64 pages 2 hours read

Bertrand Russell

A History of Western Philosophy

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1945

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.

Book 3, Part 1, Chapters 12-17

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 12 Summary: “Philosophical Liberalism”

Liberalism was a sociopolitical perspective that developed mainly in England and the Netherlands in the 17th and 18th centuries. It centered on respect for individual rights (especially property rights), religious toleration, and commerce and industry. It favored democracy and the middle class instead of monarchy (especially the doctrine of the “divine right of kings”) and aristocracy. Liberalism distrusted the hereditary principle and instead emphasized education and equal rights.

Russell sees two forms of liberalism taking shape during this period: a moderate and an extreme form. Moderate liberalism is represented by John Locke, the American Founding Fathers, and the French encyclopedists. The more extreme form of liberalism took control in France during the French Revolution. Inspired by Rousseau, French liberalism took strength from the Romantic movement and nationalism. Russell sees this form of liberalism as tending toward extreme individualism, subjectivism, and anarchy; he argues that it ultimately developed into the opposite of liberalism in the form of 20th-century totalitarianism.

Chapter 13 Summary: “Locke’s Theory of Knowledge”

Although John Locke (1632-1704) is best known as a social and political philosopher, he also wrote on topics of general philosophy. His ideas on epistemology (theory of knowledge) are contained in Essay Concerning Human Understanding.

Locke is considered the founder of the school of philosophy known as

blurred text

blurred text

Related Titles

By Bertrand Russell

Plot Summary

logo

Principia Mathematica

Alfred North Whitehead, Bertrand Russell

Principia Mathematica

Alfred North Whitehead, Bertrand Russell

Study Guide

logo

The Problems of Philosophy

Bertrand Russell

The Problems of Philosophy

Bertrand Russell

Study Guide

logo

Why I Am Not a Christian

Bertrand Russell

Why I Am Not a Christian

Bertrand Russell