#17: Bertrand Russell
Philosopher Bertrand Russell spent part of World War I opposing conscription and criticizing British war policy. His activism brought legal consequences, including a 1916 conviction and fine for an antiwar pamphlet. Two years later, another article led to a six-month prison sentence. Russell used his incarceration productively, writing Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy while behind bars. Plenty of people claim they would finally write a book if only they had fewer distractions. Russell apparently required His Majesty’s Prison Service to test the theory.
