Birth of Bertrand Arthur William Russell, son of John Russell (Lord Amberley) and Katherine (Kate) Stanley. Russell had a brother, John Francis Stanley Russell (Frank), born 1865 and a sister Rachel, b. 1868, d. 1874. Russell's parents were considered as political radicals and religious "free-thinkers", ie. atheists.
1872
Death of Russell's sister Rachel, also of diphtheria
1874
Caused by diphtheria. Add detail
1874
Death of Russell's father, of bronchitis. John Russell named as guardians two men known to be atheists - Cobden-Sanderson, Russell's god-father and D. A. Spalding, tutor to Frank. Spalding, who suffered from tuberculosis, was found to have been intimate with Russell's mother, and the ensuing scandal led to the two children being placed with his grandparents (Feb. 1876). .2 These were Lord John Russell (1792-1878) and Lady Frances Elliot. Lord John had been prime minister of England (get dates); his lodgings - Pembroke House - were a gift from Queen Victoria.
1876
Russell was schooled at home by hired educators, and kept a diary, coded in Greek, about his religious views and personal concerns. One of them, Mr. Ewen was interested in Marx and non-Euclidean geometry, and a defender of reason. Russell also met with the physicist Tyndall, a popularizer of science and scientific method.
1878
Death of grandfather, Lord John Russell. Russell was raised through childhood and youth by his grandmother, described as a Scottish Presbyterian by birth, a Puritan in morals and a Unitarian (at age 70) in religion
1878
Russell met Alys Pearsall Smith during the summer, when her family, originally from the US, came to live nearby. Like her parents, she was a Quaker. She was five years older than Russell.
1889
"Crammed" for entry to Cambridge at B. A. Green's University and Army Tutors at Southgage, London, where he spent 18 months. During this time he wrote a number of essays on philosophical and political themes. Russell was accepted at Trinity in Dec. 1889, winning a scholarship in mathematics
1889
Russell arrived at Trinity in Oct. 1890, where as a scholarship winner (one of 6 entrance scholarships good for three years), he was granted rooms in college. The scholarship examiner was Alfred North Whitehead, who impressed with Russell's philosophical grasp of mathematics, recommended him over another student who actually had a higher examination grade.
1890
Russell was at Trinity, where he studied for the mathematical tripos, which he finished as "seventh wrangler". During his time at Trinity, Russell met and became friends not only with Whitehead, but also with Charles Sanger (mathematics), G. E. Moore (philosophy), McTaggart (already a philosophy professor at the college), and others. He was strongly influenced by the idealism of Kant and Hegel, which McTaggart defended.
1890
Russell joined the University Moral Science Club.
1891
Russell was invited to join the "Apostles" or Society (full name: Cambridge Conversazione Society", whose membership was limited to 12.
1892
Russell began full time studies in philosophy, leading to Moral Sciences Tripos.
1893
Russell completed his mathematical undergraduate course of study, and was listed (bracketed) as 7th Wrangler in Mathematical Tripos.
1893
Russell 'came of age' (at 21), and he now had legal independence as well as a 20,000 pound inheritance from his father's estate, which provided him with 600 pounds income yearly.
1893
Proposed marriage to Alys Pearsall Smith.
1893
Marriage of Russell and Alys, followed by a honeymoon in Holland, at the Hague (three weeks), then a longer stay in Berlin and Germany .
1894
Russell received honors status (first class with distinction) at the Moral Sciences tripos.
1894
Despite the opposition of both families, Russell and Alys reveal their intention to marry. Lady Russell attempted to discourage the affair, claiming that insanity was rampant in Russell's family and likely to affect any offspring. Russell accepted to be apart from Alys for three months and became honorary attache to the British ambassador to Paris, Lord Dufferin during fall 1894.
1894
While working one day in the Tiergarten at Berlin, Russell had a moment of inspiration: he would devote his life to writing two "strands" of work - the first a series of books on philosophy of the sciences, the second a "parallel" series on social problems, to eventually meet in a "synthesis at once scientific and practical".
1895
Death of Lady Stanley of Alderley, Russell's grandmother (maternal)
1895
While in Germany Russell was going to work on a book on the philosophical/mathematical foundations of geometry, which would be his Cambridge Fellowship thesis; he also enrolled to read in economics at Berlin University. He was undecided between philosophy and politics as a career.
