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An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish: A Hilarious Catalogue of Organized and Individual Stupidity
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First published January 1, 1943
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About the author
Bertrand Russell
1,242 books7,315 followersBertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS, was a Welsh philosopher, historian, logician, mathematician, advocate for social reform, pacifist, and prominent rationalist. Although he was usually regarded as English, as he spent the majority of his life in England, he was born in Wales, where he also died.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950 "in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought."
He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950 "in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought."
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 31, 2014
This essay from The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell: 1903-1959 is a brilliant humorous satire on some of the prevalent notions accepted and practised by intellectual minds like clergy, philosophers, scientists or eminent personalities whose views have a considerable influence upon common man.
A very light read, at app. 13,700 words, this essay will leave you with good food for thought.
This essay can be read here :
http://www.personal.kent.edu/~rmuhamm...
A very light read, at app. 13,700 words, this essay will leave you with good food for thought.
This essay can be read here :
http://www.personal.kent.edu/~rmuhamm...
November 6, 2016
"An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish" is a book I would never part with. It is Russell at his critically adroit best skewering the absurdities that social convention and political hypocrisy combine to keep people in fear of rejection by the various (often self-appointed) authorities in human society. Witty, sly, and unrelenting, this is an indispensable guide to the follies of the human animal.
March 21, 2024
Russell finds rationality sadly lacking in the modern world. To this end, he offers a sizable number of instances as evidence.
To begin with, what is the meaning of Intellectual Rubbish?
Although man is considered a rational and sensible animal, Russell finds hardly any evidence of human level-headedness in the world. Russell finds cruelty, persecution, and superstition increasing by leaps and bounds; and any one asserting that human beings are rational will have to be dubbed as an old foggy not aware of the realities.
Russell gives us a wealth of concrete examples to prove his thesis in this essay. He uses the phrase “intellectual rubbish” to describe all false beliefs, baseless opinions, superstition various kinds, and a general obscurantist attitude. All this intellectual rubbish is the result of an irrational view of things. People follow certain beliefs, ideas, and customs without inquiring into their cogency. In actual fact many of these beliefs and customs lead to evil and suffering in the world.
Russell begins with an exposure of the irrationality of the priests. The opinions and ideas propagated by priests are a glaring example of intellectual rubbish. Russell points out that the past ages, when religious faith dominated the minds of people, were ages of superstition and not rational beliefs. The priests encouraged people to believe in miracles performed by saints and in the evil brought about by wizards through the exercise of black magic.
Many thousands of people were burnt at the stake on a charge of practising witchcraft, It was thought that men were punished by God for their sins through epidemics, famines, earthquakes and floods. Very little was known scientifically about the world.
Nor did the priests become rational when science began to make its discoveries. The priests fought a losing battle against the advances in astronomy and geology, in anatomy and physiology, in biology and psychology and sociology.
They did their best to prevent the rise of geology; they fought against Darwin’s theory of evolution, and in recent times, they have been fighting against scientific theories of psychology and education.
So superstitious have the priests been that when the lightning rod was invented they sentenced it as an irreverent attempt to defeat the will of God. Priests are so illogical as to treat even the mercies of God as discriminatory. They still hold a dogmatic conception of sin, which appears to be very puzzling to the rational mind.
Much of modern morality is still derived from traditional taboos based originally upon superstitions. Then there are the logical difficulties in the notion of sin. If God is all-powerful, as the priests say, why does He not prevent all Sinfulness?
If everything happens in compliance with God’s wishes, then Nero‘s murder of his mother must also have been committed in accordance with God’s wishes.
There is no doubt that most of the so-called religious beliefs are merely superstitions, and Russell is completely justified in pointing out that priests have largely been responsible for the hold of such superstitions on the minds of people.
Russell then proceeds to examine the feeling of self-importance, which leads individuals to hold many wrong beliefs. The glorification of man, which took a new form after the theory of evolution became an accepted fact, is one example of this feeling of self-importance which an individual nourishes. People have begun to believe that evolution has been guided by one great purpose, namely that, through millions of centuries of the process of evolution, God was preparing the great climax, Man.
