western Philosophy contains both the ideas of other philosophers as well as Russell's own interpretation of them. The book was written during the Second World War, h... more

A History of Western Philosophy And Its Connection with Political and Social Circumstances from the Earliest Times to the Present Day (1945) by the philosopher Bertrand Russell is a guide to Western philosophy from the pre-Socratic philosophers to the early 20th century. A History of Western Philosophy contains both the ideas of other philosophers as well as Russell's own interpretation of them. The book was written during the Second World War, having its origins in a series of lectures on the history of philosophy that Russell gave at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia during 1941 and 1942. Much of the historical research was done by Russell's third wife Patricia. In 1943, Russell received an advance of $3000 from the publishers, and between 1943 and 1944 he wrote the book while living at Bryn Mawr College. The book was published in 1945 in the USA and a year later in the UK. The book is divided into three books, each of which is subdivided into chapters; each chapter generally... less