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Bertrand Russel also was - and hopefully still is - a public intellectual, like Einstein or Chomsky (for better or worse), whose opinions on many areas of life reached ordinary people. His values were ahead of his time.

This is a wonderful interview with him that gives a great sense of what he was all about:

• A Conversation with Bertrand Russell (1952) https://youtu.be/xL_sMXfzzyA



Russell also lived a long time, with family who did too.

While young his grandfather told Bertrand about meeting Napoleon. Late in life Bertrand watched the moon landing on TV.

Obviously that two experiences that span more than one life time, but they are very far apart.

https://www.openculture.com/2022/05/philosopher-bertrand-rus...


His (ex-)wife Dora was my wife's neighbour, she was quite a force in her own right (and lived to 92):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dora_Russell


I understand that Professor Yaffle -- the woodpecker bookend in the classic kids' TV show Bagpuss -- was loosely based on Russell.


There's a live action Bagpuss film due: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crrjwlvxknko




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