Modern definitions of truth, such as those as pragmatism and instrumentalism, which are practical rather than contemplative, are inspired by industrialisation as… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
As a lover of truth, the national propaganda of all the belligerent nations sickened me. As a lover of civilization, the return… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
When you are studying any matter or considering any philosophy, ask yourself only: what are the facts, and what is the truth… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
We shall say that we have acquaintance with anything of which we are directly aware, without the intermediary of any process of… — 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
“...suggest four general maxims, which will prove an adequate preventive of persecution mania if their truth is sufficiently realized. The first is:… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
I conclude that, while it is true that science cannot decide questions of value, that is because they cannot be intellectually decided… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Of these austerer virtues the love of truth is the chief, and in mathematics, more than elsewhere, the love of truth may… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“The battle must be fought exactly as the battle of religious toleration was fought. And as in that case, so in this,… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
The governors of the world believe, and have always believed, that virtue can only be taught by teaching falsehood, and that any… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
One of the chief obstacles to intelligence is credulity, and credulity could be enormously diminished by instructions as to the prevalent forms… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Admit at least one painful truth to yourself every day. Teach yourself to feel that life would still be worth living even… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
The process of philosophizing, to my mind, consists mainly in passing from those obvious, vague, ambiguous things, that we feel quite sure… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Although this may seem a paradox, all exact science is dominated by the idea of approximation. When a man tells you that… — 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
“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
“In his philosophy, nothing is held to be quite true, and nothing quite false; what can be uttered has only a limited… — 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
