Further thoughts on Bertrand Russell

[luzula]

Re: my book log from yesterday, Russell describes human society as basically a tension between the need for state/central control and social cohesion, and individual freedom and initiative. And sure, lack of control/repression is a necessary condition for individual freedom/initiative, but it really isn't sufficient. Take science. To have academic freedom there needs to be no repression, but you also need colleagues to collaborate with, colleagues who criticize you, a salary, research equipment, some way to disseminate your research, etc. So a good social environment is necessary for your freedom. I feel like he did not acknowledge this, but perhaps he's picturing some sort of solitary genius.

Yeah, this is probably not a very original critique, but it was bugging me.

Comments

[cahn]

Well -- he was a mathematician :)

Although the culture is changing, there's definitely still a "solitary genius with paper and pencil" (or computer, I guess) kind of paradigm to math research. Whereas my grad school experience in physics (even though the biggest piece of equipment I myself used was a computer) was almost totally different than my friends' in math, as colleagues to collaborate / critique / beta / etc. were ubiquitous and invaluable.

[lilysea]

Yes, for a lot of people, to have academic freedom, they need access to childcare.

and also enough non-teaching time - so many academics these days are so overburdened with teaching and admin that they have nowhere near enough research or writing time. and of course this gets worse and worse as universities increase class size and cut staffing numbers...

[luzula]

Well, I'm a mathematician and I'm not a solitary genius even if Russell may have been. : P

Anyway, research was just an example--I could've picked some other area. But maybe you're right, and his background as a mathematician is something that influenced that line of thinking.

[luzula]

Childcare, yeah, that's another factor.

And research was really just an example--I could've picked something else. Like, someone wanting to be free to drive down the highway might not think of how that freedom is dependent on government support for roads, the existence of a fossil fuel industry, etc.