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 feeling intellect keeps perhaps
It is only the intellect that keeps me sane; perhaps this makes me overvalue intellect against feeling
advocating artificial condemned contain descend found fragile full hours mechanical people pools preventive town war
I think every big town should contain artificial waterfalls that people can descend in very fragile canoes, and they should contain bathing pools full of mechanical sharks. Any person found advocating a preventive war should be condemned to two hours
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
dying talk
Patriots always talk of dying for their country, and never of killing for their country.
hard-work labor life mental physical severe suited
Our mental make-up is suited to a life of very severe physical labor
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
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.
available delights dictators ecstasy enjoy madmen since solitary
If we could all live solitary and without labor, we could all enjoy this ecstasy of independence; since we cannot, its delights are only available to madmen and dictators
believer best democratic firm form government required tolerance
I am a firm believer in democratic representative government as the best form for those who have the tolerance and self-restraint that is required to make it workable
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
certainty men
What men want is not knowledge, but certainty.