Bertrand Russell has been known for many of his philosophical works and idealism.
Russell was an analytical philosopher, a political activist, theorist, writer, and logician.
He is still remembered for having led the U.S in the revolution against idealism. He was
satisfied with various theories and written "The problems of philosophy" before
proceeding to other works on knowledge and perception. Russell identified two
philosophical idealisms namely: logical intoxication and traditional logic. In his book
“Our Knowledge of External Word” he continued to struggle with Cartesian assumptions
by arguing that personal experience as the foundation of philosophical inquiry. In my
view, Russell does not deny the idea wholeheartedly but is also aware of the implication
of "public space" on the physical world concerning logic reasoning or epistemology. Our
knowledge of the external world gives a connection between perception and physics. He
further inquiries whether human beings can know issues related to the physical world
through the action of personal sense. The ideal concept of invalidity in abstract reasoning
in complex matters that permits idealist to give fundamental aspects of the world. He
argues that empirical science and knowledge acquisition has a significant impact on our
logic. Knowledge to some extent may involve the degree of skepticism as stated by
Russel.
The argument imposed by Bertrand Russel is convincing based on logic reasoning. He
aimed at eliminating the idea of the unperceived notion and inferred objects with logical
construction using sense-data as the basis. It is skeptical, and some existence of
knowledge is impossible. According to Fritz Jr (2014), philosophers should apply three
principles namely: classical tradition, evolutionism, and logical atomism. The first
principle is related to Kant and Hegel which is based on human attempts to adapt to there
present needs. A constructive philosopher such as Plato has dramatically supported the
concept. Evolutionism was derived from Darwin and is based on the philosophical
representation of knowledge evolution. The last concept is logical atomism that is based
on critical scrutiny of mathematics (Fritz Jr, 2014). According to Russell, logic has
become constructive using various negotiation. The world is constructed based on logic
and with no any concrete experience with the existence of knowledge. He asserted that
analytical instead of being constructive.
The existence of the world is based on personal knowledge of the physical things. Logic
is seen as the foundation and instrument of human discovery. For instance, the
observation of different colors, taste, and sound depends on spatiotemporal relations
(Fritz Jr, 2014). The difference between primitive knowledge and logical reasoning or
common sense. For instance, the knowledge of identifying objects such as a chair, table,
sun, earth, and mountains among other objects is based on common sense reasoning
(Russell, 2017). According to Russell, the world is not permanent, and nothing is
perpetual. Common sense supports the existence of things that are permanent and non-
permanent. The existence is entirely different from sense data since molecules do not
have color and atoms cannot produce noise while electrons lack tastes. Nothing is
permanent and out logical reasoning identifies things around based on our visions (Fritz
Jr, 2014).
Human knowledge is indeed based on doubt. The recognition of objects on the earth is
due to logical reasoning in our brain. The eyes have to see the object and visualize them
before making any interpretation. Logical atomism answers the worries about the
relationship between human knowledge and the physical world (Fritz Jr, 2014). He
related the logical atomism with empirical reasoning by supporting his argument that
atoms of knowledge arise as a result of sense-data that every person is directly acquainted
(Fritz Jr, 2014). It is true that people can genuinely claim their immediate sense of
sensory experience by perceiving objects. Substances are regarded to exist due to sense-
data, and Russell’s assertion can be seen to make some sense. The sense-data creates
instead of testifying the existence of physical objects.
Sense-data are the characteristic and qualities that are primitively used to sense physical
objects such as color, shape, temperature and many others. According to Russell, the
fundamental principle behind knowledge is logical reasoning. The logic is sued for
inferring various entities. Instead of supporting the notion that physical objects are
responsible for creating sense-data. Russell asserts that sense-data are responsible for
creating sense-data which justifies the existence of objects (Fritz Jr, 2014). The
implication of the theory is that sense data are viewed as images held in mind rather than
blocks of physics. Sense data inhibit any public and private spaces of experience.
Atomism is the concept that supports the existence of matter in the universe as a
collection of tiny and finite particles that cannot be destroyed. For instance, one can see a
table in the form of a solid state due to atoms. The reality behind the atomism is that there
are confusion and skeptics which obscures the atomic reality. Even though the table is
made up of millions of atoms, there is still space between them and people can recognize
the table (Fritz Jr, 2014). Concerning knowledge, atomism is linked with the real world
and physical. Logical atomism is closely related with empiricism. Atoms of human
knowledge exist due to a sense of data and logical reasoning.
Sense data create the physical world, and Russell disowns the concept the tangible
objects can be legitimately inferred from sensory experience as a result of both physical
and human physiology. The perception of physical world effects causes perception and it
is difficult to have the ability to sense without interacting with the object. In his efforts to
develop epistemology, Russell concludes by asserting that physical objects are not
directly knowable by maintaining the position of empiricist (Fritz Jr, 2014). Modern logic
is essential and helps human beings to solve daily problems. People can analyze the
issues affecting them from their mental view and see the possible solution as argued by
Russell. He considered perception and observation as limited to what he termed as "data-
sense" which brings the difference between primitive knowledge and common sense
(Fritz Jr, 2014).
I have argued that Russell's view towards knowledge seems skeptic and has severe
consequences in epistemology. The argument presented by the philosophy is convincing
to seem extent. Logic atomism as explained by Russell is based on individual perception
from the things people see. Sense-data is likely to create objects in our mind. Human
beings perceive objects in their mind before identifying them. Knowledge relies on
particulars and universal. Objects are finite and cannot be destroyed or created due to
small particles. The fundamental; aspects of the world are related to space and objects.
Valid reasoning leads to common sense and is produced by sense-data. The concept of
sensibilia has been argued by Russell focuses on space and objects. There must be a
recipient percipient in mind for objects to be created. I agree with Russell on the logical
reasoning. Logical construction involves sense-data from the mind. It is vivid that
knowledge is based on belief. The factor that people had to measure the level of
vagueness or certainty about various precision makes it vivid that the theory of
knowledge is based upon skepticism.