The simple act of an ordinary courageous man is not to take part, not to support lies! Let that come into the world and even reign over it, but not through me. Writers and artists can do more: they can vanquish lies! ... Lies can stand up against much in the world, but not against art.

All classifications in this world lack sharp boundaries, and all transitions are gradual.

Even the most rational approach to ethics is defenseless if there isn't the will to do what is right.

It was wrong to be too pragmatic, to judge people solely by results; it was more humane to judge by intentions.

Human rights' are a fine thing, but how can we make ourselves sure that our rights do not expand at the expense of the rights of others. A society with unlimited rights is incapable of standing to adversity. If we do not wish to be ruled by a coercive authority, then each of us must rein himself in...A stable society is achieved not by balancing opposing forces but by conscious self-limitation: by the principle that we are always duty-bound to defer to the sense of moral justice.

A great disaster had befallen Russia: Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened.

No one can bar the road to truth, and to advance its cause I am prepared to accept even death.