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Quote by Bertrand Russell

“I mean by intellectual integrity the habit of deciding vexed questions in accordance with the evidence, or of leaving them undecided where the evidence is inconclusive. This virtue, though it is underestimated by almost all adherents of any system of dogma, is to my mind of the very greatest social importance and far more likely to benefit the world than Christianity or any other system of organized beliefs.”

Quote by Bertrand Russell

Book:The basic writings of Bertrand Russell, 1903-1959

Work

The basic writings of Bertrand Russell, 1903-1959

The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell, 1903-1959 is a compilation of key essays, lectures, and philosophical treatises by Bertrand Russell, one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. The volume spans his career, showcasing his insights on logic, mathematics, philosophy, and social issues. It includes seminal works such as 'The Principles of Mathematics' and 'An Outline of the History of Western Philosophy,' offering readers a comprehensive view of Russell's intellectual journey. more

Author

Bertrand Russell

Bertrand Russell was a British philosopher, mathematician, and logician born on May 18, 1872, and died on February 2, 1970. He is known for his contributions to logic and mathematics, particularly in the fields of mathematical logic and philosophical analysis. His works spanned a wide range of subjects, including ethics, political philosophy, history, and literary criticism. more

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“My own view on religion is that of Lucretius. I regard it as a disease born of fear and as a source of untold misery to the human race. I cannot, however, deny that it has made some contributions to civilisation. It helped in early days to fix the calendar, and it caused Egyptian priests to chronicle eclipses with such care that in time they became able to predict them. These two services I am prepared to acknowledge, but I do not know of any others.”

Source: A Fresh Look at Empiricism: 1927-42

“My whole religion is this: do every duty, and expect no reward for it, either here or hereafter.”

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Book:Bertrand Russell on God and Religion

Source: Bertrand Russell on God and Religion

“No Carthaginian denied Moloch, because to do so would have required more courage that was required to face death in battle.”

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Book:The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell

Source: The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell

“Modern American politicians have the same cowardice about denying an equally bloodthirsty even sillier god, Jehovah. None of us would seriously consider the possibility that all the gods of Homer really exist... I think that all of us would say in regard to those gods that we were atheists. In regard to the Christian God, I should, I think, take exactly the same line.”

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Author:Bertrand Russell

“One is often told that it is a very wrong thing to attack religion, because religion makes men virtuous. So I am told; I have not noticed it.”

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Author:Bertrand Russell

“The immense majority of intellectually eminent men disbelieve in the Christian religion, but they conceal the fact in public, because they are afraid of losing their incomes.”

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Book:Sceptical Essays

Source: Sceptical Essays

“The objections to religion are of two sorts - intellectual and moral. The intellectual objection is that there is no reason to suppose any religion true; the moral objection is that religious precepts date from a time when men were more cruel than they are and therefore tend to perpetuate inhumanities which the moral conscience of the age would otherwise outgrow.”

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Book:Why I Am Not a Christian: And Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects

Source: Why I Am Not a Christian: And Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects

“There are two ways of avoiding fear: one is by persuading ourselves that we are immune from disaster, and the other is by the practice of sheer courage. The latter is difficult, and to everybody becomes impossible at a certain point. The former has therefore always been more popular. Primitive magic has the purpose of securing safety, either by injuring enemies, or by protecting oneself by talismans, spells, or incantations.”

Source: Bertrand Russell on God and Religion

“This, however, is a passing nightmare; in time the earth will become again incapable of supporting life, and peace will return.”

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Book:The basic writings of Bertrand Russell, 1903-1959

Source: The basic writings of Bertrand Russell, 1903-1959

“When two men of science disagree, they do not invoke the secular arm; they wait for further evidence to decide the issue, because, as men of science, they know that neither is infallible. But when two theologians differ, since there is no criteria to which either can appeal, there is nothing for it but mutual hatred and an open or covert appeal to force.”

Source: Why I Am Not a Christian: And Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects