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Ideas and Opinions
IDEAS AND OPINIONS contains essays by eminent scientist Albert Einstein on subjects ranging from atomic energy, relativity, and religion to human rights, government, and economics. Previously published articles, speeches, and letters are gathered here to create a fascinating collection of meditations by one of the world's greatest minds.
377 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1922
About the author
Albert Einstein
864 books9,384 followersSpecial and general theories of relativity of German-born American theoretical physicist Albert Einstein revolutionized modern thought on the nature of space and time and formed a base for the exploitation of atomic energy; he won a Nobel Prize of 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.
His paper of 1905 formed the basis of electronics. His first paper, also published in 1905, changed the world.
He completed his Philosophiae Doctor at the University of Zurich before 1909.
Einstein, a pacifist during World War I, stayed a firm proponent of social justice and responsibility.
Einstein thought that Newtonion mechanics no longer enough reconciled the laws of classical mechanics with those of the electromagnetic field. This thought led to the development. He recognized, however, that he ably also extended the principle to gravitational fields and with his subsequent theory of gravitation in 1916 published a paper. He continued to deal with problems of statistical mechanics and quantum theory, which led to his explanations of particle theory and the motion of molecules. He also investigated the thermal properties of light, which laid the foundation of the photon.
Best known for his mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2, dubbed "the world's most famous equation," he received "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect". The latter was pivotal in establishing quantum theory.
He visited the United States when Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 and went not back to Germany. On the eve of World War II, he endorsed a letter, alerting Franklin Delano Roosevelt, president, to the potential development of "extremely powerful bombs of a new type" and recommending that the United States begin similar research. This recommendation eventually led to the Manhattan project. Einstein supported defending the Allied forces but largely denounced the idea of using the newly discovered nuclear fission as a weapon. Later, with Bertrand Russell–Einstein manifesto highlighted the danger of nuclear weapons.
After the rise of the Nazi party, Einstein made Princeton his permanent home as a citizen of United States in 1940. He chaired the emergency committee of atomic scientists, which organized to alert the public to the dangers of warfare.
At a symposium, he advised:
("Science, Philosophy and Religion, A Symposium," published by the Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion in their Relation to the Democratic Way of Life, Inc., New York, 1941).
In a letter to philosopher Eric Gutkind, dated 3 January 1954, Einstein stated:
(The Guardian, "Childish superstition: Einstein's letter makes view of religion relatively clear," by James Randerson, May 13, 2008)
Great intellectual achievements and originality made the word "Einstein" synonymous with genius.
The institute for advanced study in Princeton, New Jersey, affiliated Einstein until his death in 1955.
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_E...
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobe
His paper of 1905 formed the basis of electronics. His first paper, also published in 1905, changed the world.
He completed his Philosophiae Doctor at the University of Zurich before 1909.
Einstein, a pacifist during World War I, stayed a firm proponent of social justice and responsibility.
Einstein thought that Newtonion mechanics no longer enough reconciled the laws of classical mechanics with those of the electromagnetic field. This thought led to the development. He recognized, however, that he ably also extended the principle to gravitational fields and with his subsequent theory of gravitation in 1916 published a paper. He continued to deal with problems of statistical mechanics and quantum theory, which led to his explanations of particle theory and the motion of molecules. He also investigated the thermal properties of light, which laid the foundation of the photon.
Best known for his mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2, dubbed "the world's most famous equation," he received "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect". The latter was pivotal in establishing quantum theory.
He visited the United States when Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 and went not back to Germany. On the eve of World War II, he endorsed a letter, alerting Franklin Delano Roosevelt, president, to the potential development of "extremely powerful bombs of a new type" and recommending that the United States begin similar research. This recommendation eventually led to the Manhattan project. Einstein supported defending the Allied forces but largely denounced the idea of using the newly discovered nuclear fission as a weapon. Later, with Bertrand Russell–Einstein manifesto highlighted the danger of nuclear weapons.
After the rise of the Nazi party, Einstein made Princeton his permanent home as a citizen of United States in 1940. He chaired the emergency committee of atomic scientists, which organized to alert the public to the dangers of warfare.
At a symposium, he advised:
"In their struggle for the ethical good, teachers of religion must have the stature to give up the doctrine of a personal God, that is, give up that source of fear and hope which in the past placed such vast power in the hands of priests. In their labors they will have to avail themselves of those forces which are capable of cultivating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself. This is, to be sure a more difficult but an incomparably more worthy task... "
("Science, Philosophy and Religion, A Symposium," published by the Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion in their Relation to the Democratic Way of Life, Inc., New York, 1941).
In a letter to philosopher Eric Gutkind, dated 3 January 1954, Einstein stated:
"The word god is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this."
