[lbo-talk] Bertrand Russell "Considered purely as a philosopher, Marx has grave shortcomings.

[socialismorbarbarism]

I believe Russell is trying to say that Marx "retained a cosmic [sic]
optimism" because he failed [sic] to "assimilate the fact" that "Man has
not ... cosmic importance," a fact that Russell feels for some reason is
very important to recognize. To which Marx could reply (has replied,
really): Of what import is man's "cosmic importance," or lack thereof, to
anything of any importance to anybody?

Russell: "No man who has failed to assimilate this fact has a right to call
his philosophy scientific." Funny, I was left feeling that it was Russell
who was edging close to waiving his my-philosophy-is-scientific rights.

On Mon, Aug 12, 2013 at 3:11 AM, c b <cb31450 at gmail.com> wrote:


> Bertrand Russell
> "Considered purely as a philosopher, Marx has grave shortcomings. He
> is too practical, too much wrapped up in the problems of his time. His
> purview is confined to this planet, and, within this planet, to Man.
> It has been evident that Man has not the cosmic importance which he
> formerly arrogated to himself. No man who has failed to assimilate
> this fact has a right to call his philosophy scientific. Marx
> professed himself an atheist, but retained a cosmic optimism which
> only theism could justify."
>
> -Bertrand Russell "A History of Western Philosophy" (1945) Book Three,
> Part II, Chapter XXVII Karl Marx p.788
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>