Bertrand Russell and the Edwardian Philosophers: Constructing the World (History of Analytic Philosophy)

The author demonstrates the significant role that some of the Edwardian philosophers played in the formation of Russell's work on the problem of the external world done at the tail-end of a controversy which raged between about 1900-1915. This Book Demonstrates The Influence Of An Edwardian 'controversy' On Russell's Philosophy Of The External World. It Brings To Our Attention A Debate That Raged Amongst Edwardian Philosophers On Issues Of Central Significance To Analytic Philosophy Before Bertrand Russell Entered The Discussion. This Book Will Not Only Shed Light On The Relevant Doctrines Of Some Of The Edwardian Philosophers, But Will Also Demonstrate The Considerable Role They Played In The History Of Early Analytic Philosophy.--jacket. Stout's Proto-new-realism -- Situating G.f. Stout -- Stout's Doctrine Of Primary And Secondary Qualities -- Stout And The Brentano School -- Representative Function Of Presentations -- Sensible Space And Real Space -- Cook Wilson's Geometrical Counter-example -- Stout's Central Question -- Ideal Constructions -- Ideal Constructions In Psychology And Epistemology -- British New Realism : The Language Of Madness -- Stout's Criticisms Of Alexander -- Alexander's Response -- The Nature Of Sensations, Images, And Other Presentations -- What Is The Metaphysical Problem? -- How Can The Interpretation Which Is Supplied By The Mind Be A Constituent Of The [physical] Object? -- Some General Remarks -- British New Realism : The Language Of Common-sense -- T.p. Nunn And The New Realism -- Nunn And Things -- Nunn's Postulate -- Russell And Stout On Sensible Objects -- Russell, Sense-data And Sensibilia -- The Methods Of Construction -- Russell's Constructions And Nunn's Postulate -- Constructions, Psychology, And The Essence Of Philosophy -- The Method Of Logical Construction -- A Mathematical Development -- The Principle Of Abstraction. Omar W. Nasim. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 172-204) And Index. This book demonstrates the influence of an Edwardian 'controversy' on Russell's philosophy of the external world. It brings to our attention a debate that raged amongst Edwardian philosophers on issues of central significance to analytic philosophy before Bertrand Russell entered the discussion. In explaining this Edwardian 'controversy', Nasim Omar combines meticulous scholarly detail with accessibility to argue that the formation of the original strands of 'realism' in British philosophy, usually credited to Russell and Moore, can in fact be linked with a group of Edwardian philosophers that included G.F. Stout and Sir T.P. Nunn. The author re-examines the history of well known notions like 1sense-data2 and 1sensibilia2, and makes a case for understanding Russell's appeal for the application of 1logical constructions2, at first only used as a device in mathematical logic, to the problem of the external world. This switch in the application of logical construction is seen as the rise of a new philosophical method. This book will not only shed light on the relevant doctrines of some of the Edwardian philosophers, but will also demonstrate the considerable role they played in the history of early analytic philosophy Introduction Stout's proto-new-realism Situating G.F. Stout Stout's doctrine of primary and secondary qualities Stout and the Brentano School Representative function of presentations Sensible space and real space Cook Wilson's geometrical counter-example Stout's central question Ideal constructions Ideal constructions in psychology and epistemology British new realism : the language of madness Stout's criticisms of Alexander Alexander's response The nature of sensations, images, and other presentations What is the metaphysical problem? "How can the interpretation which is supplied by the mind be a constituent of the [physical] object?" Some general remarks British new realism : the language of common-sense T.P. Nunn and the new realism Nunn and things Nunn's postulate Russell and Stout on sensible objects Russell, sense-data and sensibilia The methods of construction Russell's constructions and Nunn's postulate Constructions, psychology, and the essence of philosophy The methods of logical construction A mathematical development The principle of abstraction. Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Introduction....Pages 1-16 Stout’s Proto-New-Realism....Pages 17-49 British New Realism The Language of Madness....Pages 50-70 British New Realism The Language of Common-Sense....Pages 71-86 Russell and the Nature of Sense-Data....Pages 87-114 The Methods of Construction....Pages 115-139 The Method of Logical Construction....Pages 140-168 Conclusion....Pages 169-171 Back Matter....Pages 172-208