The book was written during the Second World War, having its origins in a series of lectures on the history of philosophy that Russell gave at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia during 1941 and 1942.
Buku itu ditulis selama Perang Dunia Kedua, yang berasal dari serangkaian kuliah tentang sejarah filsafat yang diberikan Russell di Yayasan Barnes di Philadelphia pada 1941 dan 1942.