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When intellect met arrogance
GORDON PARSONS builds a picture of the paradoxical life of Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell (centre), alongside his wife Edith leading an anti-nuclear march in London, February 18 1961 [Creative Commons]

Bertrand Russell: Public Intellectual
Edited by Madigan & Peter Stone
Spokesman Books £19.99

 

THE title of this collection of 19 essays on the life of arguably the 20th century’s most famous philosopher raises the question, what is a public intellectual?

Michael Ruse in his brief opening memoire of Bertrand Russell defines the soubriquet as “the professional in the public market place.”

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