1895
Russell and Alys returned to Germany to research into the German Social Democratic Party.
1895
After Germany, the Russell's travel in Italy. Upon their return to England, they lived in a small cottage north of Fernhurst village. Having decided to opt for philosophy as a career, Russell worked on his fellowship thesis, to be submitted to a Prize competition. The thesis was submitted in August and was judged by Whitehead (for the mathematical aspects) and James Ward (for the philosophical aspects). Russell was successful, and obtained a six year fellowship, with rights to use Trinity facilities, but no teaching or residency requirements. (Oct. 10, 1895)
1896
Book: political, socialism, communism
1896
Russell's views on socialism in Germany were given at a talk for the Fabian society, and then as a course of 6 lectures for the London School of Economics (founded by the Webbs). This also lead to his first published book, German Social Democracy (1896), with an appendix by Alys.
1896
Attended International Socialist Congress at London.
1896
Autumn - Russell's first trip, with Alys, to the US. He gave a short series of lectures on the foundations of geometry at Bryn Mawr College, whose president, Dr. Carey Thomas, was cousin to Alys. Delivers six lectures on "Foundations of Geometry" at Bryn Mawr College (Nov. 2-20) and Johns Hopkins University (Dec. 2-11). They also visited Harvard College.
1896
During this time, Russell began, under the influence of Moore, to reject idealism.
1897
Book: philosophy, mathematics
1897
Awarded MA from Trinity
1897
Russell joined the Fabian society.
1897
Death of paternal grandmother, Countess Russell.
1898
McTaggart left to visit relatives in New Zealand, and Russell was invited to give a series of lectures on Leibniz, in his place.
1899
Book: philosophy, history
1900
BR attended the International Congress of Philosophy, Logic, and the History of Science at Paris, with Whitehead and his wife Evelyn, and Alys (who read a paper on the education of women). Russell's paper (in French) was read on Aug. 2, "Is Position in Time and Space Absolute or Relative" (as published, in part, by the Monist), to an audience including Bergson, Poincare, Couturat and Peano. In particular, Russell got a set of offprints of Peano's papers from him, from whom he learned more about Peano's logical formalism, and also about Frege's work on the foundations of mathematics.
1900
Returning to England, Russell began using the new formalism and ideas about logic to produce a work on the foundations of mathematics. The 200 thousand plus word draft for The Principles of Mathematics was finished in early Dec.
1900
Working on the revision of Principles, Russell discovered the paradoxes of the infinite involving the set of all sets not members of themselves. He deferred final resolution of the problem (and related paradoxes), and continued to work on the text of Principles.
1901
End of Russell's Prize fellowship. He was invited to lecture for a number of terms in mathematical logic. Russell and Alys move in with the Whiteheads.
1901
Conversion experience as a result of Evelyn Whitehead's heart attack (angina) and intense pain. Russell, previously a supporter of the Boer war (a liberal imperialist) states that he becomes a pacifist as a result, though this was already underway as a result of his correspondence with the French logician and philosopher Louis Couturat. Couturat, while a follower of Russell in logic was a supporter of Kant's views on peace.
1901
May, manuscript of Principles sent to publisher.
1902
He realizes that he is no longer in love with Alys.
1902
BR sent a letter with his first version of theory of types to Frege.
1902
Rereading Frege's Foundations of Arithmetic (Grundgesetze) Russell saw that Frege's system fell victim to the paradoxes of unrestricted set theory.
1902
BR wrote to Frege on the contradiction in his work, using the example of predicates that cannot be predicated of themselves. Russell modified the proofs of his own book (ch. 10) and added two appendices (one on Frege's work, one on his tentative formulation of the theory of types to avoid the paradoxes.)
1902
Speeches on Free Trade.
1903
Book: philosophy, mathematics
1903
Article on "On Denoting" in Mind, where Russell argues that subject-predicate analysis is inadequate, that existence is not a predicate, and introduces the idea of logical form of sentences.
1905
Russell joined the council of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS)
1906
Pamphlet: political, election
1907
Elected to executive committee of National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies.
1907
Russell is a candidate for parliament on the Women's Suffrage ticket in Wimbledon. Although Russell supported full adult suffrage, not just woman's suffrage equal to the then restricted male suffrage, he supported the NUWSS for this more limited demand as he felt it more easily realizable. He was elected to the executive council in Feb. 1907.
