Q- Discuss the "Ideas That Have

Helped Mankind" as discussed by

Russell?
Before beginning the discussion of ideas that have helped
mankind.
Russell thinks it is necessary to discuss the conception of
helpfulness itself. There are many ways in which ideas have
helped and can help, mankind. Ideas have helped mankind in
various ways, all of which are equally important.

They have put mankind on an advantageous footing as

compared with the other animals with whom man has to share
the earth. Man rising above the animal level can be said to be
another way in which ideas have helped him. Many aspects of
life have to be considered when we take stock of the influence of
ideas on life. One thing to be considered is the extent to which
ideas have added to human happiness. Ideas can also teach
mankind to be more friendly. Ideas have either helped mankind
in improving upon previous skills or techniques, or in giving
them greater wisdom in the fields of morals and politics. Hence,
in all other respects ideas have helped to a smaller or greater
extent.

Ideas have helped mankind in many respects but they cannot

be said to have really added to human happiness. Happiness, of
course, must be distinguished from pleasure or amusement, for
it is true that ideas have opened many newer ways of experience
and amusement which are not within the reach of the other
animals. Russell is not so sure that ideas have added human
happiness. It is true that birds other than the migratory ones
die a large numbers in winter because they do not get enough
food, but this is because they lack both foresight and memory,
which could induce them to make provisions against this
summer when food is plentiful. Man posses both foresight and
memory, and yet perhaps a larger percentage of mankind die if
starvation in different parts of the world than is the case of
unhappiness. Russell believes that animals, even those who
depend upon humanity for their food are happier than men.

" I do not think that the learned men of my acquaintance, even

when they enjoy a secure income, are as happy as the mice
that eat the crumbs from their tables while the erudite
gentlemen snooze."
He doubts whether there are many people among the learned
men of his acquaintance who are as happy as the mice who steal
crumbs of good from their tables as the learned men go into a
night sleep at the table after having taken their meal. In this
respect ideas have not been of any help.
Another aspect in which ideas have failed is in making human
beings more friendly to one another. Some birds peck the older
members of their species to death, while in some western
countries the government gives old-age pension to the aged.
Human beings are friendly to others only within their particular
herd. It is true that moralists have tried hard to inculcate the
spirit of brotherliness among mankind, but in the opinion of
Russell, human emotions are still as ferocious as those of any
animal and intelligence has provided human beings a much
larger scope of expressing their ferocity than is possible for any
animal.

Ideas have contributed to human welfare from the very infency

of the human race. A valuable idea which helped early man was
that of the use of fire, both for keeping away harmful animals
and for cooking food. Another idea which must have played a
tremendous part in giving man a superior position in the use of
language, at first only oral but later on written. Language has
enabled men to communicate their ideas to each other: Taming
of animals and inventions of agriculture and other landmarks in
the field of helpful ideas.

The most important of the ideas that have helped mankind after
the prehistoric age are those connected with the advances in the
fields of mathematics and astronomy. The Babylonians were
the pioneers in this respect, though it was the Greeks who made
some of the most significant discoveries. In the modern world ,
scientist like Galileo, Descartes, Leibniz and Newton made the
discoveries on which most of the modern science is based.
Russell believes that the most important single idea that helped
mankind was the law of inertia. Russell is pointing out the
Importance of the discovery of the law of inertia with which
Galileo, and later, Newton, were concerned.
Note: Students should add 'Moral ideas' and ' World
Government' from the syllabus book.