It is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
We have almost reached the point where praise of rationality is held to mark a man as an old fogey regrettably surviving… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Not to be absolutely certain is, I think, one of the essential things in rationality. — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“When a man tells you he knows the exact truth about anything, you are safe in inferring he is an inexact man.” — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“One obvious palliative of the evils of democracy in its present form would be to encourage much more publicity and initiative on… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“The methods of increasing the degree of truth in our beliefs are well known; they consist in hearing all sides, trying to… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
It is for this reason that rationality is of supreme importance to the well-being of the human species...even more, in those less… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“I do not myself think there is any superior rationality in being unhappy. The wise man will be as happy as circumstances… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
The conception of the necessary unit of all that is resolves itself into the poverty of the imagination, and a freer logic… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“The mind of the most rational among us may be compared to a stormy ocean of passionate convictions based on desire, upon… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
The true function of logic ... as applied to matters of experience ... is analytic rather than constructive; taken a priori, it… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“No man need fear that by making himself rational he will make his life dull. On the contrary, since rationality consists in… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“It is clear that thought is not free if the profession of certain opinions makes it impossible to earn a living. It… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“Intellectually, what is stimulating to a young man is a problem of obvious practical importance. A young man learning economics, for example,… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“To begin with rationality in opinion: I should define it merely as the habit of taking account of all relevant evidence in… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“The power of reason is thought small in these days, but I remain an unrepentant rationalist. Reason may be a small force,… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“I am myself a dissenter from all known religions, and I hope that every kind of religious belief will die out. I… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“The only kind of appeal that wins any instinctive response in party politics is an appeal to hostile feeling; the men who… — 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
