When we consider propaganda as the attempt to shape the thoughts and f — Randal Marlin

"Since the time of Plato and Aristotle philosophers have had an interest in taking note of common fallacies in reasoning."

"In modern times sound policy-making must often come to grips with numbers."

"To avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, an alert citizenry today should take the trouble to learn how easy it can be for a powerful minority to manipulate information to win the support-or the indifference-of the majority towards an action."

"Aristotle writes that persuasion is based on three things: the ethos, or personal character of the speaker; the pathos, or getting the audience into the right kind of emotional receptivity; and the logos, or the argument itself, carried out by abbreviated syllogisms, or something like deductive syllogisms, and by the use of example."

"Down to the present day the luminous image of democracy has often served as a pretext for the most undemocratic actions."

"Once we recognize the power of propaganda, we need to ask whether its exercise is consistent with those democratic ideals to which lip-service is commonly accorded."