Thinking you know when in fact you don't is a fatal mistake, to which we are all prone — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
I suppose the advocates of unreason think that there is a better chance of profitably deceiving the populace if they keep it… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
I do not think that the real reason why people accept religion has anything to do with argumentation. They accept religion on… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man. — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
It seems to us unwise to have insisted on teaching geometry to the younger Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse, in order to make… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
On the one hand, philosophy is to keep us thinking about things that we may come to know, and on the other… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
It seems to me a fundamental dishonesty, and a fundamental treachery to intellectual integrity to hold a belief because you think it's… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Most people believe in God because they have been taught from early infancy to do it, and that is the main reason.… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
One must expect a war between U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. which will begin with the total destruction of London. I think the war… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Perhaps the nuclear physicists have come so near to the ultimate secrets that He thinks it time to bring their activities to… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
The habit of looking to the future and thinking that the whole meaning of the present lies in what it will bring… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
I think modern educational theorists are inclined to attach too much importance to the negative virtue of not interfering with children, and… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
I think people who are unhappy are always proud of being so, and therefore do not like to be told that there… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Modern American politicians have the same cowardice about denying an equally bloodthirsty even sillier god, Jehovah. None of us would seriously consider… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
If the youth is content to abandon his previous associates and to throw in his lot whole-heartedly with the rulers, he may,… — 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
More and more people are becoming unable to accept traditional [religious] beliefs. If they think that, apart from these beliefs, there is… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
The fact that a belief has a good moral effect upon a man is no evidence whatsoever in favor of its truth.… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
The chicken noticed that the farmer came every day to feed it. It predicted that the farmer would continue to bring food… — 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
There are still many people in America who regard depressions as acts of God. I think Keynes proved that the responsibility for… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
There is an element of the busybody in our conception of virtue: unless a man makes himself a nuisance to a great… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
I am aware that many divines are far more marvelous than I am, and that I cannot wholly appreciate merits so far… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
I do not believe that science per se is an adequate source of happiness, nor do I think that my own scientific… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“Travelling, whether in the mental or the physical world, is a joy, and it is good to know that, in the mental… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Although it is a gloomy view to suppose that life will die out, sometimes when I contemplate the things that people do… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
The wise man thinks about his troubles only when there is some purpose in doing so; at other times he thinks about… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
We do not like to be robbed of an enemy; we want someone to hate when we suffer. It is so depressing… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
The painter has to unlearn the habit of thinking that things seem to have the color which common sense says they 'really'… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
I do wish I believed in the life eternal, for it makes me quite miserable to think man is merely a kind… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Never let yourself be diverted, either by what you wish to believe, or what you think could have beneficent social effects if… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
For love of domination we must substitute equality; for love of victory we must substitute justice; for brutality we must substitute intelligence;… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Aristotle could have avoided the mistake of thinking that women have fewer teeth than men, by the simple device of asking Mrs.… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
At first it seems obvious, but the more you think about it the stranger the deductions from this axiom seem to become;… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Men who allow their love of power to give them a distorted view of the world are to be found in every… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
There are some simple maxims which I think might be commended to writers of expository prose. First: never use a long word… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
I think the subject which will be of most importance politically is Mass Psychology... Its importance has been enormously increased by the… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
If we were all given by magic the power to read each other’s thoughts, I suppose the first effect would be almost… — 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