If there's one thing that makes me cynical, it's optimists. They are just far too cynical about cynicism. If only they could see that cynics can be happy, constructive, even fun to hang out with, they might learn a thing… — Julian Baggini Copy Share Image
Perhaps the biggest myth about cynicism is that it deepens with age. I think what really happens is that experience painfully rips away layers of scales from our eyes, and so we do indeed become more cynical about many of… — Julian Baggini Copy Share Image
I don't think there is ever a direct connection between the philosophical community and the wider populus. I'm very aware of this because I've been working on a book on ideas in global philosophy and you always find some kind of relation between the dominant philosophies in a culture and the folk philosophy but it's not a straight-down dissemination. It's… — Julian Baggini Copy Share
Anger clearly has its proper place at work, which is neither wholly absent nor ever present. The manager who is an emotional blank is… — Julian Baggini Copy Share Image
I don't feel proprietorial about the problems of philosophy. History has taught us that many philosophical issues can grow up, leave home and live… — Julian Baggini Copy Share Image
True respect means taking other people's beliefs seriously and assuming they are adult and intelligent enough to be able to cope with it if… — Julian Baggini Copy Share Image
We do wrong willfully when we fail to think hard about whether what we're doing is right. — Julian Baggini Copy Share Image
It may not have the virtuous ring of the golden rule, but the maxim 'never say never' is one of the most important in… — Julian Baggini Copy Share Image
I'm not one of these people who is sour about academia. I'm very lucky not to be in academia, but I am an absolute… — Julian Baggini Copy Share Image
“Working out whether or not the claims you make in your premises are true, while important, is simply not enough to ensure that you draw true conclusions. People make this mistake all the time. They forget that you can begin with a set of entirely true beliefs but reason so poorly as to end up with entirely false conclusions. The… — Julian Baggini Copy Share
Real life is about accepting ups and downs, the good and the bad, the possibility of failure as well as the ambition to succeed.… — Julian Baggini Copy Share Image
“Philosophy without criticism is like hunting deer without a shotgun, so, if you want people to like you, avoid robust philosophical debate.” — Julian Baggini Copy Share Image
Looking out over the port of Dover, with the endless steam of boats coming in and out, every British citizen is reminded that belonging… — Julian Baggini Copy Share Image
If you believe you are right, then you should believe that you can make the case that you're right. This requires you to deal… — Julian Baggini Copy Share Image
