The Value of Philosophy: From Ancient Greece to Bertrand Russell
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This article explores the enduring value of philosophy by examining the connections between Bertrand Russell’s The Problems of Philosophy and the teachings of ancient Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Through their shared emphasis on reasoning, self-examination, and the pursuit of knowledge, it highlights how philosophical thought challenges conventional beliefs, encourages intellectual freedom, and shapes our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
Dating back to the beginning of time, humanity has always sought to understand the nature of existence. The innate desire to debate the fabric of what we consider to be reality defines philosophy at its core. Much of what we know today has been derived from a long line of philosophers who have built upon each other’s work, while also developing new ideas of their own.
In the words of British philosopher Bertrand Russell, “Apart from its utility in showing unsuspected possibilities, philosophy has a value, perhaps its chief value, through the greatness of the objects which it contemplates, and the freedom from narrow and personal aims resulting from this contemplation” (Russell, Ch. XV).
Bertrand Russell was a British philosopher who was born in the 19th century, best known for his contributions to the fields of mathematics and analytics. In the quote above, taken from The Problems of Philosophy, Russell defines the value of philosophy as relative to the lives of those who use it to understand not only themselves, but also the world around them (Bertrand Russell).
Because philosophy does not depend on a single correct answer, but rather on a comparison of different ideologies through the process of reasoning, many people have a hard time understanding the purpose of such a practice. To highlight the parallels between Bertrand Russell’s views on the value of philosophy and the ideas of many ancient Greek philosophers, I will discuss the contributions of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle through the lens of Bertrand Russell’s book, The Problems of Philosophy.
Ancient Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are often considered the fathers of modern philosophy because many of their contributions to the field serve as the foundations for Western thought as we know it today. Socrates was Plato’s mentor, and Aristotle was Plato’s student, so it makes sense that these men influenced one another, as well as the many ideologies that have surfaced from their ideas. I will elaborate on the similarities I have observed between these ancient Greek philosophers’ methods in relation to my studies of Bertrand Russell and his literature. First, I will address Socrates, because as Plato's mentor, his ideas inevitably influenced Aristotle as well.
Socrates was born in Athens, Greece, in the year 470 B.C., making him one of the first philosophers on the face of the Earth (Socrates). Ultimately, Socrates believed philosophy should serve as a tool for the betterment of society. He firmly believed that the desire for happiness fuels the motives behind human behavior and that this search can be attained through self-examination.
That said, Socrates emphasized that the more knowledge a person gains, the more likely he or she is to reason, better equipping oneself to make decisions that yield the greatest happiness. In the words of Socrates, “an unexamined life is not worth living” (Socrates), and I find this statement particularly applicable to the beliefs of Bertrand Russell.
Russell’s book, The Problems of Philosophy, addresses the value that philosophy can bring to the average human being’s life. Russell not only details the many applications that examining such ideologies can provide, but he also elaborates on the necessity of this practice in finding true freedom of the mind.
In his book, Russell states, “The man who has no tincture of philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices derived from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or of his nation, and from convictions which have grown up in his mind without the co-operation or consent of his deliberate reason” (Russell, Ch. XV).
By comparing a lack of philosophical thought in the course of one’s life to the concept of being imprisoned by the influence of others, Russell’s ideas parallel those of Socrates in the sense that both support the necessity of philosophy towards reaching happiness. No one would want to live imprisoned; therefore, a life without the ability to question, argue, and reason would not be worth living, as Socrates stated.
In fact, much of what we know about Socrates has been shared through the dialogues of his student, given that he is the main protagonist in many of Plato’s writings. Plato was also born in Athens, Greece, in 428 B.C. (Plato). He usually shared his ideas through dialogues, in which he was never the main character. For this reason, it is hard to tell whether the ideas he expressed were his own or those of the characters in his dialogues.
From love and beauty to morality and politics, Plato’s studies covered a wide range of topics that ultimately taught his students to think for themselves, instead of blindly listening to the beliefs of others.
One of his most renowned ideas was the concept of virtue ethics, which supports the claim that virtue is a form of knowledge necessary to reach the “ultimate good.” This ultimate good is defined as a sense of harmony that all humans desire to achieve and can only be found through reasoning and wisdom (Plato). That said, Plato supported the idea that philosophy serves as a tool to reach this ultimate good because it gives people access to a sense of true reality, since there are no predispositions.
In other words, Plato’s studies of virtue ethics reinforce Russell’s ideas that philosophy is a valuable resource for those seeking a deeper understanding of the world around them, putting people in a better position to develop virtuous characters that can serve as sources of harmony and happiness within society.
Aristotle was born in 384 B.C., and his ideas contributed to many fields, including ethics, mathematics, the sciences, and politics (Aristotle). Arguably, he is one of the most highly regarded philosophers given that his ideas remain embedded in Western thought.
Aristotle believed the best way to acquire knowledge is through observing the universe and nature, reinforcing the concept of natural philosophy. In addition, Aristotle’s work titled Protrepticus claims that everyone practices philosophy to some extent, because even those who argue against the purpose of it are doing so through a form of reasoning that stems from philosophical thought (The Lyceum).
That said, Aristotle builds a strong argument that philosophy is not only a tool but also an inevitable necessity.
This understanding reinforces Plato’s idea that reasoning is an innate source of character development that aids in helping society live in harmony. Because Russell’s book defines the study of philosophy as a tool for helping people navigate the unknown through the development of their own ideas, beliefs, and systems of morality and ethics, the parallels are evident.
Comparing these three ancient Greek philosophers makes it clearer how philosophical ideologies are passed down from generation to generation, molding the beliefs of future philosophers such as Bertrand Russell.
One of my favorite quotes from his book, The Problems of Philosophy, reads, “Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty what is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest many possibilities which enlarge our thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom” (Russell, Ch. XV).
As discussed throughout the examination of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, this quote reinforces the idea that philosophy is a necessary tool for self-development, allowing individuals to seek freedom and harmony through reasoning, questioning, and argumentation. These processes serve as the basis for philosophical thought and provide humans with the ability to reach ideas and conclusions that extend far beyond the face of what we perceive as reality.
The ability to make informed decisions and think about entities greater than ourselves differentiates us from animals, and it raises the philosophical question of why we were given this ability.
References
Irvine, Andrew David. “Bertrand Russell.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford
University, 12 Apr. 2020, plato.stanford.edu/entries/russell/.
Kenny, Anthony J.P., and Anselm H. Amadio. “The Lyceum.” Encyclopædia Britannica,
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 30 Mar. 2020,
“Plato.” Plato > By Individual Philosopher > Philosophy,
Shields, Christopher. “Aristotle.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford
University, 29 July 2015, plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle/.
“The Value of Philosophy.” The Problems of Philosophy, by Bertrand Russell, Henry Holt and
Company, 1912, pp. 111–117.
Timmons, Greg. “Socrates.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 9 Sept. 2019,
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