Bertrand russell transcript of the full debate available at. The philosophers staunch criticism of religion echoes modern atheists, but he was also profoundly moved by a mystic insight mon 25 nov 20 04. To what extent were russells criticisms of the cosmological argument successful. Radio debate between copleston and russell 1948 hokmah. Below is an excerpt from a debate between bertrad russell and father f. The cosmological argument russell and copleston debate 1.
Copleston and bertrand russell squared off on bbc radio for. Both philosophers are trying to use their intellect to win the argument. This is an excerpt from the full broadcast from cassette tape a3035. Copleston catholic priest and religious believer and bertrand russell philosopher and nonbeliever, broadcast in 1948 on the bbc. However, the debate would tip to the side of russell in that he was defending a position that said less and hence. Bentham to russell, part 1, british empiricism and the idealist.
Conceived originally as a serious presentation of the development of philosophy for catholic seminary students, frederick coplestons ninevolume a history of. The copleston, russell debate coplestons cosmological argument 1948 bbc radio debate 2. It is these religious writings, which display without a doubt a marked sophisticated naivete,10 that will serve as the focal point of this paper. The central question they are debating here is whether it is meaningful to ask about the cause of a series.
The whole thing can be found here along with audio. His contributions to modern thought lie in a number ofareas ranging from scientific and logical treatises to. Bbc radio third programme recording january 28, 1948. The coplestonrussell debate is an exchange concerning the existence of god between frederick copleston and bertrand russell in a 1948 bbc radio.
A history of philosophy, volume 8, modern philosophy. Russell however refused to accept the notion of a necessary being as one that cannot be thought of not existing, and concluded that the regress of causal events could not be held. The debate that took place has become one of the most famous moments in radio history. He was raised in the anglican faithhis uncle, reginald stephen copleston, was an anglican bishop of calcutta. February 17, 2015 february 17, 2015 justfootnotestoplato in 1948 bertrand russell a technically agnostic philosopher and f.
Copleston vs bertrand russell part 1 uploaded by riversonthemoon on jul 15, 2009 bbc radio third programme recording january 28, 1948. What is the main message between the moral argument. In 1947, two great philosophers took to the airwaves to debate the existence of god. So, what is this epic battle between copleston and russell that i speak of. I just read the moral argument between bertrand russell and frederick c. Here is the famous debate on the existence of god between frederick copleston and bertrand russell. As we are going to discuss the existence of god, it might perhaps be as well to come to some provisional agreement as to what we understand by the term god.
If you know are looking for the scrap book pdf as the other of reading, you can. What is the main message between the moral argument between betrand russell and frederick c. Copleston was educated at marlborough college from 1920 to 1925. Copleston and bertrand russell squared off on bbc radio for a debate on the existence of god. Pl30 the moral argument suffolk county community college. The copleston russell debate is an exchange concerning the existence of god between frederick copleston and bertrand russell in a 1948 bbc radio broadcast. Historico debate entre bertrand russell y copleston subtitulado you say that the series of events needs no explanation. Broadcast in 1948 on the third program of the british broadcasting corporation. Debate entre bertrand russell y copleston pdf moral psychology and ethical theory. A debate bertrand russell 18721970 was a leading figure of contemporary british philosophy. Historico debate entre bertrand russell y frederick. Because of russells unequalled fame acquired through his prolific writ.
A superb addition to coplestons a history of philosophy. Copleston in which they discussion the contingency version of the cosmological argument. Andrew luers b1 copleston vs russell essay coplestons argument is based on aquinas third way from possibility and necessity and the principle of sufficient reason. Copleston which centred on the cosmological argument. Preliminariesthe debate bertrand russell 18721970, oxford philosophy of language, epistemology, mathematics, logic, etc. Copleston vs russell essay andrew luers b1 copleston vs. This volume deals in detail utilitarianism, the philosophy of j. He asks us to view the world as objects which do not contain the answer for their own existence within themselves. Debate bertrand russell copleston pdf on january 28, the british philosophers f. Bertrand russell and frederick copleston discuss the socalled argument from contingency, a kind of cosmological argument for gods.
In the metaphysical part, which is presented here, copleston espouses. His response that perception of moral values can be likened to our perception of colour seems very weak to me, and contradicts his own statements on his experience as a juror in the nuremberg war crimes trials, when he said. According to graham oppy and nick trakakis, the arguments used in this debate would typify the arguments presented by theists and atheists in. This extract is a transcript of a radio debate between f. A debate on the existence of god bertrand russell hereafter r. Copleston 1907 1994 was a jesuit priest who was professor of history of philosophy at heythrop college, london.
Some basic background in philosophy will definitely enhance your reading experience. Russell maintained that while he was technically agnostic. In 1948 there was a famous radio debate between fr frederick copleston sj and the agnostic philosopher bertrand russell. Well, in 1948 the bbc third programme brought together frederick copleston and bertrand russell to debate, live on radio, issues to do with the existence of god. This extract is a transcript a writtendown version of a recording of a famous radio debate between the catholic priest and philosopher f.
Copleston and bertrand russell broadcast in 1948 on the third program of the british broadcasting corporation. However, in the 1948 bbc radio debate between bertrand russell and frederick copleston, russell chose to assume the position of the agnostic, though it seems to have been because he admitted to not being able to prove the nonexistence of god. Infinite regress cosmos ex nihilo a posteriori inductive you will need your text books to help you answer these first questions. Creative commons attribution license reuse allowed view attributions. The cosmological argument russell and copleston debate. The debate between russell and copleston focuses chiefly on the version of the cosmological argument that takes as its point of departure contin. Archived from the original on 22 june russell however found both arguments unconvincing. The bertrand russell society russell research resources. S mill, philosophical implications from darwins work, herbert spencer idealism, pragmatism, g. Well, my position is the affirmative position that such a being actually exists, and that his existence can be proved philosophically. I recently read a debate between the british historian of philosophy frederick copleston also a jesuit and the british philosopher bertrand russell. This debate was a third programmme broadcast of the british broadcasting corporation in 1948. Russell and copleston debate introduction to philosophy. Copleston went on to debate religious language with his friend, the philosopher a.
Empiricism and the idealist movement in great britain frederick copleston. Copleston proposed his cosmological argument in a famous bbc radio debate with bertrand russell. In the first section, the argument from contingency, copleston argues that god must exist because the universe requires a necessary being to explain it, but russell argues that the universe is a brute. This is an excerpt from the full broadcast from cassette tape a3035 open university course, problems of philosophy units 78. Russell refused to accept the idea of necessary beings. Bertrand russell on the science v religion debate clare. Frederick charles copleston was born 10 april 1907 near taunton, somerset, england. Usage public domain topics existence of god, bertrand, russell, frederick, copleston, theology, proof, christianity. Frederick copleston, sj 19071994, england history of philosophy, metaphysics, philosophy of religion the russellcopleston debate apr. Copleston in 1947 there was an interesting debate between bertrand russell and f. He uses the example of depending on his own parents and now food and air. Buy a cheap copy of a history of philosophy, vol 2. The moral argument pro and con from the existence of god. A debate on the argument from contingency father f.
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