Our Knowledge of the External World as a Field for Scientific Method in Philosophy

by Bertrand Russell

"Our Knowledge of the External World as a Field for Scientific Method in Philosophy" by Bertrand Russell is a philosophical treatise written in the early 20th century. The work explores the limitations and potentials of the logical-analytic method in philosophy, aiming to ground philosophical inquiry in scientific principles and objective knowledge. Russell's central focus is on the relation between sensory data and the concepts in mathematical physics. The opening of the text introduces the context for Russell's lectures, where he seeks to establish the importance of a rigorous scientific method in philosophical practice. He evaluates the historical claims made by philosophers about the nature of reality and knowledge, critiquing them for their often excessive ambitions and inadequate results. By doing so, he highlights the need for philosophy to evolve alongside the advances in scientific understanding, employing logic and analysis to tackle complex problems that were previously considered unsolvable.