1907
"Mathematical Logic as Based on the Theory of Types", in Am. J. Math. - sets out his theory of types to avoid antinomies.
1908
Russell elected Fellow of the Royal Society.
1908
Russell joined the People's Suffrage Federation. Russell switched to the People's Suffrage Federation because it favored universal suffrage after a brief residential qualification, and in January 1910 was on its executive. He had resigned in Nov. 1909 from executive council of NUWSS) Russell was a public supporter of the PSF until 1913; it folded in 1916.
1909
Book: philosophy, essays
1910
Book: logic, mathematics
1910
Pamphlet: political, feminism
1910
BR presented himself to the local executive for Bedford for the Liberal Party, but was turned down because of his views on religion. Russell supported the candidacy of Philip Morrell, whose wife was Ottoline Morrell, with whom Russell would later have an affair.
1910
Trinity offered him a five year fellowship in logic and the principles of mathematics, at a pay of 200 pounds a year, room in college and meals paid, for 24 lectures per term.
1910
Russell and Ottoline Morrell begin their affair. May 29 - separation from Alice formalized (terms set).
1911
Russell meets Ludwig Wittgenstein. They would collaborate on working out the philosophy of logical atomism, also represented in Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1922), but later disagreed on Wittgenstein's move to ordinary language philosophy in Philosophical Investigations and other writings.
1911
Book: philosophy, theory
1912
Pamphlet: philosophy, individual
1912
Book: philosophical, logic, mathematics
1912
Russell decides not to publish Theory of Knowledge, after criticisms from Wittgenstein.
1913
Book: philosophical, logic, mathematics
1913
Russell meets Joseph Conrad; subsequently Russell named one of his son's Conrad.
1913
Russell in the US, lecturing at Harvard for 600 pounds. (2nd trip to US). In preparation Russell wrote a series of papers, including one on mysticism and logic, sense data and physics. At Harvard, he delivered the Lowell lectures on "our knowledge of the external world", which were well attended. (March 16- April 9) Russell also gave a course in logic, and another on the theory of knowledge, as well as a weekly open house for tea and discussion, and grading of examination/theses. He meets as a student of his T. S. Elliott. After visits to New York, Bryn Mawr, Chicago, Baltimore and Princeton, Russell returned to England in June.
1914
Book: philosophy , epistemology
1914
Pamphlet: philosophy, science
1914
Pamphlet: political, war
1914
Outbreak of First World War. The Liberal govt., with Grey (much disliked by Russell as secretary of the foreign office - minister). Russell was with the Morels at the outbreak of war, and the next day gave a letter to the Nation calling for neutrality. Russell had became a founding member of the Union for Democratic Control (UDC) in August 1914, and Russell campaigned for its view on neutrality and against conscription, and later for the No-Conscription Fellowship (N-CF).
1914
Herbert Spencer lectures at Oxford on "Scientific Method in Philosophy".
1914
The Perplexities of John Forstice, "written closely with Ottoline Morrell" completed in summer; not published at the time.
1915
Pamphlet: political, pacifism
1915
Conscription introduced in Great Britain.
1915
Russell meets D. H. Lawrence, with whom he initially was in agreement as to opposition to the war, but with whom he disagreed about how to rebuild a rational society.
1915
Five year lectureship at Trinity renewed, from Oct. 1, 1915
1915
Book: political, war
1916
Book: political, social
1916
Pamphlet: political, lectures
1916
Pamphlet: political, war
1916
Leaflet: political, war
1916
Pamphlet: political, war
1916
Leaflet: political, war
1916
Pamphlet: political, war
1916
Russell actively engaged in work for No-Conscription Fellowship.
1916
Russell wrote a pamphlet (leaflet) in support of Ernest Everett, a schoolmaster at St. Helens, who had refused to do alternative service for conscientious objection. The leaflet was published by the NCF, with an additional paragraph at the end. Distributors were arrested for circulating it. (May 17), The Times - Russell publishes a letter stating that he is the author of the leaflet. (May 30) detectives serve Russell with a summons for "impeding recruiting and discipline." (June 5) - trial at the Mansion House, with Sir Charles Wakefield, the Lord Mayor of the City of London presiding, A. H. Bodkin as prosecutor. Russell plead his own case and was found guilty, and fined 100 pounds or 61 days in prison, with eight days to pay. (June 29)- appeal rejected at City Quarter Sessions. Russell refused to pay, and his goods, including over 1500 books were seized for auction. Friends put up the 125 pounds for his books and essential possessions, which were then returned to him; he lost some household furnishing in a second part of the auction.
