Bertrand Russell Quotes About Opinions

• The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd.

  Bertrand Russell

  Education, Truth, Religion

  Marriage and Morals ch. 5 (1929)

• Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

  Bertrand Russell

  Confidence, Being Yourself, Fear

  Bertrand Russell (2014). “The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell”, p.554, Routledge

• If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do. [...] The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way. Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion. So whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants.

  Bertrand Russell

  Thinking, Differences, Finding Yourself

  "Unpopular Essays". Book by Bertrand Russell, p. 116, 1950.

• The opinions that are held with passion are always those for which no good ground exists; indeed the passion is the measure of the holders lack of rational conviction. Opinions in politics and religion are almost always held passionately.

  Bertrand Russell

  Passion, Opinion, Critical Thinking

  Sceptical Essays "Introduction: On the Value of Skepticism" (1961)

• There is something feeble, and a little contemptible, about a man who cannot face the perils of life without the help of comfortable myths. Almost inevitably some part of him is aware that they are myths and that he believes them only because they are comforting. But he dare not face this thought, and he therefore cannot carry his own reflection to any logical conclusion.

  Bertrand Russell

  Believe, Men, Comforting

  "Human Society in Ethics and Politics".

• I think we ought always to entertain our opinions with some measure of doubt. I shouldn't wish people dogmatically to believe any philosophy, not even mine.

  Bertrand Russell

  Inspirational, Philosophy, Believe

• The essence of the liberal outlook lies not in what opinions are held, but in how they are held; instead of being held dogmatically, they are held tentatively, and with a consciousness that new evidence may at any moment lead to their abandonment.

  Bertrand Russell

  Lying, Essence, May

  Bertrand Russell, John G. Slater, Peter Köllner (1997). “Last Philosophical Testament: 1943-68”, p.400, Psychology Press

• If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do.

  Bertrand Russell

  Thinking, Deep Life, Opinion

  Bertrand Russell (2009). “Unpopular Essays”, p.99, Routledge

• One should as a rule respect public opinion in so far as is necessary to avoid starvation and to keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny.

  Bertrand Russell

  Respect, Humor, Public Opinion

  "The Conquest of Happiness".

• The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widely spread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.

  Bertrand Russell

  Learning, Knowledge, Parenting

  Marriage and Morals ch. 5 (1929)

• Dogma demands authority, rather than intelligent thought, as the source of opinion; it requires persecution of heretics and hostility to unbelievers; it asks of its disciples that they should inhibit natural kindliness in favor of systematic hatred.

  Bertrand Russell

  Wisdom, Intelligent, Hatred

  Bertrand Russell, John G. Slater, Peter Köllner (1997). “Last Philosophical Testament: 1943-68”, p.403, Psychology Press

• Freedom of opinion can only exist when the government thinks itself secure.

  Bertrand Russell

  Freedom, Thinking, Government

  Bertrand Russell, John Greer Slater, Peter Köllner (1996). “A Fresh Look at Empiricism: 1927-42”, p.443, Psychology Press

• A process which led from the amoeba to man appeared to the philosophers to be obviously a progress though whether the amoeba would agree with this opinion is not known.

  Bertrand Russell

  Science, Men, Progress

  Bertrand Russell (1985). “Contemplation and Action, 1902-14”, p.171, Psychology Press

• When there are rational grounds for an opinion, people are content to set them forth and wait for them to operate. In such cases, people do not hold their opinions with passion; they hold them calmly, and set forth their reasons quietly. The opinions that are held with passion are always those for which no good ground exists; indeed the passion is the measure of the holder's lack of rational conviction.

  Bertrand Russell

  Fear, Passion, People

  Bertrand Russell (2004). “Sceptical Essays”, p.3, Psychology Press

• To avoid the various foolish opinions to which mankind are prone, no superhuman genius is required. A few simple rules will keep you, not from all error, but from silly error.

  Bertrand Russell

  Silly, Simple, Errors

  Bertrand Russell (2009). “The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell”, p.66, Routledge

• Whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants.

  Bertrand Russell

  Differences, Finding Yourself, Examination

  Bertrand Russell (2009). “Unpopular Essays”, p.99, Routledge

• Public opinion is always more tyrannical towards those who obviously fear it than towards those who feel indifferent to it.

  Bertrand Russell

  Happiness, Public Opinion, Indifferent

  Bertrand Russell (2015). “The Conquest of Happiness”, p.75, Lulu Press, Inc

• The average man's opinions are much less foolish than they would be if he thought for himself.

  Bertrand Russell

  Inspirational, Men, Average

  Bertrand Russell (1992). “The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell, 1903-1959”, p.427, Psychology Press

• Opinions which justify cruelty are inspired by cruel impulses.

  Bertrand Russell

  Opinion, Inspired, Cruelty

  Bertrand Russell (2009). “Unpopular Essays”, p.144, Routledge

• It is clear that thought is not free if the profession of certain opinions makes it impossible to earn a living.

  Bertrand Russell

  Wisdom, Opinion, Impossible

  Bertrand Russell (2004). “Sceptical Essays”, p.126, Psychology Press

• I am not myself in any degree ashamed of having changed my opinions.

  Bertrand Russell

  Acceptance, Degrees, Opinion

  Bertrand Russell (2009). “Bertrand Russell's Best”, p.59, Routledge

• In America everybody is of the opinion that he has no social superiors, since all men are equal, but he does not admit that he has no social inferiors, for, from the time of Jefferson onward, the doctrine that all men are equal applies only upwards, not downwards.

  Bertrand Russell

  Men, Equality, America

  Bertrand Russell (2009). “Unpopular Essays”, p.154, Routledge

• No opinion has ever been too errant to become a creed.

  Bertrand Russell

  God, Religion, Opinion

• It is odd that neither the Church nor modern public opinion condemns petting, provided it stops short at a certain point. At what point sin begins is a matter as to which casuists differ. One eminently orthodox Catholic divine laid it down that a confessor may fondle a nun's breasts, provided he does it without evil intent. But I doubt whether modern authorities would agree with him on this point.

  Bertrand Russell

  Evil, Catholic, Doubt

  Bertrand Russell (2009). “Unpopular Essays”, p.77, Routledge

• Something of the hermit's temper is an essential element in many forms of excellence, since it enables men to resist the lure of popularity, to pursue important work in spite of general indifference or hostility, and arrive at opinions which are opposed to prevalent errors.

  Bertrand Russell

  Men, Errors, Solitude

  Bertrand Russell (2004). “Power: A New Social Analysis”, p.37, Routledge

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