Russell's Analysis Of Mind - Najjar, Ibrahim (My University, 1972)
It would seem to be very essential for an understanding of Russell's theory of mind that we trace back some of the intellectual movements which either motivated the publication of this theory or influenced its course of development. But since there are so many intellectual sources such as behaviourism, neo-realism, William James, Brentano, Meinong, Einstein and several others, I will confine my attention only to behaviorism and James. For both of them have played the major role (a) in the formation of Russell's theories of mind and matter and (b) in my formulation of what I consider (i) Russell's minor thesis and (ii) Russell's major thesis.
Consequently, my thesis will devote more attention to and will be concerned mainly with (bi) i.e. Russell's minor thesis. However, some attention will be given in order to explain (α) Russell's major thesis i.e. (bii) and (β) the relationship between bi and bii. The reason why I am not devoting an equal time and effort to bii is methodological rather than prejudice or short-sightedness. It is rather difficult to treat of these two theses bi and bii, in one thesis and hope to do justice to both of them.
I would like to state Russell's minor thesis in this way: All mental phenomena can be constructed out of sensations and images and their relationships. Also, I would like to state Russell's major thesis in this way: All mental phenomena as well as physical phenomena (referred to in Short as mind and matter) can be constructed out of one and the same stuff which is neither mental nor material but more primitive than both of them. This major thesis might be referred to as "neutral monism".
The reason why I consider Russell's theory of neutral monism as his major thesis is that it includes two parts in it: the theory of mind and the theory of matter as much as it includes the explanation of the relationship of these two parts to the primary stuff of the world. Therefore, the discussion of either of these parts is minor to the discussion of both of them and their origin. However, since I am interested mainly, in my thesis, in Russell's theory of mind, I feel that I should devote to it most of my time. Hence, I consider it my major thesis.
Nevertheless, since Russell's theory of mind forms an essential part of the theory of neutral monism, I feel that it is necessary to treat also Russell's theory of matter. But since this last part of the theory of neutral monism is not the main theme in my thesis, I devote to it less attention than what should have been required, had it been the major theme of the thesis. Hence, I consider it the minor thesis.
Eventually, I will follow this procedure in my thesis:
I
Under the title of intellectual movements I will present some of the important features of behaviorism and James with some points of Russell's evaluation of them.
II
I will try to develop Russell's minor thesis. Consequently, I will deal with:
(i) Sensations, and
(ii) Images
I will attempt to give some examples of some mental phenomena whereby it can be shown that in every case Russell's minor thesis holds. These cases are:
(i) perception
(ii) memory
(iii) belief
I will devote some sections to the relationship between sensationsand images.
III
I will try to explain tentatively Russell's theory of neutral monism.
However, there are some assumptions that would be very essential to keep in mind while dealing with Russell's two theses. The first assumption is Russell's belief in the Darwinian theory of evolution, and the second is his belief in the "hypothesis of continuity"1 in evolution. The third assumption is that Russell was interested "in psychology, not so much for its own sake, as for the light that it may throw on the problem of Knowledge"2.
Hopefully, the first two assumptions will receive special elucidation within the chapter which I will devote to James. It will remain necessary, however, to show that Russell did accept these two assumptions from James by citing some quotations from The Analysis of Mind. Although the third assumption might be alluded to in our discussion of behaviorism, it will be postponed until the end,the last chapter.
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1 Bertrand Russell. The Analysis of Mind. George Allen & Unwin Ltd., London 1961, p. 41.
2 Ibid., p. 15.
Keywords: Philosophy; Philosophy