Bertrand Russell's Bundle Theory of Particulars [Paperback]

Winner of the 2015 Bertrand Russell Society Book Award

Bertrand Russell's Bundle Theory of Particularspresents and evaluates Russell's arguments for two competing theories on the nature of particulars at different stages in his career: the substratum theory of particulars (1903-1913) and the bundle theory of particulars (1940-1948).

Through its original focus on Russell's little known metaphysics in the later part of his career, this study explains why Russell's theory of particulars is relevant today. It argues that a Russellian realist bundle theory is indeed the best explanation of similarities and differences that we observe around us thanks to the ontological economy such a theory provides and its strength and completeness as a theory of the nature of reality.

Tackling the major criticisms levelled against the realist bundle theory - the problem of individuation, the problem of necessity, and the problem of analyticity - this study presents and defends a tenable Russellian bundle theory which can answer the objections.Bertrand Russell's Bundle Theory of Particularsis a novel and significant contribution to Russell scholarship.

Russell's later philosophy has been scandalously ignored, and no part of it more so than his final metaphysics in which he treated particulars as bundles of universals. This almost total silence about Russell's bundle theory is now remedied by G?lberk Ko? Maclean, whose book provides a detailed exposition of the theory and defends it against the standard charges made against bundle theories of particulars. Her books fills an important gap in the literature on Russell. Hopefully, it will stimulate further work on Russell's later philosophy. 

The great value of this book lies in its exquisite critical exploration of the evolution of Russell's theories of universals and particulars. What topic is more central to philosophy and to Russell scholarship? It is not olã