It is not by delusion, however exalted, that mankind can prosper, but only by unswerving courage in the pursuit of truth." - Meaning and context.">
"The Pursuit of Truth" in The Collected Papers of Bertrand Russell (1993)

I cannot believe – and I say this with all the emphasis of which I am capable – that there can ever be any good excuse for refusing to face the evidence in favour of something unwelcome. It is not by delusion, however exalted, that mankind can prosper, but only by unswerving courage in the pursuit of truth.

— Bertrand Russell

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "I cannot believe – and I say this with all the emphasis of which I am capable – that there can ever be any good excuse for refusing to face the evidence in favour of something unwelcome. It is not by delusion, however exalted, that mankind can prosper, but only by unswerving courage in the pursuit of truth." in the context of ""The Pursuit of Truth" in The Collected Papers of Bertrand Russell (1993)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Source: Wikiquote: "Bertrand Russell" (Quotes, Attributed from posthumous publications) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed February 08, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Bertrand Russell

About Bertrand Russell

Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell (May 18, 1872 – February 2, 1970) was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. In 1950, he was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature.