Bertrand Russell on Critical T

ABSTRACT: The ideal of critical thinking is a central one in Russell's philosophy, though this is not yet generally recognized in the literature on critical thinking. For Russell, the ideal is embedded in the fabric of philosophy, science, liberalism and rationality, and this paper reconstructs Russell's account, which is scattered throughout numerous papers and books. It appears that he has developed a rich conception, involving a complex set of skills, dispositions and attitudes, which together …

…spirit of inquiry", in Collected Papers Vol. 11, op. cit: 433. (36) Russell, "Rewards of philosophy", in Collected Papers Vol.11, op. cit.: 276. (37) Russell, "Le philosophe en temps de crise", in Collected Papers Vol. 11, op. cit.: 415. (38) Russell, "A plea for clear thinking", in Portraits From Memory op. cit.: 175. (39) Russell, review of Rupert Crawshay-Williams, The Comforts of Unreason, in Collected Papers Vol. 11, op. cit.: 323-7. (40) See my "Content and criticism: the aims of schooling", Journal of Philosophy of Education 29, 1, 1995: 47-60.