The idea that the West was economically successful because of slavery, it's just nonsense.

I think forgiveness plays a very important part in Western society and it comes from the Judeo Christian heritage.

All religions are sick men's dreams, false - demonstrably false - and pernicious.

It is the West that has liberated women, racial minorities, religious minorities, and gays and lesbians, recognizing and defending their rights. The notions of freedom and human rights were present at the dawn of Western civilization, as ideals at least, but have gradually come to fruition through supreme acts of self-criticism.

I wish more people would belabor the obvious, and more often.

The rich countries are rich because of their practices at home, and because of their readiness to adopt and adapt new things, such as Chinese inventions or New World crops.

Discussions of Western civilization are too often confined to works of high art that reflect a relatively narrow element of public taste and experience.