Bertrand Russell: Ideas That Have Helped Mankind
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Before beginning the discussion of ideas that have helped mankind. Russell thinks it is necessary to discuss the conception of helpfulness itself. There are many ways in which ideas have helped and can help, mankind. Ideas have helped mankind in various ways, all of which are equally important.
They have put mankind on an advantageous footing as compared with the other animals with whom man has to share the earth. A man rising above the animal level can be said to be another way in which ideas have helped him. Many aspects of life have to be considered when we take stock of the influence of ideas on life. One thing to be considered is the extent to which ideas have added to human happiness. Ideas can also teach mankind to be more friendly. Ideas have either helped mankind in improving upon previous skills or techniques, or in giving them greater wisdom in the fields of morals and politics. Hence, in all other respects, ideas have helped to a smaller or greater extent.
Ideas have helped mankind in many respects but they cannot be said to have really added to human happiness. Happiness, of course, must be distinguished from pleasure or amusement, for it is true that ideas have opened many newer ways of experience and amusement which are not within the reach of the other animals. Russell is not so sure that ideas have added human happiness. It is true that birds other than the migratory ones die a large numbers in winter because they do not get enough food, but this is because they lack both foresight and memory, which could induce them to make provisions against this summer when food is plentiful. Man posses both foresight and memory, and yet perhaps a larger percentage of mankind die if starvation in different parts of the world than is the case of unhappiness. Russell believes that animals, even those who depend upon humanity for their food are happier than men.
" I do not think that the learned men of my acquaintance, even when they enjoy a secure income, are as happy as the mice that eat the crumbs from their tables while the erudite gentlemen snooze."
He doubts whether there are many people among the learned men of his acquaintance who are as happy as the mice who steal crumbs of good from their tables as the learned men go into a night sleep at the table after having taken their meal. In this respect ideas have not been of any help.
Another aspect in which ideas have failed is in making human beings more friendly to one another. Some birds peck the older members of their species to death, while in some western countries the government gives old-age pension to the aged. Human beings are friendly to others only within their particular herd. It is true that moralists have tried hard to inculcate the spirit of brotherliness among mankind, but in the opinion of Russell, human emotions are still as ferocious as those of any animal and intelligence has provided human beings a much larger scope of expressing their ferocity than is possible for any animal.
Ideas have contributed to human welfare from the very infency of the human race. A valuable idea which helped early man was that of the use of fire, both for keeping away harmful animals and for cooking food. Another idea which must have played a tremendous part in giving man a superior position in the use of language, at first only oral but later on written. Language has enabled men to communicate their ideas to each other: Taming of animals and inventions of agriculture and other landmarks in the field of helpful ideas.
The most important of the ideas that have helped mankind after the prehistoric age are those connected with the advances in the fields of mathematics and astronomy. The Babylonians were the pioneers in this respect, though it was the Greeks who made some of the most significant discoveries. In the modern world , scientist like Galileo, Descartes, Leibniz and Newton made the discoveries on which most of the modern science is based. Russell believes that the most important single idea that helped mankind was the law of inertia. Russell is pointing out the Importance of the discovery of the law of inertia with which Galileo, and later, Newton, were concerned.
Note: Students should add 'Moral ideas' and ' World Government' from the syllabus book.
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