Think for yourself and let others enjoy the privilege of doing so too.

Shocked? I consider Bob one of the constellations of our time — of our country — America — a bright, magnificent constellation. Besides, all the constellations—not alone of this but of any time—shock the average...

Vous craignez les livres comme certaines bourgades ont craint les violons. Laissez lire, et laissez danser; ces deux amusements ne feront jamais de mal au monde.

In the aftermath of the recent wave action in the Indian Ocean, even the archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williamson [sic], proved himself a latter-day Voltairean by whimpering that he could see how this might...

There are some men who are counted great because they represent the actuality of their own age, and mirror it as it is. Such an one was Voltaire, of whom it was epigrammatically said: ‘he...

Kissinger projects a strong impression of a man at home in the world and on top of his brief. But there are a number of occasions when it suits him to pose as a sort...

You are very harsh.”I have seen the world.

I do not agree with what you have to say, but at your death I’ll defend what you rightfully should have said.

Quand celui à qui l’on parle ne comprend pas et celui qui parle ne se comprend pas, c’est de la métaphysiqueWhen he to whom a person speaks does not understand, and he who speaks does...

Voltaire expected that within fifty years of his lifetime there would not be one Bible in the world. His house is now a distribution centre for Bibles in many languages.

If I were king, I would redress an abuse which cuts back, as it were, one half of human kind. I would have women participate in all human rights, especially those of the mind.

My dear young lady, when you are in love, and jealous, and have been flogged by the Inquisition, there’s no knowing what you may do.

For all the enlightened nations that profess a loyalty to liberty, democracy, economy and all the rest, there has long been a readiness to look for a chosen one; as Carlyle pointed out, even the...

But there must be some pleasure in condemning everything–in perceiving faults where others think they see beauties.”You mean there is pleasure in having no pleasure.

A jealous lover of human liberty, and deeming it the absolute condition of all that we admire and respect in humanity, I reverse the phrase of Voltaire, and say that, if God really existed, it...

(…) provou que (o prazer) é um presente da divindade, ‘pois – dizia – o homem não pode dar a si próprio nem sensações nem ideias, recebe tudo; a dor e o prazer lhe vêm...

Thus, though I dislike to differ with such a great man, Voltaire was simply ludicrous when he said that if god did not exist it would be necessary to invent him. The human invention of...

An opportunity fordoing an injury happens a hundred times a day, hut for doing good not once a year,” says Zoroaster.

God is a comedian playing to an audience that is too afraid to laugh.

Foi (de Zoroastro) que as nações herdaram este grande princípio: É preferível arriscar-se a salvar um culpado que condenar um inocente.

There are, and always have been, destructive pseudo-scientific notions linked to race and religion; these are the most widespread and damaging. Hopefully, educated people can succeed in shedding light into these areas of prejudice and...

A oportunidade de fazer o mal aparece cem vezes por dia e a de fazer bem, uma vez por ano, diz Zoroastro.