Quotes

“The place of the father in the modern suburban family is a very small one, particularly if he plays golf.” Bertrand Russell

“Extreme hopes are born from extreme misery.” Bertrand Russell

“Neither a man nor a crowd nor a nation can be trusted to act humanely or to think sanely under the influence of a great fear.” Bertrand Russell

“The observer, when he seems to himself to be observing a stone, is really, if physics is to be believed, observing the effects of the stone upon himself.” Bertrand Russell

“It is possible that mankind is on the threshold of a golden age; but, if so, it will be necessary first to slay the dragon that guards the door, and this dragon is religion.” Bertrand Russell

“The point of philosophy is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth stating, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will believe it.” Bertrand Russell

“There is no need to worry about mere size. We do not necessarily respect a fat man more than a thin man. Sir Isaac Newton was very much smaller than a hippopotamus, but we do not on that account value him less.” Bertrand Russell

“Why is propaganda so much more successful when it stirs up hatred than when it tries to stir up friendly feeling?” Bertrand Russell

“None but a coward dares to boast that he has never known fear.” Bertrand Russell

“The theoretical understanding of the world, which is the aim of philosophy, is not a matter of great practical importance to animals, or to savages, or even to most civilised men.” Bertrand Russell

“I like mathematics because it is not human and has nothing particular to do with this planet or with the whole accidental universe - because, like Spinoza's God, it won't love us in return.” Bertrand Russell

“I remain convinced that obstinate addiction to ordinary language in our private thoughts is one of the main obstacles to progress in philosophy.” Bertrand Russell

“Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by examining his wives' mouths.” Bertrand Russell

“The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation.” Bertrand Russell

“Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, Thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought is great and swift and free.” Bertrand Russell

“To teach how to live without certainty and yet without being paralysed by hesitation is perhaps the chief thing that philosophy, in our age, can do for those who study it.” Bertrand Russell

“All movements go too far.” Bertrand Russell

“Many people when they fall in love look for a little haven of refuge from the world, where they can be sure of being admired when they are not admirable, and praised when they are not praiseworthy.” Bertrand Russell

“A truer image of the world, I think, is obtained by picturing things as entering into the stream of time from an eternal world outside, than from a view which regards time as the devouring tyrant of all that is.” Bertrand Russell

“Freedom in general may be defined as the absence of obstacles to the realization of desires.” Bertrand Russell

“I think we ought always to entertain our opinions with some measure of doubt. I shouldn't wish people dogmatically to believe any philosophy, not even mine.” Bertrand Russell

“Against my will, in the course of my travels, the belief that everything worth knowing was known at Cambridge gradually wore off. In this respect my travels were very useful to me.” Bertrand Russell

“The demand for certainty is one which is natural to man, but is nevertheless an intellectual vice.” Bertrand Russell

“Italy, and the spring and first love all together should suffice to make the gloomiest person happy.” Bertrand Russell

“What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite.” Bertrand Russell

“Freedom of opinion can only exist when the government thinks itself secure.” Bertrand Russell

“Much that passes as idealism is disguised hatred or disguised love of power.” Bertrand Russell

“Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons.” Bertrand Russell

“When the intensity of emotional conviction subsides, a man who is in the habit of reasoning will search for logical grounds in favour of the belief which he finds in himself.” Bertrand Russell

“There is something feeble and a little contemptible about a man who cannot face the perils of life without the help of comfortable myths.” Bertrand Russell