Baruch Spinoza Quotes

You will not think it unnatural that those who have an object depending, which strongly engages their hopes and fears, should be somewhat inclining to superstition.

But we all recognise the primary foible of frail humanity - our propensity for embracing hope and shunning logic, our tendency to believe what we desire rather than what we observe.

For what a man would like to be true, that he more readily believes.

We believe easily what we fear of what we desire

People readily believe what they want to believe.

What a man wishes, he will believe.

Superstition is a part of the very being of humanity; and when we fancy that we are banishing it altogether, it takes refuge in the strangest nooks and corners, and then suddenly comes forth again, as soon as it believes itself at all safe.

Men gladly believe what they wish. -Libenter homines id quod volunt credunt

There isn't anything so grotesque or so incredible that the average human being can't believe it.

We are eager to believe that others are flawed because we are eager to believe in what we wish for.

People will believe absurd things - in the 19th century and now.

I think superstition has a lot to do with fear: the less, the better.

Facts mean little compared to attitudes. To contradict rumor or sentiment is as futile as arguing against a believer's faith in the Immaculate Conception. You have simply become a victim of faith, Comrade Assistant.

It is the habit of mankind to entrust to careless hope what they long for, and to use sovereign reason to thrust aside what they do not desire

Two types of voices command your attention today. Negative ones fill your mind with doubt, bitterness, and fear. Positive ones purvey hope and strength. Which one will you choose to heed?

We are one of only three species on our planet that can claim to be self-aware, yet self-delusion may be a more significant characteristic of our kind.

Nothing in all the world is so nonsensical and contradictory, save mortals, that is, who live in the grip of the superstitions of the past.

The human mind is not a terribly logical or consistent place.

So much is man the slave of his heart that he will shut his eyes to what does not please him and believe all that he hopes.

Reasoning will never make a man correct an ill opinion, which by reasoning he never acquired

So strong is the power of superstition that even though we know that we have been reverencing a sham, yet still we hesitate to admit the validity of our new-found convictions.

How weak our mind is; how quickly it is terrified and unbalanced as soon as we are confronted with a small, incomprehensible fact. Instead of dismissing the problem with: "We do not understand because we cannot find the cause," we immediately imagine terrible mysteries and supernatural powers.

What a weak, credulous, incredulous, unbelieving, superstitious, bold, frightened, what a ridiculous world ours is, as far as concerns the mind of man. How full of inconsistencies, contradictions and absurdities it is. I declare that taking the average of many minds that have recently come before me ... I should prefer the obedience, affections and instinct of a dog before it.

Human psychology has a near universal tendency to let belief be coloured by desire.

All people have their blind side-their superstitions.