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: + : The great English philosopher B.Russell held the view that : philosophy was an enterprise caught midway between religion : on one side and science on the other. This may indeed be so, : but Russell's empirical mind rebelled against the stupidities : and superstitions of religion. All his philosophical efforts : were spent in the (seemingly futile) search for certainty; : which could not be found in religion OR philosophy. As a : result Russell proposed that we should have "faith" in : science; presumably because there is at least some small : measure of certainly in the secure results of science. : . : Now Jaspers rightly points out the contradiction involved : in this advice to have faith in science. Jaspers, I think, : would rather urge us to have faith in philosophy, or rather : to have faith in our own personal ability to think : philosophically, and to improve our skill at such with : determined practice. This strikes me as a far more sensible : piece of advice, and perhaps even suggests that Jaspers was : the better philosopher of the two. But the interesting thing : is that Jaspers seems to agree with Russell that philosophy : has one foot in both camps. But he goes beyond Russell in : suggesting that philosophy is superior to both science and : religion because it can draw upon the strengths of each; : whereas science and religion are otherwise perpetually : trying to negate each other. : . : What do you think? : . : - the almost harmonious one - textman ;> : x

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