Philosophy Quote by Bertrand Russell — Inspiring Words on Life, Love & Wisdom

“The life of Man is a long march through the night, surrounded by invisible foes, tortured by weariness and pain, towards a goal that few can hope to reach, and where none may tarry long. One by one, as they march, our comrades vanish form our sight, seized by the silent orders of omnipotent Death. Very brief is the time in which we can help them, in which their happiness or misery is decided. Be it ours to shed sunshine on their path, to lighten their sorrows by the balm of sympathy, to give them the pure joy of a never-tiring affection, to strengthen failing courage, to instill faith in times of despair.”

“Движение романтизма, в сущности, ставило целью освобождение человеческой личности от пут общественных условностей и общественной морали. В частности, эти путы были лишь бесполезным препятствием к желательным формам деятельности, так как каждая древняя община выработала правила поведения, относительно которых нечего сказать, кроме того, что они традиционны. Но эгоистические страсти, однажды освобожденные, нелегко снова подчинить интересам общества. Христианство имело определенный успех в усмирении «Я». Но экономические, политические и интеллектуальные причины стимулировали мятеж против церкви, а движение романтизма перенесло мятеж в сферу морали. Поощрения нового, ничем не ограниченного «Я» ясно делали общественную кооперацию невозможной и поставили его последователей перед альтернативой анархии или деспотизма. Эгоизм поначалу заставлял людей ожидать от других отеческой нежности. Но, когда они открыли с негодованием, что другие имеют свое собственное Я, разочарованное желание нежности обратилось в ненависть и насилие. Человек – не одиночное животное, и, поскольку существует общественная жизнь, самоутверждение не может быть высшим принципом этики.”

“Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty what is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest many possiblities which enlarge our thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom. Thus, while diminishing our feeling of certainty as to what things are, it greatly increases our knowledge as to what the may be; it removes the somewhat arrogant dogmatism of those who have never travelled into the region of liberating doubt, and it keeps alive our sense of wonder by showing familar things in an unfamilar aspect”

“Television's perfect. You turn a few knobs, a few of those mechanical adjustments at which the higher apes are so proficient, and lean back and drain your mind of all thought. And there you are watching the bubbles in the primeval ooze. You don't have to concentrate. You don't have to react. You don't have to remember. You don't miss your brain because you don't need it. Your heart and liver and lungs continue to function normally. Apart from that, all is peace and quiet. You are in the man's nirvana. And if some poor nasty minded person comes along and says you look like a fly on a can of garbage, pay him no mind. He probably hasn't got the price of a television set.”

“If there is a change, there must be some thing that changes, yet does not change”

“Man in general, if reduced to himself, is too wicked to be free.”

“We are, however, creatures of containment. We want all things in life packed into boxes that we can label. But just because we have the ability to label it, doesn't mean we really know what's in the box.”

“Life is not about living the safer option. Life is about living a life worth living.”