more from Bertrand Russell

Single Idea 5368

[catalogued under 1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 3. Philosophy Defined]

Full Idea

Philosophy should show us the hierarchy of our instinctive beliefs, ..and show that they do not clash, but form a harmonious system. There is no reason to reject an instinctive belief, except that it clashes with others.

Gist of Idea

Philosophy verifies that our hierarchy of instinctive beliefs is harmonious and consistent

Source

Bertrand Russell (Problems of Philosophy [1912], Ch. 2)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'The Problems of Philosophy' [OUP 1995], p.12


A Reaction

This is open to the standard objections to the coherence theory of truth (as explained by Russell!), but I like this view of philosophy. Somewhere behind it is the rationalist dream that the final set of totally consistent beliefs will have to be true.