--- title: "8 Characteristics Quotes By Bertrand Russell" description: "8 Characteristics quotes by Bertrand Russell. Plus more from Bertrand Russell and more Characteristics sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/bertrand-russell-69_characteristic_i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most_33309.jpg" --- > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/bertrand-russell-69_characteristic_i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most_33309.jpg) > [In the first place a philosophical proposition must be general. It must not deal specially with things on the surface of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/in-the-first-place-a-philosophical-proposition-must-be-general-it/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/bertrand-russell-69_characteristics_in-the-first-place-a-philosophical-propo_292544.jpg) > [Certain characteristics of the subject are clear. To begin with, we do not in this subject deal with particular things or particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/certain-characteristics-of-the-subject-are-clear-to-begin-with-we-do/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/bertrand-russell-69_certain_certain-characteristics-of-the-subject-a_604471.jpg) > [It seems to me now that mathematics is capable of an artistic excellence as great as that of any music, perhaps greater;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/it-seems-to-me-now-that-mathematics-is-capable-of-an-artistic/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c90/bertrand-russell-69_absolutes_it-seems-to-me-now-that-mathematics-is-c_877100.jpg) > [The most essential characteristic of scientific technique is that it proceeds from experiment, not from tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-most-essential-characteristic-of-scientific-technique-is-that-it/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/427/bertrand-russell-69_characteristics_the-most-essential-characteristic-of-sci_1160188.jpg) > [But it is just this characteristic of simplicity in the laws of nature hitherto discovered which it would be fallacious to generalize,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/but-it-is-just-this-characteristic-of-simplicity-in-the-laws-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/bertrand-russell-69_causes_but-it-is-just-this-characteristic-of-si_1408376.jpg) > [The most essential characteristic of scientific technique is that it proceeds from experiment, not from tradition. The experimental habit of mind is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-most-essential-characteristic-of-scientific-technique-is-that-it-2/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/bertrand-russell-69_characteristics_the-most-essential-characteristic-of-sci_1575140.jpg) > [Altogether it will be found that a quiet life is characteristic of great men, and that their pleasures have not been of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/altogether-it-will-be-found-that-a-quiet-life-is-characteristic-of-2/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/bertrand-russell-69_characteristics_altogether-it-will-be-found-that-a-quiet_3132630.jpg) ## Other authors on Characteristics ## More by Bertrand Russell > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dr-arnold-the-admired-reformer-of-public-schools-came-across-some/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/aristotle-maintained-that-women-have-fewer-teeth-than-men-although-he/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-cannot-escape-from-the-conclusion-that-the-great-ages-of-progress/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-newspapers-at-one-time-said-that-i-was-dead-but-after-carefully/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristics/bertrand-russell/#itemlist", "name": "8 Characteristics Quotes By Bertrand Russell", "numberOfItems": 8, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to include every influence of past experience on present reactions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bertrand Russell" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/bertrand-russell-69_characteristic_i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most_33309.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/bertrand-russell-69_characteristic_i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most_33309.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/bertrand-russell-69_characteristic_i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most_33309.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its…” — Bertrand Russell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the first place a philosophical proposition must be general. 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