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Bertrand Russell Quotes - Page 6

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Whenever one finds oneself inclined to bitterness, it is a sign of emotional failure.

Whenever one finds oneself inclined to bitterness, it is a sign of emotional failure.

Bertrand Russell
Emotional, Bitterness, Unhappiness
Bertrand Russell (2014). “The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell”, p.173, Routledge

If one man offers you democracy and another offers you a bag of grain, at what stage of starvation do you prefer the grain to the vote?

Bertrand Russell
Men, Democracy, Bags
Bertrand Russell (2009). “Bertrand Russell's Best”, p.82, Routledge

I do not pretend to be able to prove that there is no God. I equally cannot prove that Satan is a fiction. The Christian god may exist; so may the gods of Olympus, or of ancient Egypt, or of Babylon. But no one of these hypotheses is more probable than any other: they lie outside the region of even probable knowledge, and therefore there is no reason to consider any of them.

Bertrand Russell
Christian, Atheist, Fear
Bertrand Russell (1993). “The Quotable Bertrand Russell”

The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.

Bertrand Russell
Love, Life, Relationship
Bertrand Russell (1957). “Why I Am Not a Christian: And Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects”, p.56, Simon and Schuster

To be happy in this world, especially when youth is past, it is necessary to feel oneself not merely an isolated individual whose day will soon be over, but part of the stream of life flowing on from the first germ to the remote and unknown future.

Bertrand Russell
Funny, Happiness, Laughter
"The Conquest of Happiness" by Bertrand Russell, (Ch. 13), 1930.

Philosophy is to be studied, not for the sake of any definite answers to its questions, since no definite answers can, as a rule, be known to be true, but rather for the sake of the questions themselves; because these questions enlarge our conception of what is possible, enrich our intellectual imagination and diminish the dogmatic assurance which closes the mind against speculation; but above all because, through the greatness of the universe which philosophy contemplates, the mind is also rendered great, and becomes capable of that union with the universe which constitutes its highest good.

Bertrand Russell
Philosophy, Greatness, Imagination
Bertrand Russell (1997). “The Problems of Philosophy”, p.161, Oxford University Press, USA

The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation.

Bertrand Russell
Change, Teamwork, Collaboration
Bertrand Russell, Andrew G. Bone (2003). “Man's Peril, 1954-55”, p.12, Psychology Press

To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.

Bertrand Russell
Inspirational, Success, Wisdom
Unpopular Essays (1950) "Outline of Intellectual Rubbish"

When we look at a rock what we are seeing is not the rock, but the effect of the rock upon us.

Bertrand Russell
Rocks, Looks, Effects

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.

Bertrand Russell
Truth, Believe, Men
Bertrand Russell (2015). “Proposed Roads to Freedom”, p.109, Booklassic

Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country.

Bertrand Russell
Country, Hippie, Patriotic
Bertrand Russell (1962). “Has Man a Future?”

If the ordinary wage-earner worked four hours a day, there would be enough for everybody, and no unemployment — assuming a certain very moderate amount of sensible organization. This idea shocks the well-to-do, because they are convinced that the poor would not know how to use so much leisure.

Bertrand Russell
Philosophy, Son, Men
"In praise of idleness: and other essays".

If you wish to be happy yourself, you must resign yourself to seeing others also happy.

Bertrand Russell
Wish, Seeing, Ifs
Bertrand Russell (2009). “Bertrand Russell's Best”, p.97, Routledge

Always remember that true happiness is not in getting what you want, but wanting what you already have. He who dies with the most toys is still dead. What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite.

Bertrand Russell
Believe, Opposites, Getting What You Want

No rules, however wise, are a substitute for affection and tact.

Bertrand Russell
Wise, Affection, Substitutes
Bertrand Russell (2004). “In Praise of Idleness and Other Essays”, p.147, Psychology Press

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
Inspirational, Philosophy, Believe

It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly.

Bertrand Russell
Life, Money, Freedom
"Principles of Social Reconstruction". Book by Bertrand Russell, 1917.

A widespread belief is more often likely to be foolish than sensible.

Bertrand Russell
Stupid, Belief, Foolish

Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise, for only a fool will think that is happiness.

Bertrand Russell
Thinking, Paradise, Fool
Bertrand Russell (2014). “The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell”, p.554, Routledge

Either man will abolish war, or war will abolish man.

Bertrand Russell
Peace, War, Men
Bertrand Russell (2009). “Fact and Fiction”, p.276, Routledge

The opinions that are held with passion are always those for which no good ground exists; indeed the passion is the measure of the holders lack of rational conviction. Opinions in politics and religion are almost always held passionately.

Bertrand Russell
Passion, Opinion, Critical Thinking
Sceptical Essays "Introduction: On the Value of Skepticism" (1961)

RELIGION: A set of beliefs held as dogmas, dominating the conduct of life, going beyond or contrary to evidence, and inculcated by methods which are emotional or authoritarian, not intellectual.

Bertrand Russell
God, Emotional, Religion
Bertrand Russell, Richard A. Rempel, Beryl Haslam (2000). “Uncertain Paths to Freedom: Russia and China, 1919-22”, p.197, Psychology Press

What's the difference between a bright, inquisitive five-year-old, and a dull, stupid nineteen-year-old? Fourteen years of the British educational system.

Bertrand Russell
Educational, Stupid, School

We must be skeptical even of our skepticism.

Bertrand Russell
Skepticism, Skeptical

No man can be a good teacher unless he has feelings of warm affection toward his pupils and a genuine desire to impart to them what he believes to be of value.

Bertrand Russell
Teacher, Believe, Teaching
Bertrand Russell (2009). “The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell”, p.417, Routledge

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