Bertrand Russell Quotes About Power

• 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.

  Bertrand Russell

  Power, Men, Religion

  The New York Herald-Tribune Magazine, March 6, 1938.

• Much that passes as idealism is disguised hatred or disguised love of power.

  Bertrand Russell

  Power, Hatred, Idealism And Realism

  Bertrand Russell (1992). “The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell, 1903-1959”, p.478, Psychology Press

• Gradually, ... the aspect of science as knowledge is being thrust into the background by the aspect of science as the power of manipulating nature. It is because science gives us the power of manipulating nature that it has more social importance than art. Science as the pursuit of truth is the equal, but not the superior, of art. Science as a technique, though it may have little intrinsic value, has a practical importance to which art cannot aspire.

  Bertrand Russell

  Art, Knowledge, Science

  Bertrand Russell (2017). “The Scientific Outlook”, p.16, Routledge

• Man has existed for about a million years. He has possessed writing for about 6,000 years, agriculture somewhat longer, but perhaps not much longer. Science, as a dominant factor in determining the belief of educated men, has existed for about 300 years; as a source of economic technique, for about 150 years. In this brief period it has proved itself an incredibly powerful revolutionary force. When we consider how recently it has risen to power, we find ourselves forced to believe that we are at the very beginning of its work in transforming human life.

  Bertrand Russell

  Powerful, Believe, Writing

  Bertrand Russell (2016). “The Impact of Science on Society”, p.1, Routledge

• The fundamental concept in social science is Power, in the same sense in which Energy is the fundamental concept in physics.

  Bertrand Russell

  Science, Power, Energy

  Bertrand Russell (2004). “Power: A New Social Analysis”, p.4, Psychology Press

• Machines are worshipped because they are beautiful and valued because they confer power; they are hated because they are hideous and loathed because they impose slavery.

  Bertrand Russell

  Beautiful, Power, Machines

  Sceptical Essays (1928) "Machines and Emotions"

• Power, like vanity, is insatiable. Nothing short of omnipotence could satisfy it completely.

  Bertrand Russell

  Power, Vanity, Omnipotence

  Bertrand Russell (2009). “The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell”, p.449, Routledge

• The pursuit of knowledge is, I think, mainly actuated by love of power. And so are all advances in scientific technique.

  Bertrand Russell

  Power, Thinking, Technique

  Bertrand Russell (2013). “Human Society in Ethics and Politics”, p.164, Routledge

• In the higher walks of politics the same sort of thing occurs. The statesman who has gradually concentrated all power within himself ... may have had anything but a public motive... The phrases which are customary on the platform and in the Party Press have gradually come to him to seem to express truths, and he mistakes the rhetoric of partisanship for a genuine analysis of motives... He retires from the world after the world has retired from him.

  Bertrand Russell

  Truth, Mistake, Party

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