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...
accept acting affords against believes desires evidence explained fact goes himself man myths offered origin reason refuse slightest unless
What a man believes upon grossly insufficient evidence is an index into his desires -- desires of which he himself is often unconscious. If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way.
against foreign genuinely hate heroism impulses patriotic perhaps propaganda whom
You must not kill your neighbor, whom perhaps you genuinely hate, but by a little propaganda this hate can be transferred to some foreign nation, against whom all your murderous impulses become patriotic heroism
against feeling intellect keeps perhaps
It is only the intellect that keeps me sane; perhaps this makes me overvalue intellect against feeling
against bloody commonly gave given share tend urged vote votes war women
Before World War I one of the objections commonly urged against votes for women was that women would tend to be pacifists. During the war they gave a large-scale refutation of this charge, and the vote was given to them for their share in the bloody
divine greater human radiance splendor
The splendor of human life, I feel sure, is greater to those who are not dazzled by the divine radiance
brings cessation happiness merely momentary temporary
Drunkenness is temporary suicide: the happiness that it brings is merely negative, a momentary cessation of unhappiness
allies below efforts fit heart hearts imaginary instead invent longer rather science teach
Science can teach us, and I think our own hearts can teach us, no longer to look around for imaginary supports, no longer to invent allies in the sky, but rather to look to our own efforts here below to make this world a fit place to live in, instead
ends good produce results rules sought sufficient unless whatever
Rules of conduct, whatever they may be are not sufficient to produce good results unless the ends sought are good
age certainty chief paralyzed perhaps philosophy study teach
To teach how to live without certainty, and yet without, being paralyzed by hesitation, is perhaps the chief thing that philosophy in our age can do for those who study it
beauty cold possesses rightly sculpture supreme
Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty - a beauty cold and austere, like that of sculpture
knows mathematics nor science talking true whether
Mathematics is the only science where one never knows what one is talking about nor whether what is said is true
artificial man natural sort venture whether worse
Whether artificial man will be better or worse than the natural sort I do not venture to predict.
mankind sweeter universe
Mankind . . . are a mistake. The universe would be sweeter and fresher without them
condemned darkness gate himself lose pass today tomorrow
Man, condemned today to lose his dearest, tomorrow himself to pass through the gate of darkness