To a mind of sufficient intellectual power, the whole of mathematics would appear trivial, as trivial as the statement that a four-footed animal is an animal.

Either man will abolish war, or war will abolish man.

Fear is the parent of cruelty, and therefore it is no wonder if cruelty and religion go hand in hand.

It is a natural propensity to attribute misfortune to someone's malignity.

The wise man thinks about his troubles only when there is some purpose in doing so; at other times he thinks about other things, or, if it is night, about nothing at all.

Man is a rational animal – so at least I have been told. Throughout a long life, I have looked diligently for evidence in favour of this statement, but so far I have not had the good fortune to come across it, though I have searched in many countries spread over three continents.

The qualities most needed are charity and tolerance, not some form of fanatical faith such as is offered to us by the various rampant isms