1916
NY Times reproduced Russell's letter to Pres. Woodrow Wilson, recently reelected as US president. The letter, calling for the US to act as mediator between the combatants, was smuggled out of Britain and delivered to the US by hand.
1916
Russell gave a series of lectures, to be later published as Principles of Social Reconstruction (in the US - Why Men Fight). These lectures were given at Caxton Hall, Westminster, advertised in the Cambridge Magazine for eight evenings over Jan- March.
1916
The Council of Trinity College unanimously dismissed him from the Lectureship he held (renewed the previous October, ie 1915). A "memorial" notice of protest of this action by 22 Fellows was circulated.
1916
After Everett decision, Grey refuses Russell a passport to lecture at Harvard, offered him in Jan. of 1916.
1916
Russell embarked on a series of six weeks of lectures outside London, on "The World as it can be Made" to the general public, including miners, steel workers and others, especially in S. Wales. He was to lecture in six cities on "Philosophical Principles of Politics", to be paid for by Quakers, 100 pounds per city. (Sept. 1) Permission to speak in cities requested of Lt-Col. AVF Russell, a distant cousin, with limitations imposed. The series was to be called "The World As It Can be Made", with six lectures on Political Ideals, Evils of Capitalism and the Wage System, Pitfalls in Socialism, Individual Freedom and State Control, National Independence and Internationalism, and Education and Prejudice. Russell rejected compromises by War office that he not refer to current events. The first lecture was to have been delivered in Glasgow, from which he was banned. It was delivered by Robert Smillie, the miners' leader (mid October).
1916
Scotland Yard officers serve Russell with an order forbidding him to enter prohibited areas (soldiers quartered, munitions production) without special permission. (War Office ban, signed by cousin, Lt. Col. A. Russell).
1916
Russell met Collette O'Neill, stage name for Lady Constance Malleson and began an affair with her.
1916
Book: philosophy, political
1917
Gave series of lectures on mathematical logic at Dr. Williams' Library (beginning of Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy)
1917
Article, "The German Peace Offer" in the first issue of 1918 of the Tribunal, in which he refers to US troops as strike-breakers. (Feb. 4) Russell is summoned to court in February on charges of making statements "likely to prejudice His Majesty's relations with the United States of America." (Feb. 9) He was found guilty and sentenced to six months in the Second Division. (May 1) Appealed the sentence, and commuted to six months in the First Division (May 1 - Sept. 14) Russell began his sentence on May 1st at Brixton jail. He was released on Sept. 14, after serving 4.5 months.
1918
Book: political, socialism, syndicalism
1918
Book: philosophy, essays
1918
Pamphlet: philosophy, mind
1918
Sentenced to 6 months detention in Second division; modified to First division.
1918
Series of lectures on "The Philosophy of Logical Atomism" at Dr. Williams' Library. This series was begun just before his trial and completed after his conviction, but before he entered jail.
1918
Served time in Brixton prison during which he wrote Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy.
1918
Letter from fellows requesting that Russell's lectureship at Trinity be restored. Whitehead signed, McTaggart did not. Russell was offered a lectureship, at 250 pounds (guineas) per year, which he declined.
1919
Summer - met Dora black. Dec. - Russell met Wittgenstein in Holland (the Hague), who had earlier sent Russell a copy of Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, which they reviewed together.
1919
Book: philosophy, mathematics
1919
Pamphlet: philosophy, mind, lectures
1919
August - Russell and Dora left for Asia on board the French ship Portos. Russell had spent a night with Colette as official grounds for divorce (his adultery) from Alys. Russell and Dora arrived first at Saigon, then went on to Peking. Russell had been invited by Lian Ch'i-Ch'ao, responsible for foreign lecturers at the Univ. of Peking, and the Chinputang, the Progressive Party. Russell met John Dewey in Changsha. In March, Russell became ill with double pneumonia, and almost died. By July they left, and arrived in Tokyo, returning to England in August. Sept. 27th, with Dora pregnant, Russell and she were married. (his divorce from Alys had been completed in May).
