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.

Quote by Bertrand Russell

Topics: Bertrand Russell Quotes

Obscenity is whatever happens to shock some elderly and ignorant magistrate.

Obscenity is whatever happens to shock some elderly and ignorant magistrate.

One should respect public opinion insofar as is necessary to avoid starvation and keep out...

One should respect public opinion insofar as is necessary to avoid starvation and keep out...

Man needs, for his happiness, not only the enjoyment of this or that, but hope...

Man needs, for his happiness, not only the enjoyment of this or that, but hope...

Conventional people are roused to fury by departure from convention, largely because they regard such...

Conventional people are roused to fury by departure from convention, largely because they regard such...

Mathematics takes us into the region of absolute necessity, to which not only the actual...

Mathematics takes us into the region of absolute necessity, to which not only the actual...

To understand a name you must be acquainted with the particular of which it is...

To understand a name you must be acquainted with the particular of which it is...

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

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

Since evolution became fashionable, the glorification of Man has taken a new form.

Since evolution became fashionable, the glorification of Man has taken a new form.

Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons.

Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons.

Dread of disaster makes everybody act in the very way that increases the disaster. Psychologically...

Dread of disaster makes everybody act in the very way that increases the disaster. Psychologically...

One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work...

One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work...

Philosophy is an unusually ingenious attempt to think fallaciously

Philosophy is an unusually ingenious attempt to think fallaciously

To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three...

To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three...

The three main extra-rational activities in modern life are religion, war, and love; all these...

The three main extra-rational activities in modern life are religion, war, and love; all these...

To be worthy of the name, he must be free of two things; the force...

To be worthy of the name, he must be free of two things; the force...

On the one hand, philosophy is to keep us thinking about things that we may...

On the one hand, philosophy is to keep us thinking about things that we may...

Ethics is in origin the art of recommending to others the sacrifices required for cooperation...

Ethics is in origin the art of recommending to others the sacrifices required for cooperation...

Ants and savages put strangers to death.

Ants and savages put strangers to death.

When youre thirty youre almost over the hill. When youre seventy the hills almost over...

When youre thirty youre almost over the hill. When youre seventy the hills almost over...

After your death you will be what you were before your birth.

After your death you will be what you were before your birth.