Bertrand Russell Quotes

We must never assume that which is incapable of proof.

I wish to propose for the reader's favorable consideration a doctrine which may, I fear, appear wildly paradoxical and subversive. The doctrine in question is this: that it is undesirable to believe in a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true.

Science is what you know. Philosophy is what you don't know.

Knowledge is justified belief.

In my opinion, it helps enormously to know why something is true, rather than being told it is true, for why should you believe me? Never believe anything on the authority of a single person but seek confirmation — and reason is the best confirmation

The fact that a belief has a good moral effect upon a man is no evidence whatsoever in favor of its truth.

In practical life we are compelled to follow what is most probable ; in speculative thought we are compelled to follow truth. A man would perish of hunger and thirst, if he refused to eat or drink, till he had obtained positive proof that food and drink would be good for him. But in philosophic reflection this is not so. On the contrary, we must take care not to admit as true anything, which is only probable. For when one falsity has been let in, infinite others follow.

Philosophy is the opposite of fairy tales

Just because an idea is true doesn't mean it can be proved. And just because an idea can be proved doesn't mean it's true.

Philosophy has to be enquiring; it can take nothing on faith, and its methods are based not on the blind acceptance of authority, but on establishing truths by reason and argument.

The only good reason to embrace a philosophical position is that you are convinced it is true or at least makes sense of the world better than the alternatives.

It is not rational to assume, without evidence, that rationality can disclose everything about the world, just because it can disclose some things. Our intuition in favour of rationality, where we are inclined to use it, is just that - an intuition. Reason is founded in intuition and ends in intuition, like a pair of massive bookends.

The logic of validation allows us to move between the two limits of dogmatism and skepticism.

Philosophy likes to keen common sense on the run.

We must never throw away a bushel of truth because it happens to contain a few grains of chaff.

Truth is the object of philosophy, but not always of philosophers.

As one may bring himself to believe almost anything he is inclined to believe, it makes all the difference whether we begin or end with the inquiry, 'What is truth?'

It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.

A very great deal more truth can become known than can be proved.

Knowledge consists in understanding the evidence that establishes the fact, not in the belief that it is a fact.

Found your opinions on facts, not prejudices. We know too many things that are not true

If I let myself believe anything on insufficient evidence, there may be no great harm done by the mere belief; it may be true after all, or I may never have occasion to exhibit it in outward acts. But I cannot help doing this great wrong towards Man, that I make myself credulous. The danger to society is not merely that it should believe wrong things, though that is great enough; but that it should become credulous, and lose the habit of testing things and inquiring into them; for then it must sink back into savagery.

Not to be absolutely certain is, I think, one of the essential things in rationality.

The scientist insists on verification; the religious theologian does not; the philosopher sometimes does and sometimes does not

Facts are not truths; they are not conclusions; they are not even premises, but in the nature and parts of premises.