The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell

“When people begin to philosophize they seem to think it necessary to make themselves artificially stupid.”

PeopleThinkingPhilosophySeemsStupidStupidity

Book:The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell

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“There are some simple maxims which I think might be commended to writers of expository prose. First: never use a long word if a short word will do. So, if you want to make a statement with a great many qualifications, put some of the qualifications in separate sentences. Third: do not let the beginning of your sentence lead the reader to an expectation which is contradicted by the end.”

IfsThinkingWantFirstsLongEndsUseMightSimpleReaderExpectationsThirdsSentencesStatementsGreat MenProseMaximsQualificationsShort WordsLong Words

Book:The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell

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“Many a man will have the courage to die gallantly, but will not have the courage to say, or even to think, that the cause for which he is asked to die is an unworthy one.”

ThinkingMenDiesCausesCourageUnworthyEuthanasia

Book:The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell

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“Aristotle could have avoided the mistake of thinking that women have fewer teeth than men, by the simple device of asking Mrs. Aristotle to keep her mouth open while he counted.”

ThinkingMenScienceWomenSimpleMistakeMouthsScientistAskingTeethDevicesFewerAvoided

Book:The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell

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“There is an element of the busybody in our conception of virtue: unless a man makes himself a nuisance to a great many people, we do not think he can be an exceptionally good man.”

PeopleThinkingMenVirtueElementsGood ManConceptionNuisanceBusybodies

Book:The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell

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“But courage in fighting is by no means the only form, nor perhaps even the most important. There is courage in facing poverty, courage in facing derision, courage in facing the hostility of one's own herd. In these, the bravest soldiers are often lamentably deficient. And above all there is the courage to think calmly and rationally in the face of danger, and to control the impulse of panic fear or panic rage.”

ThinkingMeanImportantFacesFormFightingPovertyCourageDangerSoldierRageImpulsePanicHostilityHerdsDerision

Book:The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell

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“Thinking you know when in fact you don't is a fatal mistake, to which we are all prone”

ThinkingKnowsFactsMistakeOne MistakeFatal Mistakes

Book:The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell

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“With civilized men..., it is, I think, chiefly love of excitement which makes the populace applaud when war breaks out; the emotion is exactly the same as at a football match, although the results are sometimes somewhat more serious.”

ThinkingMenWarSometimesResultsEmotionBreakFootballSeriousExcitementCivilizedBreak OutFootball Match

Book:The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell

Source: The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell

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