Russell finds such a belief to be ridiculous, especially when it is realized that all life on this planet is temporary and that one day no trace will be left of man who thinks himself to be greatest product of evolution. The glorification of man, says Russell, receives no support from a rational, scientific view of the universe.
Another source of false belief is the love of the marvellous. During the Great War of 1914-18, for instance, it was widely believed in England that British troops had received encouragement and help from the angels. Myths of this kind lead to a lot of cruelty. For instance, it was believed for a long time that insanity was the result of a devil taking possession of a human being. This irrational belief led to the practice of a very hard thrashing being given to a lunatic to cast away the devil.
Here, again, Russell’s approach is perfectly scientific and sound. It is, indeed, a sobering thought that no trace will one day be left of human beings on this earth because all life will come to an end. Man has no reason to feel proud of him for being the supreme product of the process of evolution.
Besides, Russell points to such painful specimens of humanity as the tyrants Nero, Hitler, and Mussolini, who belie the belief that man is supremely noble. The belief in the supernatural is also absurd, as Russell rightly points out. The beating of a madman with the object of driving away the evil spirit is still wide-spread in our own country. India indeed offers a truly daunting mass of beliefs and customs, which can be described as “intellectual rubbish”.
Russell next draws our attention to irrational beliefs about race and blood. The belief in the superiority of the white man over coloured people is a complete myth, says Russell. Physiologists have clearly told us that there is no difference between the blood of a Negro and the blood of a white man. The whole conception of superior races is an irrational belief which has resulted from the extravagant feeling of self-importance which is nourished by the holders of power. Equally irrational are the racial, theories according to which certain populations of Europe are superior to others.
Here unquestionably is another convincing example of irrationality. The irrational beliefs pertaining to race and blood have been very wide-spread over a long period of time in the past.
Today, however, these beliefs find little favour with people. Even Africans nowadays think themselves the equals of the white people, not to speak of the Indians some of whom have begun to regard themselves as superior to the white people on the basis of their ancient culture.
In the economic sphere, too, says Russell, there are many pervasive superstitions. There is, for instance, a belief in the magical properties of gold and precious stones. Nor is there any doubt that even the most erudite people in our own country still believe that particular precious stones such as the ruby, the sapphire, and the emerald, can bring good luck and prosperity to those who wear these. In this connection, it is notable that the same kind of precious stone will not bring prosperity to everybody. A specialist has therefore to be consulted as to which precious stone will suit a particular individual, and the specialist of course extracts his own fee.
Another unfounded belief is that human nature cannot be changed and that, for this reason, there will always be wars. Russell informs us that it is possible to mould human nature, and direct the human mind into constructive channels.
For instance, says Russell, it is possible for a powerful government to educate its people in such a way that they become sane and reasonable; at the same time, it is equally possible for the same government to give such a wrong kind of education to its people as to change them into obsessive lunatics. Here, again, Russell speaks with an authority, which cannot be questioned.
Modern psychology unquestionably shows that the minds of vast populations can be moulded and controlled by the government provided it has enough military power to prevent any rebellion against the methods, which it employs. Once a population has been moulded in accordance with the aims of the government, it will then inevitably continue to think along the lines laid down by the government, provided no forces operate to bring about any further change in the minds of the people.
There are a number of other illogical beliefs to which Russell draws our attention. These self-same beliefs are the cause of much injustice and cruelty. For example, it has long been believed that abnormality or wrongdoing can be remedied through punishment. Modern men of medicine have established the irrationality of such a belief that punishment only aggravates the trouble. Punishment may prevent crimes, which are sane in origin; but punishment cannot prevent crimes, which result from some psychological abnormality.
For instance, punishment may reform an ordinary thief; but punishment will merely aggravate the thieving tendency of a kleptomaniac.
Thus, it was wrong to incorporate too much severity towards the Germans in the Treaty of Versailles to punish them for their aggressiveness. The triumphant nations should have realized that the Germans were lunatics and not ordinary criminals in having embarked upon a World war.
Russell also mentions the irrational beliefs about lucky and unlucky days, about unlucky numbers (such as thirteen), and objections against birth control. Women too have been the subject of irrational beliefs on the part of men, and vice versa. Generalizations about nation characteristics are yet another example of irrationality.