1920
Book: politics, communism
1920
Russell joined a group going to the Soviet Union, sponsored by the British Trades Union Congress. Maxim Litvinov, Soviet representative to Sweden, though a fellow prisoner with Russell at Brixton, initially hesitated to recommend him a visa, but then relented. Russell met with Gorky, Trotsky (at the opera), Emma Goldman, and Lenin (on May 19). Dora Black visited Russia with a separate delegation.
1920
Book: philosophy, metaphysics, mind
1921
Pamphlet: politics, lectures
1921
Pamphlet: political, election
1921
Birth of son John Conrad Russell.
1921
Russell a Labor candidate for Chelsea, for which he was defeated.
1922
Book: politics, China
1922
Lecture tour of US (third tour), organized by William B. Feakins. The tour lasted nine weeks, mainly on political subjects. A debate with Scott nearing, American socialist leader was later published as Bolshevism and the West.
1923
Birth of daughter Katherine Jane (Kate), who later wrote a book, My Father Bertrand Russell.
1923
Again Labor candidate for Chelsea; lost again.
1923
Book: politics, history, social
1923
Book: science, popularization
1923
Bought house, called Carn Voel at Porthcumo on south coast of Cornwall, near Lands End. Russell also maintained a lodging in London for most of his life.
1924
Dora Russell a candidate for Labor Party.
1924
Book: philosophy, science
1924
Pamphlet: political, communism
1924
Pamphlet: political, communism
1924
Pamphlet: political, communism
1924
Book: science, popularization
1925
Book: philosophy, personal
1925
Book: philosophy, education
1926
Russell and Dora leased Telegraph House, in South Downs from his brother Frank, to be used for a school, called Beacon Hill, which opened on Sept. 22, with Dora initially in charge as BR went on a speaking tour of the US. Publication in US of Dora's book, The Right to Be Happy.
1927
Fourth speaking tour of the US. Others in 1929 and 1931, mainly to raise money for school, which operated at a loss. The tour included a debate with Max Eastman on "The Road to Freedom". Russell was refused permission to speak at College of the City of New York by its president, Frederick Robinson (invited by student organization). Opposition by Bishop Manning, Episcopal Bishop of NY to BR, based on his advocacy of "illegal and offensive" practices. Russell received more than 10,000 US dollars for the tour.
1927
Book: philosophy, theory
1927
Book: philosophy - metaphysics, physics
1927
Pamphlet: philosophy, religion, personal
1927
Book: philosophy, essays
1928
Tour of US (fifth), including debate with John Cowper Powys on "Is Modern Marriage a Failure".
1929
Book: social, philosophy, ethics
1929
Russell meets Marjorie (Patricia - Peter) Spence, hired as governess of his children. Dora meantime has had an affair with Griffin Barry, and has a child with him - Harriet Ruth Bary Russell, born July 8, 1930.
1930
Book: philosophy, social
1930
Pamphlet: political, social
1930
Russell an examiner for Wittgenstein's PhD thesis.
1931
Death of Frank Russell, and BR became Earl. This included a seat in the House of Lords, and Russell announced he would sit as a Labor supporter (Indep. Labor Party).
1931
Sixth tour of US (third for school).
1931
Book: philosophy, science
1931
Leaflet: political, individual
1931
Pamphlet: philosophy, religion
1931
Dora Russell is pregnant again by Barry, and has child Roderick in 1932. BR and Dora officially separate and engage in multi-year custody battle over children. Russell ceases his involvement with Beacon Hill school. Dora receives final decree of divorce in 1935, based on Russell's affair with Patricia Spence.
1932
Book: education, social
1932
Book: social, historical
1934
Book: philosophy, social
1935
Book: philosophy, science
1935
Book: political, peace
1936
Pamphlet: philosophy, physics
1936
Russell was invited to give a series of lectures at Oxford on "Words and Facts."
1937
Russell sends out feelers for appointment to academic post in the US. At the Princeton Institute for Advanced Studies, he was supported by Einstein, Veblen, and Weyl, but is vetoed by head of the institute, Flexner. An attempt to succeed Whitehead at Harvard, as well as posts at Chicago and California do not elicit offers.
1937
Birth of son (with Patricia/Peter), Conrad Sebastian Robert (also named after Joseph Conrad).
