Education, and the life of the mind generally, is a matter in which individual initiative is the chief thing needed; the function… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
It is entirely clear that there is only one way in which great wars can be permanently prevented, and that is the… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
You must believe that you can help bring about a better world. A good society is produced only by good individuals, just… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Politics is concerned with herds rather than with individuals, and the passions which are important in politics are, therefore, those in which… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“How pleasant a world would be in which no man was allowed to operate on the Stock Exchange unless he could pass… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“Politicians do not find any attractions in a view which does not lend itself to party declamation, and ordinary mortals prefer views… — 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
Scientific societies are as yet in their infancy. It is to be expected that advances in physiology and psychology will give governments… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“In religion and politics, on the contrary, though there is as yet nothing approaching scientific knowledge, everybody considers it de rigueur to… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“The romantic movement, in art, in literature, and in politics, is bond up with this subjective way of judging men, not as… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“Education, the press, politics, religion—in a word, all the great forces in the world—are at present on the side of irrationality; they… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“Social cohesion is a necessity, and mankind has never yet succeeded in enforcing cohesion by merely rational arguments. Every community is exposed… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
Citizens as conceived by governments are persons who admire the status quo and are prepared to exert themselves for its preservation. Oddly… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“In science, an observer states his results along with the “probable error”; but who ever heard of a theologian or a politician… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“Most men think that in framing their political opinions they are actuated by desire for the public good; but 9 times out… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“Russell observes that "the merits of democracy are negative: it does not ensure good government, but it prevents certain evils," such as… — Bertrand Russell Copy Share Image
“The skill of the politician consists in guessing what people can be brought to think advantageous to themselves; the skill of the… — 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
