[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/monkandbook.jpg” caption=”Ray Monk”]British author and philosopher Ray Monk is on campus today to sign his newest book on 20th-century philosopher Bertrand Russell (Monk will be at Titles between 12:45 and 1:30).

Last night Monk gave a lecture on Russell's life and work at the official opening of McMaster's Bertrand Russell Research Centre. He will also give a lecture this afternoon for the Department of Philosophy on A Room Not of One's Own: Wittgenstein and Virginia Woolf on Biography, at 2 p.m. in Convocation Hall, UH-213.

The centre will bring a variety of activities relating to the famous
philosopher together for administrative purposes. The activities that will come under the auspices of the centre include the Collected Papers project, publication of the Russell journal and presentation of the annual Russell lecture series, sponsored by the Centre for Peace Studies.

The Faculty of Humanities has identified Russell studies as an academic priority. Dean Daniel Woolf says the most important advantage of such a centre will be the opportunities it offers for promoting McMaster as the international home of Russell studies.

Photo: Ron Scheffler