janw@inmet.UUCP (08/08/86)
>[cramer@kontron.UUCP ] >>"The opinions that are held with passion are always those for >>which no good ground exists; indeed the passion is the measure of >>the holder's lack of rational conviction." Bertrand Russell in >>"Skeptical Essays". >I also hold passionately to the belief that genocide is WRONG, and >under no circumstances should it be ignored or tolerated. By Bertrand >Russell's argument above, this means there is no rational conviction >behind it. >If you are quoting Bertrand Russell correctly, Mike, why does anyone >view him as a great philospher. His statement sounds like the statement >of a reactionary. I believe Clayton's objection to Russell's dictum is valid: passionate attachment to truth is also possible. If Russell had said "often" instead of "always", he might have been right. One exaggeration would not, however, be enough to destroy his reputation as a great philosopher. Personally, I don't think him a great philosopher, but a very intelligent writ- er on many matters. Also, there is no contradiction between being a reactionary and a great philosopher, some of them were. These little imprecisions in Clayton's posting no more invalidate it than an exaggeration in Russell's essay destroys its value. Attaining truth is more important than avoiding errors. Jan Wasilewsky