1,551 Quotes by Bertrand Russell

No nation was ever so virtuous as each believes itself, and none was ever so wicked as each believes the other.

Well, there are many religions, but I suppose they all worship the same God.

It is permissible with certain precautions to speak in print of coitus, but it is not permissible to employ the monosyllabic synonym for this word.

What is matter? Never mind.

The main things which seem to me important on their own account, and not merely as means to other things, are knowledge, art, instinctive happiness, and relations of friendship or affection.

We may define "faith" as the firm belief in something for which there is no evidence. Where there is evidence, no one speaks of "faith." We do not speak of faith that two and two are four or that the earth is round. We only speak of faith when we wish to substitute emotion for evidence. The substitution of emotion for evidence is apt to lead to strife, since different groups, substitute different emotions.

Certain characteristics of the subject are clear. To begin with, we do not in this subject deal with particular things or particular properties: we deal formally with what can be said about any thing or any property. We are prepared to say that one and one are two, but not that Socrates and Plato are two.

Most people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so.

Fundamental happiness depends more than anything else upon what may be called a friendly interest in persons and things.