1937
Book: personal, family
1937
Offer from Humanities Division of the University of Chicago to be Visiting Professor for academic year 1938-39. Russell, Peter, and Conrad sail to US. Russell had three responsibilities at Chicago - an undergrad course "The Problems of Philosophy", a graduate seminar on semantics, and a series of lectures based on his book Power. Also lectures on topic of "Words and Facts", now titled "Correlation Between Oral and Somatic Motor Habits" as something of a pedantic joke. His lectures were attended by Charles Morris, Rudolf Carnap, Irving Copi. Russell disagreed with the president of Chicago Robert Hutchins, and his Great Books focus.
1938
Russell supported Chamberlain for the Munich accord. Russell defended an absolute pacifist position as late as his book Which Way to Peace; subsequently, he did not allow republication of the book as he moved (back) to a non-absolute position on war, exceptionally allowing for wars of principle. - such as he would view WWII to be.
1938
Book: philosophy, politics
1938
Russell not renewed at Chicago, but received an offer to University of California (Santa Barbara?), where Russell did not get along with president Robert Sproul. While at UCLA he applied for and was accepted for a five year position at City College of New York, to teach logic and the philosophy of science, at a salary of $5000 a year.
1939
Letter of April 15, 1939 to FDR urging him to act as mediator. Outbreak of WWII.
1939
Pamphlet: political, education
1939
Russell gave William James lectures at Harvard, published that same year as Inquiry into Truth and Meaning. Frontispiece of English (not US) edition indicates his previous appointments and "Judicially pronounced unworthy to be Professor of Philosophy at the College of the City of New York (1940)".
1940
Russell received a job offer from Dr. Albert Barnes, creator of the Barnes foundation at Merion, near Philadelphia. He would lecture on the history of philosophy, with consideration of the social background, as complement to lectures on art and art history already given at the Foundation. Russell was offered 6000 dollars per year for a five year contract, increased to 8000 dollars (in Barnes' mind excluding outside lecturing).
1940
February - offered professorship at College of the City of New York. This meets with the immediate opposition of Bishop Manning (Protestant) and a "religious lobby". March 18 - motion to revoke Russell's appointment defeated at Board of Higher Education - March 19 - Mrs. Jean Kay brings suit in State Supreme Court charging Russell on three counts: he is an alien, did not pass civil service exams, and his morals are a corrupting influence on youth. Joseph Goldstein represented Mrs. Kay before Justice McGeehan. Russell was not directly sued, so he could not represent himself - the Board of Higher Education was the accused, for having hired him. The judgment went against hiring Russell, on all counts, particularly the third. Russell was still in California at this time.
1940
Book: philosophy, epistemology
1940
Controversy with Barnes over Patricia Russell's presence at BR's lectures and her knitting during class - she was barred from the lectures.
1941
Pamphlet: political, personal
1941
Letter to New York Times in favor of war; see also letter of 11 June 1940 to NYT as well.
1941
Russell was dismissed, ostensibly because he was to give a series of lectures in NY to the Rand School on "The Problems of Democracy". Russell had to support his family (Patricia, Conrad) plus two children from his marriage to Dora now in the US as well (Kate, John).
1942
Russell continued his research and writing on the history of western philosophy at Bryn Mawr, where an anonymous grant paid for a series of lectures by him in the Philosophy Dept. on "The Postulates of Scientific Method". Russell met Edith Finch, teaching English at the college, who he had met earlier. Russell's claim against the Barnes Foundation settled in his favor - 20,000 (24,000 owing for 3 years of his contract, less 4000 expected earnings during that period). Barnes appealed twice and lost.
1943
Pamphlet: philosophy, logic, mathematics
1943
Pamphlet: philosophy, ideas
1943
Pamphlet: philosophy, history
1943
Trinity elects Russell to Fellowship under Title B, following letters by Lady Russell and publication of Hardy's book on the WWI Trinity affair. Russell returned just after the Normandy invasion. His rooms at Trinity were those previously used by Newton.
