An Examination of the Application of Bertrand Russell's Philosophy of Logical Atomism in Social Epistemology

摘要

Misconceptions on the nature of analytic philosophy exist among scholars. Many think that it is about language analysis and propositional knowledge. This paper has used the epistemology of Bertrand Russell to clarify this misunderstanding by providing an exegesis of Russell's philosophy of logical atomism. It argues that Russell's philosophy is a harmonious fusion of rationalism and empiricism. It aims to give an exposition of Russell's philosophy of logical atomism and to underscore its social and philosophical consequences using the method of analysis. It shows that Russell's philosophy is also consistent in its fusion of rationalism and empiricism. Russell simply branded his philosophy 'logical atomism'; which he held has two dimensions as impacting on the theory of symbol and proposition. The paper thus concludes by underscoring that Russell's philosophy of philosophy has both ontological and social relevance as a problem-solving philosophy. Employing the analytic and hermeneutic methods, the paper thus recommends the atomistic and pluralistic approach to understanding reality and solving social problems.