Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell (1872â1970) was a 20th century atheist championed by liberals and awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950 for his pacifist writings.
Russell was part philosopher and part mathematician. His biggest work was a three-volume attempt to derive all mathematical principles from a well-defined set of axioms and inference rules in symbolic logic, entitled Principia Mathematica (1910-1913). He published this work with Alfred North Whitehead.
Russell failed in his effort. In fact, Kurt Godel proved in 1931 that what Russell attempted to do is mathematically impossible.
A member of British nobility with the title of "Earl", Russell remained a hero to those on the political left, particularly in the English-speaking world, throughout his life. But, as often is the case, Russell's supporters exaggerated his achievements.