An essay such as this is of great value because it can rid many of us from the superstitions and irrational beliefs which hold a sway upon our minds and which largely determine our actions.
1f we follow the simple rules, which Russell enunciates towards the close of the essay, we can certainly make our lives more rational, more productive, more compassionate, and more expressive.
To begin with, what is the meaning of Intellectual Rubbish?
Although man is considered a rational and sensible animal, Russell finds hardly any evidence of human level-headedness in the world. Russell finds cruelty, persecution, and superstition increasing by leaps and bounds; and any one asserting that human beings are rational will have to be dubbed as an old foggy not aware of the realities.
Russell gives us a wealth of concrete examples to prove his thesis in this essay. He uses the phrase “intellectual rubbish” to describe all false beliefs, baseless opinions, superstition various kinds, and a general obscurantist attitude. All this intellectual rubbish is the result of an irrational view of things. People follow certain beliefs, ideas, and customs without inquiring into their cogency. In actual fact many of these beliefs and customs lead to evil and suffering in the world.
Russell begins with an exposure of the irrationality of the priests. The opinions and ideas propagated by priests are a glaring example of intellectual rubbish. Russell points out that the past ages, when religious faith dominated the minds of people, were ages of superstition and not rational beliefs. The priests encouraged people to believe in miracles performed by saints and in the evil brought about by wizards through the exercise of black magic.
Many thousands of people were burnt at the stake on a charge of practising witchcraft, It was thought that men were punished by God for their sins through epidemics, famines, earthquakes and floods. Very little was known scientifically about the world.
Nor did the priests become rational when science began to make its discoveries. The priests fought a losing battle against the advances in astronomy and geology, in anatomy and physiology, in biology and psychology and sociology.
They did their best to prevent the rise of geology; they fought against Darwin’s theory of evolution, and in recent times, they have been fighting against scientific theories of psychology and education.
So superstitious have the priests been that when the lightning rod was invented they sentenced it as an irreverent attempt to defeat the will of God. Priests are so illogical as to treat even the mercies of God as discriminatory. They still hold a dogmatic conception of sin, which appears to be very puzzling to the rational mind.
Much of modern morality is still derived from traditional taboos based originally upon superstitions. Then there are the logical difficulties in the notion of sin. If God is all-powerful, as the priests say, why does He not prevent all Sinfulness?
If everything happens in compliance with God’s wishes, then Nero‘s murder of his mother must also have been committed in accordance with God’s wishes.
There is no doubt that most of the so-called religious beliefs are merely superstitions, and Russell is completely justified in pointing out that priests have largely been responsible for the hold of such superstitions on the minds of people.
Russell then proceeds to examine the feeling of self-importance, which leads individuals to hold many wrong beliefs. The glorification of man, which took a new form after the theory of evolution became an accepted fact, is one example of this feeling of self-importance which an individual nourishes. People have begun to believe that evolution has been guided by one great purpose, namely that, through millions of centuries of the process of evolution, God was preparing the great climax, Man.
Russell finds such a belief to be ridiculous, especially when it is realized that all life on this planet is temporary and that one day no trace will be left of man who thinks himself to be greatest product of evolution. The glorification of man, says Russell, receives no support from a rational, scientific view of the universe.
Another source of false belief is the love of the marvellous. During the Great War of 1914-18, for instance, it was widely believed in England that British troops had received encouragement and help from the angels. Myths of this kind lead to a lot of cruelty. For instance, it was believed for a long time that insanity was the result of a devil taking possession of a human being. This irrational belief led to the practice of a very hard thrashing being given to a lunatic to cast away the devil.
Here, again, Russell’s approach is perfectly scientific and sound. It is, indeed, a sobering thought that no trace will one day be left of human beings on this earth because all life will come to an end. Man has no reason to feel proud of him for being the supreme product of the process of evolution.
Besides, Russell points to such painful specimens of humanity as the tyrants Nero, Hitler, and Mussolini, who belie the belief that man is supremely noble. The belief in the supernatural is also absurd, as Russell rightly points out. The beating of a madman with the object of driving away the evil spirit is still wide-spread in our own country. India indeed offers a truly daunting mass of beliefs and customs, which can be described as “intellectual rubbish”.
