Bertrand Russell Quotes

The scientist is a lover of truth for the very love of truth itself, wherever it may lead.

I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way.

One unerring mark of the love of truth is not entertaining any proposition with greater assurance than the proofs it is built upon will warrant.

If we bring not the good courage of minds covetous of truth, and truth only, prepared to hear all things, and decide upon all things, according to evidence, we should do more wisely to sit down contented in ignorance, than to bestir ourselves only to reap disappointment.

True science teaches, above all, to doubt

Skepticism is not an end in itself; it is a tool for the discovery of truths.

An open mind is not an end in itself but a means to the end of finding truth.

Let the winds of evidence blow you about as though you are a leaf, with no direction of your own. Beware lest you fight a rearguard retreat against the evidence, grudgingly conceding each foot of ground only when forced, feeling cheated. Surrender to the truth as quickly as you can.

It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.

As scientists, we need to not be afraid of the truth.

What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite.

It is not when truth is dirty, but when it is shallow, that the lover of knowledge is reluctant to step into its waters.

The virtues of science are skepticism and independence of thought.

A philosopher goes where the truth leads and has no patience with mere emotion.

Liberalism is an attitude rather than a set of dogmas - an attitude that insists upon questioning all plausible and self-evident propositions, seeking not to reject them but to find out what evidence there is to support them rather than their possible alternatives.

It is not his possession of knowledge, of irrefutable truth, that makes the man of science, but his persistent and recklessly critical quest for truth.

Hope is easy; knowledge is hard. Science is the one domain in which we human beings make a truly heroic effort to counter our innate biases and wishful thinking. Science is the one endeavor in which we have developed a refined methodology for separating what a person hopes is true from what he has good reason to believe.

When you are studying any matter or considering any philosophy, ask yourself only: what are the facts, and what is the truth that the facts bear out. Never let yourself be diverted by what you wish to believe, but look only and surely at what are the facts.

What the world needs is not dogma but an attitude of scientific inquiry.

Basically, the Buddhist attitude is that you should not accept certain things through sheer faith. And for that you need a skeptical attitude. Buddha himself made this clear to his followers. He said you should not accept those things I taught out of respect for me, but rather through investigation by yourself.

Unscientific man is beset by a deplorable desire to have been right. The scientist is distinguished by a desire to be right.

I believe unconditionally in the ability of people to respond when they are told the truth. We need to be taught to study rather than believe, to inquire rather than to affirm.

Doubt . . . impels a search for the truth. It opens the door to knowledge. Faith puts a lock on the door. Indeed, . . . faith anesthetizes the desire to seek knowledge and truth.

The scientific spirit is of more value than its products, and irrationally held truths may be more harmful than reasoned errors.

Clarity and consistency are not enough: the quest for truth requires humility and effort.