Bertrand Russell (18 May 1872 - 02 February 1970)

  • 1903 - Russell makes a name for himself.

    1903 - Russell makes a name for himself.
    In 1903, Bertrand Russell publishes The Principles of Mathematics, a work that contends that mathematics and logic are one and the same. Despite the work covering much in the realm mathematics, the contention that math and logic are the same was novel and had a lasting impact in logic philosophy. Russell, Bertrand. The Principles of Mathematics. Cambridge University Press, 1903.
  • 1912 - Russell delves into the realm of philosophy.

    1912 - Russell delves into the realm of philosophy.
    Up to this point, Russell was primarily known as a mathematician, however he had always had a foot firmly placed in the realm of philosophy. His book, The Problems of Philosophy, was one of the works that contributed to development of a new discipline called analytical philosophy. Analytical philosophy would grow to encompass and nurture several sub-disciplines, one of them being the philosophy of science.
    Russell, Bertrand. The Problems of Philosophy. Henry Holt and Company, 1912.
  • 1914 - Russell sets the framework for the philosophy of science.

    1914 - Russell sets the framework for the philosophy of science.
    Russell publishes a book that discussed science and philosophy, which ultimately influenced the logical empiricism movement and, thus, the field of philosophy of science.
    Russell, Bertrand. Our Knowledge of the External World as a Field for Scientific Method in Philosophy. Open Court Publishing, 1914.
  • 1945 - Russell entrenches himself as a philosopher of note.

    1945 - Russell entrenches himself as a philosopher of note.
    While Russell was developing his own ideas in philosophy, he penned a history of western philosophy up to that point. History of Western Philosophy was thorough and accessible enough to still be in use in college-level philosophy courses nearly 70 years later. Russell's final chapter covered his ideas on the philosophy of logical analysis, ensuring his ideas become cemented within western philosophy.
    Russell, Bertrand. History of Western Philosophy. Simon and Schuster, 1945.
  • 1952 - Russell's Teapot

    1952 - Russell's Teapot
    This is Russell's famous analogy used to illuminate the concepts of falsifiability in a claim and burden of proof. It's also pointedly antagonistic towards religious beliefs, but overlooking that, the lessons are worthy of regard by all. It's had several iterations, but the earliest mention is from an unpublished work from 1952.
    Bertrand Russell's Teapot