Russell next draws our attention to irrational beliefs about race and blood. The belief in the superiority of the white man over coloured people is a complete myth, says Russell. Physiologists have clearly told us that there is no difference between the blood of a Negro and the blood of a white man. The whole conception of superior races is an irrational belief which has resulted from the extravagant feeling of self-importance which is nourished by the holders of power. Equally irrational are the racial, theories according to which certain populations of Europe are superior to others.
Here unquestionably is another convincing example of irrationality. The irrational beliefs pertaining to race and blood have been very wide-spread over a long period of time in the past.
Today, however, these beliefs find little favour with people. Even Africans nowadays think themselves the equals of the white people, not to speak of the Indians some of whom have begun to regard themselves as superior to the white people on the basis of their ancient culture.
In the economic sphere, too, says Russell, there are many pervasive superstitions. There is, for instance, a belief in the magical properties of gold and precious stones. Nor is there any doubt that even the most erudite people in our own country still believe that particular precious stones such as the ruby, the sapphire, and the emerald, can bring good luck and prosperity to those who wear these. In this connection, it is notable that the same kind of precious stone will not bring prosperity to everybody. A specialist has therefore to be consulted as to which precious stone will suit a particular individual, and the specialist of course extracts his own fee.
Another unfounded belief is that human nature cannot be changed and that, for this reason, there will always be wars. Russell informs us that it is possible to mould human nature, and direct the human mind into constructive channels.
For instance, says Russell, it is possible for a powerful government to educate its people in such a way that they become sane and reasonable; at the same time, it is equally possible for the same government to give such a wrong kind of education to its people as to change them into obsessive lunatics. Here, again, Russell speaks with an authority, which cannot be questioned.
Modern psychology unquestionably shows that the minds of vast populations can be moulded and controlled by the government provided it has enough military power to prevent any rebellion against the methods, which it employs. Once a population has been moulded in accordance with the aims of the government, it will then inevitably continue to think along the lines laid down by the government, provided no forces operate to bring about any further change in the minds of the people.
There are a number of other illogical beliefs to which Russell draws our attention. These self-same beliefs are the cause of much injustice and cruelty. For example, it has long been believed that abnormality or wrongdoing can be remedied through punishment. Modern men of medicine have established the irrationality of such a belief that punishment only aggravates the trouble. Punishment may prevent crimes, which are sane in origin; but punishment cannot prevent crimes, which result from some psychological abnormality.
For instance, punishment may reform an ordinary thief; but punishment will merely aggravate the thieving tendency of a kleptomaniac.
Thus, it was wrong to incorporate too much severity towards the Germans in the Treaty of Versailles to punish them for their aggressiveness. The triumphant nations should have realized that the Germans were lunatics and not ordinary criminals in having embarked upon a World war.
Russell also mentions the irrational beliefs about lucky and unlucky days, about unlucky numbers (such as thirteen), and objections against birth control. Women too have been the subject of irrational beliefs on the part of men, and vice versa. Generalizations about nation characteristics are yet another example of irrationality.
An essay such as this is of great value because it can rid many of us from the superstitions and irrational beliefs which hold a sway upon our minds and which largely determine our actions.
1f we follow the simple rules, which Russell enunciates towards the close of the essay, we can certainly make our lives more rational, more productive, more compassionate, and more expressive.
January 4, 2012
Bertrand Russell analyses the rubbish behind many beliefs from religion to politics and then gives a few tools to help reduce our own rubbish beliefs. I found the essay to be a fantastic read and excellent advice for critical thinking.
Found it here: http://www.personal.kent.edu/~rmuhamm...
Found it here: http://www.personal.kent.edu/~rmuhamm...
July 24, 2016
wonderful
August 19, 2021
A thought-provoking essay on different myths, eras, scientific blunders and religious ideologies. I would recommend this to everyone to read at least once.
