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Quote by Bertrand Russell

“I think that what we mean in practice by reason can be defined by three characteristics. In the first place, it relies upon persuasion rather than force; in the second place, it seeks to persuade by means of arguments which the man who uses them believes to be completely valid; and in the third place, in forming opinions, it uses observation and induction as much as possible and intuition as little as possible. The first of these rules out the Inquisition; the second rules out such methods as those of British war propaganda, which Hitler praises on the ground that propaganda “must sink its mental elevation deeper in proportion to the numbers of the mass whom it has to grip”; the third forbids the use of such a major premise as that of President Andrew Jackson a propos of the Mississippi, “the God of the Universe intended this great valley to belong to one nation,” which was self-evident to him and his hearers, but not easily demonstrated to one who questioned it.”

Quote by Bertrand Russell

Book:The Will to Doubt
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The Will to Doubt

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Bertrand Russell
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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