British - Philosopher | May 18, 1872 - February 2, 1970
Freedom in general may be defined as the absence of obstacles to the realization of desires.
Bertrand Russell
FreedomObstaclesMayAbsence
The man who can centre his thoughts and hopes upon something transcending self can find a certain peace in the ordinary troubles of life, which is impossible to the pure egoist.
LifePeaceManThoughtsImpossible
Religion is something left over from the infancy of our intelligence, it will fade away as we adopt reason and science as our guidelines.
ScienceIntelligenceReligionFade
I believe in using words, not fists. I believe in my outrage knowing people are living in boxes on the street. I believe in honesty. I believe in a good time. I believe in good food. I believe in sex.
GoodHonestyTimeFoodWordsPeople
None but a coward dares to boast that he has never known fear.
FearNeverCowardBoastNoneHe
I've made an odd discovery. Every time I talk to a savant I feel quite sure that happiness is no longer a possibility. Yet when I talk with my gardener, I'm convinced of the opposite.
NatureHappinessTimeFeelDiscovery
Dogmatism and skepticism are both, in a sense, absolute philosophies; one is certain of knowing, the other of not knowing. What philosophy should dissipate is certainty, whether of knowledge or ignorance.
KnowledgeIgnoranceNot KnowingSense
Reason is a harmonising, controlling force rather than a creative one.
CreativeReasonForceRatherThan
Boredom is... a vital problem for the moralist, since half the sins of mankind are caused by the fear of it.
FearProblemBoredomMankindHalf
Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country.
WarCountryTalkNeverDyingAlways
Religions, which condemn the pleasures of sense, drive men to seek the pleasures of power. Throughout history power has been the vice of the ascetic.
PowerHistoryMenDriveReligions
Many people when they fall in love look for a little haven of refuge from the world, where they can be sure of being admired when they are not admirable, and praised when they are not praiseworthy.
LovePeopleWorldFallLookLittle
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