ON AVOIDING FOOLISH OPINIONS - HOW TO AVOID FOOLISH OPINIONS - by Bertrand Russell

 

1.   ON AVOIDING FOOLISH OPINIONS

By Bertrand Russell

“On Avoiding Foolish Opinions” is an essay written by Bertrand Russell. He is a great philosopher, writer, and intellectual of 20^th century. In this essay, Russell gives practical advice on avoiding foolish opinions.

Russell says that if a problem can be settled by observation, it is better to make the observation oneself. He says that great Greek philosopher Aristotle also committed mistakes without observing properly. Aristotle said that women have lesser teeth than men. But it is a wrong opinion made without proper observation. Many ancient and modern writers also expressed some false opinions about unicorns and salamanders without proper observation.

Russell says that many people make opinions without having experience. He also says that those who have no good reason to support their argument will become angry easily. To develop good reasoning skills, one should become aware of opinions of other social circles. Travelling and reading news papers help in avoiding foolish opinions. However, Russell cautions that becoming aware of social customs may not always be useful. He gives the example of Chinese and Manchus who exchanged their foolish customs than leaving them. The Manchus women imitated the habit of developing small feet like the Chinese women. The Chinese males imitated the Manchus males in having pigtails.

Russell suggests imagination of argument in advance as a solution to avoid bias in opinions. He says that this method is without any limitations of time and space. He suggests that Britishers should imagine arguments with people like Mahatma Gandhi who have different opinions about machines and industrialization.

Russell cautions to be careful about opinions that flatter one’s self-esteem. He says that both men and women feel that people of their sex only are great in all fields. People generally feel that their nation only is great. But each nation has merits and demerits. Finally Russell says that man is a small organism in the universe and there may be some other beings in other planets which are superior to man as man is superior to Jelly fish. Thus, Bertrand Russell advises men to develop rational thinking, balance of mind and openness to avoid foolish opinions.

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References used: Internet resources and English Praxis textbooks by APSCHE

Noojilla Srinivas, Ph: 7981862200; email: noojillasrinivas@gmail.com 

Lecturer in English

Govt. Degree College, Alamuru, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema Dist., Andhra Pradesh