Quote #153

Hume, by his criticism of the concept of causality, awakened him from his dogmatic slumbers-so at least he says, but the awakening was only temporary, and he soon invented a soporific which enabled him to sleep again.

More from Bertrand Russell

  1. The quarrel between Hume and Rousseau is symbolic: Rousseau was mad but influential, Hume was sane but had no followers.
  2. Men are born ignorant, not stupid; they are made stupid by education.
  3. Since the world is what it is, it is clear that valid reasoning from sound principles cannot lead to error; but a principle may be so nearl…
  4. The worse your logic, the more interesting the consequences to which it gives rise.
  5. Spinoza (1634-77) is the noblest and most lovable of the great philosophers. Intellectually, some have surpassed him, but ethically he is s…
  6. Not to be absolutely certain is, I think, one of the essential things in rationality.
  7. I do not agree with Plato, but if anything could make me do so, it would be Aristotle's arguments against him.
  8. When one admits that nothing is certain one must, I think, also admit that some things are much more nearly certain than others. It is much…

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