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...
average intelligence less man moralist
The professional moralist in our day is a man of less than average intelligence
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
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.
belief feeble human man power pride submission whom worship
Man is a feeble creature, to whom only submission and worship are besoming. Pride is insolence, and belief in human power is impiety
condemned darkness gate himself lose pass today tomorrow
Man, condemned today to lose his dearest, tomorrow himself to pass through the gate of darkness
bible next shelf
There's a Bible on the shelf there. But I keep it next to Voltaire-poison and antidote.
dissolve effect given magic power suppose
If we were all given by magic power to read each other's thoughts, I suppose the first effect would be to dissolve all friendships
aims anguish children compel men mothers opponents ordinary political pursuit quite submit
Men, quite ordinary men, will compel children to look on while their mothers are raped. In pursuit of political aims men will submit their opponents to long years of unspeakable anguish
allies below efforts fit heart hearts imaginary instead invent longer rather science teach
Science can teach us, and I think our own hearts can teach us, no longer to look around for imaginary supports, no longer to invent allies in the sky, but rather to look to our own efforts here below to make this world a fit place to live in, instead
hated impose machines slavery valued worshipped
Machines are worshipped because they are beautiful, and valued because they confer power; they are hated because they are hideous, and loathed because they impose slavery
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
allied career complete courage devote few given himself integrity nuclear peril remains rivals
He can have few rivals in the courage and integrity and complete self-abnegation with which he has given up his own career (in which, however, he still remains eminent) to devote himself to combating the nuclear peril as well as other, allied evils.