IDEAS THAT HAVE HELPED MANKIND:

Bertrand Russell has been considered as one of the most genius men of 20th century. He was a
great philosopher and a very sensitive man. World wars diverted his sensitivity towards thought
of survival of humanity. He started to meditate upon all the beliefs and ideas that have either
helped or harmed humanity. Russell deals his every subject, logically with all the depths.
Therefore, in describing the “Ideas that have helped mankind”, he first clears concept of help,
as to what things can be considered as helpful for mankind. According to him, numerical
increase of men, their rising above animal level, increase in their knowledge, their diversity of
experience and the idea of their becoming friendliness more friendly to each other and adding to
their happiness-are various fields in which human beings can be considered as help and in these
aspects ideas can help mankind. Russell thinks that in the last two aspects (friendliness and
happiness) ideas have more or less helped mankind. Man has surely survived because of his
intellectual ability; otherwise in 'physical safeguard' again cruelties of nature, animals are
more equipped than humans.
Ideas have, certainly, helped mankind in many ways/respects, but it can be said that these have
really added to human Happiness. Russell says:
“we have purchased this advantage at the expense of a much greater liability to boredom.”
This is because “happiness” is something different from pleasure and amusement. “Happiness” is
something different from pleasure and amusement. Happiness is a matter of inside-out. But the
fake ideas have ruined human happiness e.g. the idea of future telling is a disguised blessing. It
has increased in fear and anxiety than granting to human being Happiness. Russell says:
“we suffer not only the evils that actually befall us, but all those that our intelligence tells us
we have reason to fear.” The other aspect in which ideas have failed, though not completely yet
greatly, is the establishment of “friendliness” and “brotherhood”. Russell says though moralist,
the Greeks Buddha and Christ and other moralist have extensively purchased these ideas, yet it is
in vein in the words of Russell: “our intelligence enables us to give emotions and a scope which
is denied to even the most savage beasts”. When Russell discusses “the ideas that help mankind”,
he classifies the ideas into two categories which are:
 Technical ideas.
 Moral ideas.
Ideas, related to knowledge and technique, are helping mankind since the prehistoric time. The
very first beneficial idea was the “use of fire” by human beings, for protection from the wild
beast and liter for cooking purpose also. At some later stage, the “use of language” initially oral
and in written form was also a great idea of human being. Russell thinks; without it would have
been very difficult to hand over from generation to generation the inventions and
discoveries that were gradually made”. “taming of animals” and “inventions of
agriculture” are the land mark in helping ideas which were also achieved in the prehistoric time.
However, at first some superstitious believes were involved in the field of agriculture that the
fertility of the land requires the blood infants. Russell satirizes child labor in industry by
comparing with this superstition, he says:
“It has now been discovered that grains will grow, and cotton goods can be manufactured,
without been watered by the blood of infants.”
Then in the era of “historic times, the ideas that have helped mankind were the ideas of
mathematics and astronomy.
According to Russell, in the recent times, the ideas made by same scientists greatly helped
mankind, e.g. Gallop's discovery of telescope, Descartes method of skepticism, Leibniz’ concept
of monodology and Newton's discovery of 'the force of gravity.
These were the people who developed the concept of “investigation” and “inquiry”, and thus
separated the idealism and theoretical philosophy from science. Russell believes that the most
important idea, which helped mankind, was the “law of inertia”. Later, Darwin's “theory of
evolution” makes a dramatic advancement in the field of human knowledge. After those, rational
man could not believe in the Christian doctrine of “fall of man”.
The second category helpful ideas is that of “moral ideas”. Russell suggests that the first and
the most important idea is the idea of brotherhood among man. But this has not been practiced
well. The reason might be,that man is complex being. He has the capacity to love,to appreciate
beauty and enjoy intellectual understanding. At the same time,he is capable of
cruelty,greed,indifference and never ending pride. It can be seen through the brutal treatment of
Jews by Germans and of Germans by Russians,that “man is more prone to evil than good”.
Another great idea among the moral ideas, is the idea of liberty,but,unfortunately,it also has a
fluctuating history for:
“ The idea of liberty generates the idea of slavery”
There are commonly two aspects of liberty,individual liberty and the freedom of the
state,according to Russell,there should be some check on both of these aspects,otherwise there is
an example of Nazis,who extensively misused and misinterpreted notion of “national,liberty”for
their selfish purpose in past years,similar exploitation was done by different religious sects,and
tried to exterminate other creeds and classes. Than,it was the great empirical philosopher,John
Locke,who held the situation by putting forward the concept of “Democracy” and thus gave a
rational basis of liberty. Russell is a great admirer of this concept,he says:
“Democracy was invented as a device for reconciling govt.with liberty”
But he believed that it should not be imposedmon the nations which are not capable of practicing
it truly, for this he gives the example of Balkan country.
It is an ill luck that both moral technical ideas have not progressed at equal pace. Sometimes
moral ideas, of tolerance,brotherhood and charity,exceeded as it happened in the “Church age” in
the England;while at some other time technical ideas,of scientific and industrial progress, moved
for ahead/ As in the modern world, the technical ideas are for reaching then the moral ones.
Russell fears if this gap continues and extremely ideas are far reaching than the moral ones.
Russell fears if this gap continues and extremely disastrous end of humanity, is sure as described
in the biblical myth of Tower of Babel. Any such destruction of life can be prevented only by
adopting certain moral principles along with material development.
Russell also describes some “political ideas” besides moral and technical ones, which have
helped mankind. Among these are the ideas of law and of government. Russell believes that the
governments after a sufficient interval of time, except the liberty of individual and the same will
be the case with the idea of the world government, according to him, after the recent
technological developments, there are only two really independent states i.e. Russia and
America. And to secure the peace of the world it is necessary to merge these states to form a
single world government. He says:
“either man must become a rare species in the days of homo perkiness or we must learn to
submit to an international government”.
Russell suggest that it took 5000 years to reach the democratic level. Prevailing in America from
the tyrannical and absolute monarchy. Thus a world government also requires a comfortable long
period. He feel that at moral ideas kept pace with technological development an international
government would have been formed long ago. Russell believes that with the establishment of a
world government, human kind will enter into an era of interrupted economic and scientific
growth and happiness. Their will be no poverty or unemployment and man will enjoy maximum
leisure hours.
This will was the concept to which Russell devoted all his later years and it expresses his eager
and sincere concern of humanity and his pacifism. He could observe that man is standing on a
cross-road, from where one path leads to happiness, prosperity and security. While the other
takes to utter to a horrible disaster. Now. Russell wishes that mankind must choose rational and
logical way.
“The idea of world government is the only logical development”.
And it happens it would become “most helpful” among the ideas that have ever helped mankind.
Otherwise, it would only be concluded that ideas have “harmed mankind”.