--- title: "9 Favors Quotes By Bertrand Russell" description: "9 Favors quotes by Bertrand Russell. Plus more from Bertrand Russell and more Favors sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/bertrand-russell-69_doctrine_when-the-state-intervenes-to-insure-the_2234407.jpg" --- > [When the state intervenes to insure the indoctrination of some doctrine, it does so because there is no conclusive evidence in favor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/when-the-state-intervenes-to-insure-the-indoctrination-of-some/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/bertrand-russell-69_doctrine_when-the-state-intervenes-to-insure-the_2234407.jpg) > [I dislike Communism because it is undemocratic, and capitalism because it favors exploitation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-dislike-communism-because-it-is-undemocratic-and-capitalism-because/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/bertrand-russell-69_capitalism_i-dislike-communism-because-it-is-undemo_902739.jpg) > [The fact that a belief has a good moral effect upon a man is no evidence whatsoever in favor of its truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-fact-that-a-belief-has-a-good-moral-effect-upon-a-man-is-no-2/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/bertrand-russell-69_belief_the-fact-that-a-belief-has-a-good-moral_2923257.jpg) > [Moreover, the attitude that one ought to believe such and such a proposition, independently of the question whether there is evidence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/moreover-the-attitude-that-one-ought-to-believe-such-and-such-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/bertrand-russell-69_attitude_moreover-the-attitude-that-one-ought-to_1650160.jpg) > [Dogma demands authority, rather than intelligent thought, as the source of opinion; it requires persecution of heretics and hostility to unbelievers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dogma-demands-authority-rather-than-intelligent-thought-as-the-source/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/bertrand-russell-69_asks_dogma-demands-authority-rather-than-inte_183035.jpg) > [Man is a rational animal. So at least we have been told. Throughout a long life I have searched diligently for evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-we-have-been-told-throughout-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc3/bertrand-russell-69_animal_man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-we_1031528.jpg) > [Man is a rational animal – so at least I have been told. Throughout a long life, I have looked diligently for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-i-have-been-told-throughout-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/bertrand-russell-69_animal_man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-i-h_1310384.jpg) > [The fact that a belief has a good moral effect upon a man is no evidence whatsoever in favor of its truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-fact-that-a-belief-has-a-good-moral-effect-upon-a-man-is-no/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c0/bertrand-russell-69_absolutes_the-fact-that-a-belief-has-a-good-moral_2010893.jpg) > [What makes a free thinker is not his beliefs, but the way in which he holds them. If he holds them because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/what-makes-a-free-thinker-is-not-his-beliefs-but-the-way-in-which-he/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/bertrand-russell-69_atheism_what-makes-a-free-thinker-is-not-his-bel_1561112.jpg) ## Other authors on Favors ## 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/favors/bertrand-russell/#itemlist", "name": "9 Favors Quotes By Bertrand Russell", "numberOfItems": 9, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When the state intervenes to insure the indoctrination of some doctrine, it does so because there is no conclusive evidence in favor of that 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So at least we have been told. Throughout a long life I have searched diligently for evidence in favor of this statement. So far, I have not had the good fortune to come across it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bertrand Russell" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-we-have-been-told-throughout-a/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc3/bertrand-russell-69_animal_man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-we_1031528.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc3/bertrand-russell-69_animal_man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-we_1031528.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc3/bertrand-russell-69_animal_man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-we_1031528.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man is a rational animal. So at least we have been told. 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Throughout a long life, I have looked diligently for evidence in favour of this statement, but so far I have not had the good fortune to come across it, though I have searched in many countries spread over three continents.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bertrand Russell" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-i-have-been-told-throughout-a/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/bertrand-russell-69_animal_man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-i-h_1310384.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/bertrand-russell-69_animal_man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-i-h_1310384.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/bertrand-russell-69_animal_man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-i-h_1310384.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man is a rational animal – so at least I have been told. Throughout a long life, I have looked diligently…” — Bertrand Russell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fact that a belief has a good moral effect upon a man is no evidence whatsoever in favor of its truth. I'm not contending in a dogmatic way that there is not a God. What I'm contending is that we don't know that there is. I don't like the word \"absolute.\" I don't think there is anything absolute whatever. The moral law, for example, is always changing. At one period in the development of the human race, almost everybody thought cannibalism was a duty.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bertrand Russell" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-fact-that-a-belief-has-a-good-moral-effect-upon-a-man-is-no/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c0/bertrand-russell-69_absolutes_the-fact-that-a-belief-has-a-good-moral_2010893.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c0/bertrand-russell-69_absolutes_the-fact-that-a-belief-has-a-good-moral_2010893.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c0/bertrand-russell-69_absolutes_the-fact-that-a-belief-has-a-good-moral_2010893.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fact that a belief has a good moral effect upon a man is no evidence whatsoever in favor of its truth…” — Bertrand Russell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What makes a free thinker is not his beliefs, but the way in which he holds them. If he holds them because his elders told him they were true when he was young, or if he holds them because if he did not he would be unhappy, his thought is not free; but if he holds them because, after careful thought, he finds a balance in their favor, then his thought is free, however odd his conclusions may seem.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bertrand Russell" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/what-makes-a-free-thinker-is-not-his-beliefs-but-the-way-in-which-he/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/bertrand-russell-69_atheism_what-makes-a-free-thinker-is-not-his-bel_1561112.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/bertrand-russell-69_atheism_what-makes-a-free-thinker-is-not-his-bel_1561112.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/bertrand-russell-69_atheism_what-makes-a-free-thinker-is-not-his-bel_1561112.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What makes a free thinker is not his beliefs, but the way in which he holds them. 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