Bertrand Russell Quotes About Plato

• I cannot favour laws such as that of Idaho, which allows sterilization of 'mental defectives, epileptics, habitual criminals, moral degenerates, and sex perverts.' The last two categories here are very vague . . . The law of Idaho would have justified the sterilization of Socrates, Plato, Julius Caesar, and St. Paul.

  Bertrand Russell

  Sex, Plato, Law

  Bertrand Russell (2009). “Bertrand Russell's Best”, p.102, Routledge

• It seems to us unwise to have insisted on teaching geometry to the younger Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse, in order to make him a good king, but from Plato's point of view it was essential. He was sufficiently Pythagorean to think that without mathematics no true wisdom is possible.

  Bertrand Russell

  Kings, Plato, Teaching

  Bertrand Russell (2013). “History of Western Philosophy: Collectors Edition”, p.95, Routledge

• Certain characteristics of the subject are clear. To begin with, we do not in this subject deal with particular things or particular properties: we deal formally with what can be said about any thing or any property. We are prepared to say that one and one are two, but not that Socrates and Plato are two.

  Bertrand Russell

  Plato, Two, Preparation

  Bertrand Russell (2009). “The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell”, p.150, Routledge

• Philosophy, for Plato, is a kind of vision, the 'vision of truth'...Everyone who has done any kind of creative work has experienced, in a greater or less degree, the state of mind in which, after long labour, truth or beauty appears, or seems to appear, in a sudden glory - it may only be about some small matter, or it may be about the universe. I think that most of the best creative work, in art, in science, in literature, and in philosophy, has been a result of just such a moment.

  Bertrand Russell

  Art, Plato, Philosophy

• Aristotle and Plato considered Greeks so innately superior to barbarians that slavery is justified so long as the master is Greek and the slave barbarian.

  Bertrand Russell

  Plato, Long, Greek

  Bertrand Russell (2009). “The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell”, p.56, Routledge

• Aristotle's metaphysics, roughly speaking, may be described as Plato diluted by common sense. He is difficult because Plato and common sense do not mix easily.

  Bertrand Russell

  Plato, Common Sense, May

  Bertrand Russell (2008). “History of Western Philosophy”, p.162, Simon and Schuster

• In spreading his ideas, Plato was willing to employ emotional appeals, state propaganda, and the use of force.

  Bertrand Russell

  Plato, Emotional, Ideas

• Plato has dramatic strength ... but is quite unaware of the strength of the argument against his position ... and allows himself to be grossly unfair in arguing against it.

  Bertrand Russell

  Plato, Arguing, Argument

• The atomists , unlike Socrates , Plato , and Aristotle , sought to explain the world without introducing the notion of purpose or final cause.

  Bertrand Russell

  Plato, Finals, Purpose

  Bertrand Russell (2013). “History of Western Philosophy: Collectors Edition”, p.64, Routledge

• That Plato's Republic should have been admired, on its political side, by decent people, is perhaps the most astonishing example of literary snobbery in all history.

  Bertrand Russell

  Plato, Should Have, People

  Bertrand Russell (2009). “The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell”, p.436, Routledge

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