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History of Western Philosophy: Collectors Edition

Book by Bertrand Russell · 17 quotes · Men, Knows, Universe

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History of Western Philosophy: Collectors Edition Quotes

“Science tells us what we can know but what we can know is little and if we forget how much we cannot know we become insensitive of many things of very great importance. Theology, on the other hand induces a dogmatic belief that we have knowledge where in fact we have ignorance and by doing so generates a kind of impertinent insolence towards the universe. Uncertainty in the presence of vivid hopes and fears is painful, but must be endured if we wish to live without the support of comforting fairy tales.”

IfsKnowsKindLittlesFactsHandsUniverseBeliefWishForgetSupportIgnoranceImportancePainfulTheologyTalesUncertaintyFairyFairy TaleComfortingVividDogmaticInsensitiveHopes And FearsInsolence
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“It seems to us unwise to have insisted on teaching geometry to the younger Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse, in order to make him a good king, but from Plato's point of view it was essential. He was sufficiently Pythagorean to think that without mathematics no true wisdom is possible.”

ThinkingSeemsOrderViewsHistoryTeachingKingsEssentialsMathematicsPoint Of ViewTyrantsPlatoGeometryUnwiseTrue WisdomPlato SGood KingsSyracuse
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“Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.”

MenMadeSchoolScienceBornEducationStupidIgnoranceEducationalStupidityIgnorantStupid PeopleSelf EducationSchooledHomeschoolingGreat EducationSchools And EducationNot StupidGreat EducationalIgnorant PeopleKnowledge And LearningKnowledge LearningStupidity And IgnoranceKnowledge And IgnoranceStupid MenPeople StupidityStupidity Of ManBeing IgnorantWestern PhilosophyIgnorance Is Not BlissIgnorant Masses
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“Our use of the phrase 'The Dark Ages' to cover the period from 600 to 1000 marks our undue concentration on Western Europe. [...] From India to Spain, the brilliant civilisation of Islam flourished. What was lost to Christendom at this time was not lost to civilisation, but quite the contrary. [...] To us it seems that West-European civilisation is civilisation, but this is a narrow view.”

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“William James describes a man who got the experience from laughing-gas; whenever he was under its influence, he knew the secret of the universe, but when he came to, he had forgotten it. At last, with immense effort, he wrote down the secret before the vision had faded. When completely recovered, he rushed to see what he had written. It was 'A smell of petroleum prevails throughout'.”

MenLastsUniverseEffortSecretVisionLaughingWrittenInfluenceLaughterForgottenSmellGasImmenseFadedPetroleumWestern PhilosophyLaughing Gas
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