Russell’s Personal Shorthand

russell: the Journal of Bertrand Russell Studies n.s. 35 (summer 2015): 66–70 The Bertrand Russell Research Centre, McMaster U. issn 0036–01631; online 1913–8032 c:\users\arlene\documents\rj issues\type3501\rj 3501 061 red.docx 2015-07-10 4:07 PM qextual ptudies RUSSELL’S PERSONAL SHORTHAND Kenneth Blackwell blackwk@mcmaster.ca he use of a personal shorthand, including systematic abbreviations, is found in Russell’s extensive, unpublished notes on lectures he attended in 1893–98, notes on such philosophers as Lotze, Leibniz, Frege and Meinong, and outlines for writings at any age.While special shorthand symbols are few, abbreviations are extensive and managed with raised letters, apostrophes and periods.The system is not always consistent, with some terms having a variety of forms. Context is crucial. His note-taking at lectures required speed and a flexible vocabulary, and he (and we) could easily generate new abbreviations and vary old ones on the fly. Acronyms are few although they include G. A., D. V. and B. V. M. His historical antecedents are unknown, but he had honed his use of a code in the “Greek Exercises” with Greek letters and vocabulary. To abbreviate a singular term, under a single final letter that he superscripted , he would place a dot (or very abbreviated line), but would underline more than one raised letter. Since that is what is seen in the manuscripts, the distinction is followed here with the shorthand coming first to aid consultation . Less extensive lists appeared in Papers 1–6, without the dot or underlining of superscripted letters, and ordered by the expansions. An alternative way to expand Russell’s shorthand is to italicize the expansion. E.g., “accṇ” would become “acceleration”. This approach would have the virtue of searchability, which the use of brackets (“acc[eleratio]n”) lacks. Russell’s shorthand enabled him to write easily understood, literate notes and outlines, and he used the system into old age. An example is this note: “K’s solṇ won’t do, for moral acṇ is in t. & phenal . If, as acns in t., they are detḍ, don’t get freedom, which L’s soul reqṣ.” 1 The cpbr lists are combined below, as is shorthand in the notes and marginalia on Leibniz and Lotze and (thanks to Andy Bone) letters to Ottoline Morrell. While the list assists in expanding Russell’s shorthand, it may not work in reverse. Assume that singular forms of plurals drop the “s”. Standard abbreviations and most names are excluded. 1 “Kant’s solution won’t do, for moral action is in time and phenomenal. If, as actions in time, they are determined, don’t get freedom, which Lotze’s soul requires” (McTaggart’s “Lectures on [the Logic of] Lotze”, Rec. Acq. 385; original at Texas). q= Russell’s Personal Shorthand 67 c:\users\arlene\documents\rj issues\type3501\rj 3501 061 red.docx 2015-07-10 4:07 PM abṭ about abs. absolute absly absolutely abste absolute abstr abstract abstr. abstract acns actions accṇ acceleration ṇ addition adjṣ adjectives adjves adjectives analytal analytical ∠lar angular ∠ṣ angles A. R. Anharmonic Ratio a. v. apparent variable ap. var. apparent variable app. vars. apparent variables applicṇ application aric arithmetic Arḷ’s Aristotle’s Arle Aristotle argṭ argument Aristṇ Aristotelian arithc̣ arithmetic arithmal arithmetical assumpn assumption astronal astronomical attracṇ attraction ax. axiom axes axioms axṣ axioms ∵ because B.V. M. BlessedVirgin Mary betw. between Brỵ Bradley c. g. centre of gravity c. s. curvature of space c. & e. cause and effect cḍ could cḍn’t couldn’t calc. calculus catal categorical cats. categories Charạ Unṣ Characteristica Universalis ⊙ circle ⊙’s circles circums. circumstances classf ṇ classification classif ṇ classification collṇ collection collecṇ collection communicṇ communication compts components concḍ conceived concns conceptions conclns conclusions condal conditional condns conditions configṇ configuration consṇ conservation conscness consciousness const. constant constent constituent constṇ constitution consttes constitutes constts constituents constr. construct constrns constructions contrṇ contradiction contradicns contradictions Coop. Cooperative coords. coordinates cor. corollary corrce correspondence corrḍ correspond corrg̣ corresponding corrṣ corresponds cp. compare cpres compares cpsons comparisons cptve comparative dọ ditto … ditto D. V. DeusVolant DC. Descartes dedṇ deduction dedve deductive defḍ defined defte de...

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