1944
Pamphlet: philosophy, lectures
1944
Pamphlet: political, ideas
1944
Initially, Russell was in favor of East-West division as means to assure peace, with USSR without A-bomb. But in a letter to Kingsley-Martin, editor of the New Statesman he stressed the need to coerce USSR and threaten it with "active hostility". In an article in Cavalcade (Oct. 20, 1945), Russell proposed a "Confederation which would monopolize nuclear weapons... but if the USSR did not give way and join the confederation, after there had been time for mature consideration, the conditions for a justifiable war... would all be fulfilled." In general, his attitude to the USSR was hostile, as he saw it as the main threat of war, ultimately nuclear, especially after the rejection by the USSR of the Baruch proposals. See letter 5 May 1948 to Dr. Walter Marseille, in US: "As Soon as Russia rejected the Baruch proposals, I urged that all nations should form an Alliance, and threaten Russia with war unless Russia agreed to come in and permit inspection." Article in Nineteenth Century and After, vol. 145 - Jan. 1949 - "If there is war, it should be won as quickly as possible." Quoted by Manchester Guardian (Nov. 16, 1950) as supporting rearmament and H-bomb. This and other statements led to censure by Cambridge Univ. Labor Club. Russell denied, however, that he advocated a preventive war.
1945
Book: history of philosophy
1945
Participates in BBC "Brains Trust."
1946
Pamphlet: philosophy, ideas
1946
Pamphlet: philosophy, ideas
1946
Pamphlet: philosophy, metaphysics
1946
Pamphlet: philosophy, physics
1946
Pamphlet: political, democracy
1946
Pamphlet: philosophy, ideas
1946
Lectures on "Introduction to Philosophy" at Trinity in autumn to an audience of up to 500.
1947
Gave lectures (annual course) on "Non-Demonstrative Inference", preparatory for Human Knowledge: Its Scope and Limits.
1947
Debate with Father Coplestone on "The Existence of God", broadcast on BBC
1947
Pamphlet: philosophy, science
1947
Pamphlet: philosophy, epistemology
1947
Pamphlet: philosophy, social
1947
Pamphlet: philosophy, personal
1947
Pamphlet: philosophy, personal
1947
Pamphlet: political, international
1947
Pamphlet: philosophy, metaphysics
1947
Visit to Sweden, with two lectures, "Mind and Matter" and "Culture and the State." Also speaks to British troops in blockaded Berlin Lecture in Norway. The plane he took from Oslo to Trondheim crashed and all those in non-smoking section forward drowned. Russell, a long time and addicted pipe smoker, was in the rear smoking section and swam to safety from the capsized plane.
1948
Book: philosophy, epistemology
1948
Lectures on "Science and Society" at Oxford. awarded British Order of Merit. Fellowship at Trinity had been renewed at end of 1948 for another year, then in Sept. 1949, he was awarded Title E Fellowship for life. Separation from Peter (Patricia Spence)
1949
Russell joined by Colette, further conflict with Peter, leading to separation.
1949
Book: philosophy, politics
1949
Pamphlet: philosophy, religion
1949
Tour of Australia. tour of US. While at Princeton, he learned he had been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Lectures at Columbia in NYC on "Impact of Science on Society". Award ceremony in Stockholm for Nobel in Dec 1950. His lecture was on "What Desires are Politically Important" on war and peace.
1950
Book: social, essays
1950
Further US tour.
1951
Book: social, essays
1951
Pamphlet: political, ideas
1951
Divorce from Peter on grounds of his desertion, marriage to Edith Finch. He had been introduced to her in , met her again at Bryn Mawr in 1943, again in NY in 1950.
1952
Book: philosophy, science
1952
Pamphlet: political, war
1952
Pamphlet: political, ideas
1952
Book: personal, humor
1953
Book: literature, essays
1953
Pamphlet: political, individual
1953
Pamphlet: political, ideas
1953
Lecture on BBC on "Man's Peril.", 23 Dec. reprinted in Portraits from Memory, one of the key speeches launching the anti-nuclear, ban the bomb campaign
1953
Book: literature, essays
1954
Book: philosophy, politics
1954
Russell buys house, Plas Penrhyn, in North Wales.
1955
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1955
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1955
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1955
Publication, after July 9 conference with press, chaired by Rotblat. Russell-Einstein Manifesto against nuclear war. Also signed by Percy Bridgman, Hermann Muller, Cecil Powell, Joseph Rotblat, Leopold Infeld, Hideki Yukawa, Max Born, Juliot-Curie; signed by Linus Pauling afterwards.
