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Full Idea
Empiricist Liberalism (not incompatible with democratic socialism) is, as in Locke's time, the only philosophy that can be adopted by a man who demands some scientific evidence for beliefs, and also desires human happiness more than some party or creed.
Gist of Idea
Empiricist Liberalism is the only view for someone who favours scientific evidence and happiness
Source
Bertrand Russell (Philosophy and Politics [1950], p.31)
Book Ref
Russell,Bertrand: 'Unpopular Essays' [Unwin 1990], p.31
A Reaction
I like this way of presenting liberalism. In the modern world we are sunk if we don't pay attention to experts, so we all need a critical understanding of what counts as good evidence. Tricky in a world of lying media.
Related Idea
Idea 23171 Empiricism is ethically superior, because dogmatism favours persecution and hatred [Russell]
23169 | Democratic institutions become impossible in a fanatical democracy [Russell] |
23170 | Liberal opinions are tentative rather than dogmatic, and are always responsive to new evidence [Russell] |
23172 | Empiricist Liberalism is the only view for someone who favours scientific evidence and happiness [Russell] |
23171 | Empiricism is ethically superior, because dogmatism favours persecution and hatred [Russell] |