Bertrand Russell

I object to all punishment whatsoever. I don’t want to punish anybody, but there are an extraordinary number of people who I want to kill. Not in any unkind or personal spirit. But it must be evident to all of you, you must all know half a dozen people at least, who are no use in this world; who are more trouble than they are worth. And I think it would be a good thing to make everybody come before a properly appointed board just as he might come before the income tax commissioners and say every 5 years or every 7 years, just put them there, and say, sir or madam, now will you be kind enough to justify your existence? If you can’t justify your existence; if you’re not pulling your weight in the social boat; if you are not producing as much as you consume or perhaps a little more, then clearly we cannot use the big organization of our society for the purpose of keeping you alive, because your life does not benefit us, and it can’t be of very much use to yourself. “George Bernard Shaw reopens capital punishment controversy”, March 5, 1931
A (very) Brief History of Bertrand Russell.
In this episode, we cover the history of the primarily 20th century British mathematician, logician, philosopher, and political activist, most notable for co-authoring the logic text Principia Mathematica with Alfred North Whitehead. As per usual, I don’t go too heavy into the mathematics, largely covering his history. Notes: Russell met his first wife the summer of 1889, not 1899
When I discuss his travels to China, I say “In September 1920, Russell went to Beijing…”. He left for Beijing then, and ended up there in October 1920.
A Conversation with Bertrand Russell (1952)
George Bernard Shaw: Justify Your Existence.