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Atheism Quote by Bertrand Russell

“I wish to propose for the reader's favourable consideration a doctrine which may, I fear, appear wildly paradoxical and subversive. The doctrine in question is this: that it is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true.” quote by Bertrand Russell
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“I wish to propose for the reader's favourable consideration a doctrine which may, I fear, appear wildly paradoxical and subversive. The doctrine in question is this: that it is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true.”

Bertrand Russell

About This Quote

Source Book: The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell, 1912

The author warns against believing statements without any evidence, calling such belief undesirable and potentially harmful.

In simple terms: Don’t believe without evidence.

Key Takeaway

Seek evidence before believing.

Themes

critical thinking skepticism epistemology

Mood

thoughtful cautious

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • academic research
  • daily news consumption
  • personal decisions
  • legal judgments

Key Concepts

rationalism truth seeking

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you verify the truth of a claim?
  • What are the risks of ungrounded belief?
A Different Perspective

Belief without evidence can lead to misinformation and poor choices.

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