1955
Book: philosophy, logic, epistemology
1956
Book: personal, essays
1956
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1956
Pamphlet: political, individual
1956
Pamphlet: political, socialism, communism
1956
First Pugwash meeting, sponsored by Cyrus Eaton, a Trustee of the Univ. of Chicago, whose home was in Pugwash, Nova Scotia. Held in July. Nov - letter to Khrushchev and Eisenhower (in Vital Letters of R, K, Dulles). Article by J. B. Priestley, "Britain and the Nuclear Bombs", vs British armament. Large response to the article leads to a meeting with Kingsley Martin, Priestley, Blackett, George Kennan, Russell. Organization named Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), founded Jan. 27, 1958. Russell became president.
1957
Book: religion, personal
1957
Book: politics, essays
1957
Participation in CND, becomes President of organization.
1958
Book: politics, nuclear
1958
Book: philosophy, essays, collection
1958
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1958
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1958
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1958
Leaflet: political, nuclear
1958
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1958
Pamphlet: political, unknown
1958
Feb. Debate in House of Lords on disarmament, organized by Russell.
1959
Book: politics, nuclear
1959
Book: philosophy, popularization
1959
Book: philosophy, personal
1959
Pamphlet: political, peace
1959
Pamphlet: political,, peace
1959
Meets Ralph Schoenman. a young American who becomes Russell's secretary and represents him, until a later break initiated by Russell.
1960
Book: politics, philosophy, personal
1960
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1960
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1960
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1960
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1960
Pamphlet: political, socialism
1960
Creation of "Committee of 100 for civil disobedience against Nuclear Warfare" campaign. d Russell resigned as President of CND, Oct. 1960. C100 "inaugurated" a Friends' House, Oct. 1960.
1960
First sit-down planned for 18 Feb. 1961 at Air Ministry. Aug. 6, Hiroshima Day - wreath laying at Centopath, and meeting at Hyde Park, addressed by Russell until stopped by police for using a microphone. The meeting became a march to Trafalgar square, where meeting started again. In Sept., Russell and wife in N. Wales and served with summons to appear in court for violation of Act of 1361, charged with inciting public to civil disobedience (along with 36 other members of C100). Russell defended himself Sept. 12, 1961 at Bow Street court, and was sentenced, along with Edith to 2 months, reduced to 1 week after presentations of his and wife's medical conditions. Russell issued a leaflet while in prison protesting his arrest. Sept. 17 - sit down at Trafalgar Square? broken up by police. Russell and wife released Sept. 18.
1961
Book: philosophy, essays
1961
Book: politics, nuclear
1961
Book: philosophy, essays, collection
1961
Pamphlet: political, peace
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, personal
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, personal
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, non-violence
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, personnel
1961
Pamphlet: social, personal
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1961
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1962
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1962
Pamphlet: political, personal
1962
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1962
Pamphlet: political, nuclear
1962
Pamphlet: political, Vietnam
1962
Pamphlet: social, art
1962
Pamphlet: political, human rights
1962
Pamphlet: political, peace
1962
Beginning of Cuban missile crisis. Russell writes to all involved and attempts to broker a solution based on end to blockade, removal of missiles from Cuba and Turkey.
1962
Book: politics, nuclear
1963
Pamphlet: political, USA
1963
Pamphlet: political, USA
1963
Pamphlet: political, war
1963
Pamphlet: political, Vietnam
1963
Russell resigned from C100
1963
Pamphlet: political, USA
1964
Pamphlet: political, India
1964
Pamphlet: political, Vietnam
1964
Pamphlet: political, peace
1964
Creation of the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, to continue advocacy of peaceful resolution of international conflicts.
1964
Seeks money for Foundation, and agrees to sell his papers to McMaster Univ., Ontario
1966
Establishment of International War Crimes Tribunal about US war crimes in Vietnam Included JP Sartre; Ralph Schoenman as Sec.-Gen. Meetings held in Stockholm, then Denmark.
1966
Pamphlet: political, Vietnam
1966
Pamphlet: political, Vietnam
1966
Book: politics, Vietnam
1967
Book: bibliography
1967
Book: autobiography, personal
1967
Papers sold to McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.
1968
Book: autobiography, personal
1968
Pamphlet: political, Vietnam
1968
Pamphlet: political, Vietnam
1968
Break with Schoenman is made public.
1969
Book: autobiography, personal
1969
Book: personal, letters
1969
Died at Plas Penrhyn, between 7 and 8 pm. He was 97, 3 months short of 98.
1970
Message to Int. Conf. of Parliamentarians in Cairo, re Israel-Palestine conflict, his last writing.
1970
First time online meeting
2020