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...
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
admit america everybody men opinion since social
In America everybody is of opinion that he has no social superiors, since all men are equal, but he does not admit that he has no social inferiors.
marriage outside sex within
Sex outside marriage is sin; sex within marriage is not sin.
begin cease commands divine grow men mere satisfied substitute
As men begin to grow civilized, they cease to be satisfied with mere tabus, and substitute divine commands and prohibitions
concerned fuss life obscure personally phenomenon sort transitory
Life is a brief, small, and transitory phenomenon in an obscure corner, not at all the sort of thing that one would make a fuss about if one were not personally concerned
duty offensive personal relations useful work
A sense of duty is useful in work but offensive in personal relations
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.
beings creation happiness happy human kinds order purpose require supports therefore
In order to be happy we require all kinds of supports to our self-esteem. We are human beings, therefore human beings are the purpose of god's creation
appealing believes faced false great increase knows popularity radical reforms
The conscientious Radical is faced with great difficulties. He knows that he can increase his popularity by being false to his creed, and appealing to hatreds that have nothing to do with the reforms in which he believes
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
arises community content either fact men remain unmarried virtuous wives
The need for prostitution arises from the fact that many men are either unmarried or away from their wives on journeys, that such men are not content to remain continent, and that in a conventionally virtuous community they do not find respectable women.
granted hang healthy mark question taken
In all affairs, love, religion, politics, or business, it's a healthy idea, now and then, to hang a question mark on things you have long taken for granted
avoid beyond far goes necessary opinion public respect starvation submission tyranny voluntary
One should respect public opinion in so far as is necessary to avoid starvation and to keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny
anybody cannot children conveyed male men since
The idea that men are God's children is one which cannot be conveyed to the Trobriand Islanders, since they do not think that anybody is the child of any male