Our Ustaad will never disappoint you. :)
Our Ustaad will never disappoint you. :)
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July 28, 2024I had read two of his other works in the Literary Prose subject in my 4th semester, namely IDEAS THAT HAVE SAVED MANKIND, & IDEAS THAT HAVE HARMED MANKIND. recently i decided to go through AN OUTLINE OF INTELLECTUAL RUBBISH, & i found it quite amazing. He has not only talked about so many things all at once, but also has posed some serious & fundamental questions, which we are unfortunately not allowed to ask or even think. He has questioned not only Christianity, but also Hinduism & Islam. He has talked about the concept of God, his omnipresence & omnipotence, along with the concept of Sin, leading to the questioning of fate & freewill. He has criticized the clergy & has also highlighted how modern govts control the ideas of its people.
Another amazing thing was his references. I loved the way he has referenced so many intellectuals in that single piece. Almost every para has a new idea, supported by the views of some prominent scholars. The text was so engaging that I kept on reading till the end, without any acute feeling of boredom... so yeah, it was a good experience reading him.
Another amazing thing was his references. I loved the way he has referenced so many intellectuals in that single piece. Almost every para has a new idea, supported by the views of some prominent scholars. The text was so engaging that I kept on reading till the end, without any acute feeling of boredom... so yeah, it was a good experience reading him.
April 16, 2024
As a rule, I tend to avoid Bertrand Russell as he was a righteously anxious individual, and he writes mostly about his experiences with psychopaths (commonly known as dangerous silly people), and I just want to avoid thinking about the depths of that kind of intellectual failure, as Nietzsche said, when you look into the abyss it looks right back at you, meaning that in the quest of overanalyzing human flawed conditions like the silly psychopathic one, we may turn into stupid people ourselves, by digging too deep into their psyche and motives, as well as trying to rationalize their otherwise perplexing behaviors. It's perhaps a superstitious approach, but this book is interesting nonetheless, and a bit validating to thankfully the majority of us, even if the majority of us remains that majority that can't do much about it.
October 31, 2018
This timeless essay is so relatable, especially given the current political climate around the world. The several examples it's peppered with poke fun at humankind's stupidity through the ages, while the author's innate humour will make the reader crack up. Highly recommended to clear the mind, especially of obsolete beliefs. Already feeling conscious about anything that I think or do, which can qualify as superstition.
Read it here: http://www.personal.kent.edu/~rmuhamm....
Can easily take you less than 24 hours to finish.
Read it here: http://www.personal.kent.edu/~rmuhamm....
Can easily take you less than 24 hours to finish.
March 20, 2019
If you've read Why I'm Not A Christian, you know where this essay is headed.
Once again, Russell turns his scathing critical eye to nonsense. While this essay uses the teachings of the Christian church as its example of dogmas that people believe and share without due critical thought, his intention is to show this is a wider problem with supposedly respected intellectuals. Having worked in science extension, this essay resonated with me, as getting people to reassess their understanding of the world or an idea is ridiculously difficult.
Once again, Russell turns his scathing critical eye to nonsense. While this essay uses the teachings of the Christian church as its example of dogmas that people believe and share without due critical thought, his intention is to show this is a wider problem with supposedly respected intellectuals. Having worked in science extension, this essay resonated with me, as getting people to reassess their understanding of the world or an idea is ridiculously difficult.
December 31, 2023
I went on a Bertrand Russell reading kick years ago, but somehow missed this absolute gem. It’s funny and merciless in dealing with the nonsensical thought processes we struggle with every day.
It’s free in PDF form online. Google the title. It was part of the “Little Blue Book” series that were so popular and influential in the 20th century.
Excellent!
It’s free in PDF form online. Google the title. It was part of the “Little Blue Book” series that were so popular and influential in the 20th century.
Excellent!
May 4, 2020
One of the best Essay by Bertrand Russell. He points out all of the nonsense, superstitions, and absurdities. Which were followed by Ancient people and still we are walking on their track, besides, we call ourselves rational.
July 14, 2020
Loved it. Pithy. Eternal. Universal.
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January 7, 2023Sod the more likely week cause a Prime that with somethings get off have to get in prosperity🙏🏼
April 25, 2025
Playful, sarcastic and witty.
June 27, 2020
Brilliant and witty.
August 13, 2015
This should be required reading in every American schoolroom. Absolutely wonderful!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews