Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth—more than ruin—more even than death.… Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man.

About Bertrand Russell

Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970), was an English mathematician and philosopher. A founder of analytic philosophy, he was a leading philosopher of the 20th century who produced pioneering work in logic, set theory, and philosophy of language. Russell popularised philosophy to...

More quotations from Bertrand Russell

If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way.

—Bertrand Russell

instinct

If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have paradise in a few years.

—Bertrand Russell

happiness

No one gossips about other people's secret virtues.

—Bertrand Russell

gossip

The place of the father in the modern suburban family is a very small one, particularly if he plays golf.

—Bertrand Russell

golf

Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.

—Bertrand Russell

fear

More quotations tagged with “intelligence”

It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.

—Arthur C. Clarke

intelligence

Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices, but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence and fulfills the duty to express the results of his thought in clear form.

—Albert Einstein

intelligence

I happen to feel that the degree of a person's intelligence is directly reflected by the number of conflicting attitudes she can bring to bear on the same topic.

—Lynn Johnston

intelligence attitude

Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.

—Bill Watterson

life intelligence communication universe extra-terrestrials contact

He's simply got the instinct for being unhappy highly developed.

—Saki

intelligence development instinct

History

11 Jul 2015 Added
26 Oct 2026 Wording changed

Previous wording

Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth -- more than ruin -- more even than death.... Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man.