As for earthquakes, though they were still formidable, they were so interesting that men of science could hardly regret them.

The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.

The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.

Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.

An Honest politician will not be tolerated by a democracy unless he is very stupid ... because only a very stupid man can honestly share the prejudices of more than half the nation.

If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have a paradise in a few years.

We have in fact, two kinds of morality, side by side: one which we preach, but do not practice, and another which we practice, but seldom preach.

The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd.

Cruel men believe in a cruel god and use their belief to excuse their cruelty. Only kindly men believe in a kindly god, and they would be kindly in any case.

Just do what must be done. This may not be happiness, but it is greatness.

I have a friendship with Hezbollah, and I also have contacts outside of Lebanon, but it doesn't mean I follow anyone's agenda.

Motherhood is the strangest thing, it can be like being one's own Trojan horse.

The consequences of a plethora of half-digested theoretical knowledge are deplorable.

I don't know who had the bright idea of teaching pneumonia how to walk, but I'd like to find that dunderhead before he decides he wants to teach it how to drive.

My basic philosophy can be summed up by an expression we use in Norwegian: hurry slowly. Get there, but be patient.

No one wants to see a hero have to pick up his cane to hit someone, but I'm still quite fit enough to fake it.

I existed from all eternity and, behold, I am here; and I shall exist till the end of time, for my being has no end.

The job of the writer and the filmmaker is not to impose his vision on the reality, but to be inspired by the reality and create a vision out of that.

You've come to know the fortunate and the inauspicious stars, but you don't know whether you yourself are fortunate or lucky.