The finding of arguments for a conclusion given in advance is not philosophy, but special pleading — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
There is little of the true philosophic spirit in Aquinas. He does not, like the Platonic Socrates, set out to follow wherever… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Plato has dramatic strength ... but is quite unaware of the strength of the argument against his position ... and allows himself… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavor to overcome it by argument… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
When you come to look into this argument from design, it is a most astonishing thing that people can believe that this… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
If you think your belief is based upon reason, you will support it by argument rather than by persecution, and will abandon… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
The argument against the persecution of opinion does not depend upon what the excuse for persecution may be. The argument is that… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“There are two different evils about propaganda as now practised. On the one hand, its appeal is generally to irrational causes of… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
If everything must have a cause, then God must have a cause. If there can be anything without a cause, it may… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Some care is needed in using Descartes' argument. "I think, therefore I am" says rather more than is strictly certain. It might… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
As a philosopher, if I were speaking to a purely philosophic audience I should say that I ought to describe myself as… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Science, by itself, cannot supply us with an ethic. It can show us how to achieve a given end, and it may… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“People will tell us that without the consolations of religion they would be intolerably unhappy. So far as this is true, it… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“You all know the argument from design: everything in the world is made just so that we can manage to live in… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.' — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict. — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability. — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.” — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share
