Bertrand Russell and Trinity
Cambridge University Press, 3/30/2009
EAN 9780521113922, ISBN10: 052111392X
Paperback, 76 pages, 21.6 x 14 x 0.5 cm
Language: English
Originally published in English
In 1916 Bertrand Russell was prosecuted and fined for publishing (in defence of a conscientious objector) 'statements likely to prejudice the recruiting and discipline of His Majesty's forces.' He was almost immediately afterwards dismissed from his Lectureship at Trinity College, Cambridge, by the College Council. This expulsion provoked a storm of protest and the true facts of the case became obscured by misconceptions, prejudices and uninformed gossip, to the discredit of the College. In 1942, therefore G. H. Hardy the mathematician printed for private circulation to another generation of Fellows at Trinity a full account of the incident in an attempt to explain what really happened. This is now made public. Besides provoking an authoritative record of a celebrated but misinterpreted episode in Russell's eventful academic career, this document contains interesting evidence about attitudes to pacifism in the First World War and in particular about the sympathies of such distinguished colleagues and contemporaries of Russell as Cornford, Housman, McTaggart and Whitehead.
Preface
1. Introduction
2. Public opinion towards pacifism during 1914–1918
3. Opinion in the College
4. The U.D.C
5. The N.C.F
6.The Council and the U.D.C
7. The College meeting about the U.D.C
8. Russell's position in the College before 1916
9. The Everett leaflet
10. Rex v. Bertrand Russell
the prosecution
11. Rex v. Bertrand Russell
the defence
12. Russell's dismissal
13. Reflections on the action of the Council
14. The second Russell case
15. The memorial for Russell's reinstatement
16. Comments on the memorial
17. Reinstatement and resignation
Appendix
Postscript.