'Russell lectured at Harvard once on values, suggesting that the key to values is the conditioned reflex. Whitehead's comment was as follows. "There is a lost dialogue of Plato on the Good, and I have often wondered what is in that dialogue. Now I know. When one of Pavlov's dogs' mouths waters, that is good." Here is another Russellian oversimplification.' etc.

(C. Hartshorne, Insights and Oversights of the Great Thinkers, Albany, 1983,p. 266).

Comment

The statement (credibly) attributed to Mr. Russell, that 'the key to values is the conditioned reflex' suggest that the man was either quite insane (all 'conditioned reflex' and no other thought present) or was trying to flim-flam the entire Humanity — probably both, anyway. One notes that the statement is from another source, albeit credible, and is thus less certain.

What seems more certain was his persistent dogging of the poor Wittgenstein, whose Tractatus was sabotaged by Russell, not once, but twice — first, by way of Russell's Introduction to the first English translation (Ramsey, Ogden, Wittgenstein), second, by his implied endorsement of another "translation" circa 1959 (published, mind you, just after Ogden's death) — the other "translation" containing most serious distortions of the import of the text at some key points. (This could be only one or two words).

Please note the observed irregularities regarding the Theory of Types ; everybody concerned, including Russell himself, had at some point agreed that the Theory had some weaknesses in it and that it should be revised. In the end the Theory had been re-published unrevised ; Whitehead went his own way and moved to America (this Theory of Types might be the main reason for Whitehead to disassociate himself from Russell, no matter what bunk you may find in the Internet on the subject, the reader).

Please note that virtually every one of the authors critical of Russell's theory of types had been eventually sabotaged in some way : finally including Whitehead himself (see the bunk published about Whitehead by certain authors, some of them plainly apparent moles of the Communist propaganda in the USA etc).

Are there any University Professors who can read ? None of the above is being proposed here as true because it is I who says so. Please examine the historic record (of the 'philosophy' and especially of the Tractatus by Wittgenstein versus the unrevised Theory of Types) — and very carefully, because the most profound fallacies of the 20th century are quite certainly involved — Presently you see reams of 'philosophy' out there which if not delusion by their authors amount to organised stupefaction of the entire Mankind by some lying writers presumably in the pay of some hidden (or even visible) parties.

WPT, Sept 07.