This Book Will Make You Think

Reason and experience became the watchwords in this new philosophy, which was more concerned with how things actually are rather than how they could or possibly should be.

‘A little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds about to religion.’
Francis Bacon (1561–1626)

After all, as one door closes, another opens, and this will provide the impetus for me to do something different.’

His view of marriage was that it was an unnatural socio-religious construct that restricted personal freedom and choice.

‘Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflicts between right and wrong. They are conflicts between two rights.’

In contrast to earlier philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle, who both believed political power was a divine right, Machiavelli argued that power was there for any person who had the ability to seize it.

‘Happiness is the highest good, being a realization and perfect practice of virtue, which some can attain, while others have little or none of it.’
Aristotle (384–322 BC)

Wittgenstein, perhaps the most famous philosopher of the last century,

his History of Western Philosophy, Bertrand Russell suggests that philosophy sits astride the fields of science and theology, applying reason to hypotheses in areas where hard facts are not yet available.

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.’