Bertrand Russell in: Francis Neilson, Albert Jay Nock The Freeman, Volume 5, Freeman Incorporated, 1922, p. 252
“
It is clear that thought is not free if the profession of certain opinions makes it impossible to earn a living. It is clear also that thought is not free if all the arguments on one side of a controversy are perpetually presented as attractively as possible, while the arguments on the other side can only be discovered by diligent search.
— Bertrand Russell on Freethought
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "It is clear that thought is not free if the profession of certain opinions makes it impossible to earn a living. It is clear also that thought is not free if all the arguments on one side of a controversy are perpetually presented as attractively as possible, while the arguments on the other side can only be discovered by diligent search." in the context of "Bertrand Russell in: Francis Neilson, Albert Jay Nock The Freeman, Volume 5, Freeman Incorporated, 1922, p. 252" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Freethought" (Quotes: Quotes are arranged alphabetically by author, M - R)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed February 08, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Tags
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.
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.
View all quotes →