Bertrand Russel
Bertrand Russel
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRSwas a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, social critic, political activist and Nobel laureate. At various points in his life he considered himself a liberal, a socialist, and a pacifist, but he also admitted that he had "never been any of these things, in any profound sense". He was born in Monmouthshire into one of the most prominent aristocratic families in the United Kingdom...
discovery human occasion prevent suffering
One occasion for theological intervention to prevent the mitigation of human suffering was the discovery of anesthetics
belief feeble human man power pride submission whom worship
Man is a feeble creature, to whom only submission and worship are besoming. Pride is insolence, and belief in human power is impiety
concerned fuss life obscure personally phenomenon sort transitory
Life is a brief, small, and transitory phenomenon in an obscure corner, not at all the sort of thing that one would make a fuss about if one were not personally concerned
hated impose machines slavery valued worshipped
Machines are worshipped because they are beautiful, and valued because they confer power; they are hated because they are hideous, and loathed because they impose slavery
contact great individual rest sources work
Love, children, and work are the great sources of fertilizing contact between the individual and the rest of the world
bizarre happen history prevent professors realizing
The professors must not prevent us from realizing that history is fun, and that the most bizarre things really happen
add certain certainty nearly others
When one admits that nothing is certain one must, I think, also add that some things are more nearly certain than others
admitted believe communion needs pattern purgatory scientific socrates
The Platonic Socrates was a pattern to subsequent Philosophers for many ages. As a man, we may believe him admitted to the communion of saints; but as a philosopher he needs a long residence in a scientific purgatory
care children
We must care about the world of our children and grandchildren, a world we may never see.
causes desire events food great main political
Undoubtedly the desire for food has been, and still is, one of the main causes of great political events
anxious benefit easier enemies good great hate hatred injure intense large love men opponents
Hatred of enemies is easier and more intense than love of friends. But from men who are more anxious to injure opponents than to benefit the world at large no great good is to be expected.
cause furious ills nature provide savage sought thousand thus turned
Furious at his own misery, he sought the cause in the misdeeds of other men, and turned upon them in savage battle, thus magnifying a thousand times the ills that Nature has provide
conceived found god highest reality
God is a reality of spirit... He cannot... be conceived as an object, not even as the very highest object. God is not to be found in the world of objects.
certainty men
What men want is not knowledge, but certainty.