(The Guardian, "Childish superstition: Einstein's letter makes view of religion relatively clear," by James Randerson, May 13, 2008)
Great intellectual achievements and originality made the word "Einstein" synonymous with genius.
The institute for advanced study in Princeton, New Jersey, affiliated Einstein until his death in 1955.
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_E...
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobe
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
April 12, 2012
I started reading this book cause i wanted to know more about the man who postulated the theory of relativity. And i was delightfully surprised by the human nature of Albert Einstein. The book is collection of his speeches, interviews and articles covering his views and opinions about diverse fields ranging from Physics to philosophy and life in general. Amazed to find that most of his ideas are valid even in today's world.Einstein seems to had opinions on almost every subject and most of these were as good as those of relevant field-experts in those times!. The book is divided into different sections like Science, Politics, Maths etc. A good read just to have a different(and good :))perspective!
October 8, 2012
كل شيء يبدأ بفكرة، والأفكار عادة تبدأ ضعيفة، تبدو لغير صاحبها ساذجة تافهة،، لكن يقويها ايمان صاحبها الراسخ بها، دعمه لها بأساليب الاثبات العلمية، والصبر على استهانه الناس بها، الى أن يظهرها الله أو يهلك صاحبها دونها
March 29, 2012
The words of the master himself. Not a biography written by someone else. Einstein's writings are fascinating. His opinions...thought provoking and invigorating. I highly recommend this book!
February 2, 2015
“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as judge in the field of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.”
A book of a variety of subject matter, many of which are likely better pursued in other works. Wisdom, politics, and science are stuttered through articles, speeches, letters and statements, i.e. it is often truncated, generalized, esoteric, and/or repeated. So why go this route? For me, there are two main reasons: 1) the man is not separate from his ideas; and 2) a taste for Einstein’s own words whets the appetite for more.
A revolutionary scientist, an admirably incorrigible peace-monger, Einstein is, in my opinion, most essentially a virtuoso of the unassuming, cutting through the systemic edifices that are supposed to fortify human understanding. His contribution to the world did not make our conception of it more tidy and complete as our scientific culture had so foolishly assumed it should; rather, Einstein’s work reoriented our conception of the world to the awe and mystery in which such a puny thing as man is forever condemned to regard, if he is going to have an even partially valid conception of this existence.
The oxymoron is perhaps best put by Kant: “The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility.”
Einstein is at his best when dropping wisdom and humility in the epistemological pursuit - the brunt of which comes out as strikingly buddhist:
“This more aristocratic illusion concerning the unlimited penetrative power of thought has as its counterpart the more plebeian illusion of naive realism, according to which things ‘are’ as they are perceived by us through our senses.”
“The belief in an external world independent of the perceiving subject is the basis of all natural science. Since, however, sense perception only gives information of this external world or of ‘physical reality’ indirectly, we can only grasp the latter by speculative means. It follows from this that our notions of physical reality can never be final.”
Let that sink in. Says one of the most, if not the most, famous scientist in history, a “belief…is the basis of…science.”
“If, then, it is true that the axiomatic basis of theoretical physics cannot be extracted from experience but must be freely invented, can we ever hope to find the right way? Nay, more, has this right way any existence outside our illusions? Can we hope to be guided safely by experience at all when there exist theories (such as classical mechanics) which to a large extent do justice to experience without getting to the root of the matter?”
“…in our thinking (which determines our expectation), we attribute to this concept of the bodily object a significance, which is to a high degree independent of the sense impressions which originally give rise to it. This is what we mean when we attribute to the bodily object ‘a real existence.’ The justification of such a setting rests exclusively on the fact that, by means of such concepts and mental relations between them, we are able to orient ourselves in the labyrinth of sense impressions. These notions and relations, although free mental creations, appear to us as stronger and more unalterable than the individual sense experience itself, the character of which as anything other than the result of an illusion or hallucination is never completely guaranteed.”
A book of a variety of subject matter, many of which are likely better pursued in other works. Wisdom, politics, and science are stuttered through articles, speeches, letters and statements, i.e. it is often truncated, generalized, esoteric, and/or repeated. So why go this route? For me, there are two main reasons: 1) the man is not separate from his ideas; and 2) a taste for Einstein’s own words whets the appetite for more.
A revolutionary scientist, an admirably incorrigible peace-monger, Einstein is, in my opinion, most essentially a virtuoso of the unassuming, cutting through the systemic edifices that are supposed to fortify human understanding. His contribution to the world did not make our conception of it more tidy and complete as our scientific culture had so foolishly assumed it should; rather, Einstein’s work reoriented our conception of the world to the awe and mystery in which such a puny thing as man is forever condemned to regard, if he is going to have an even partially valid conception of this existence.
The oxymoron is perhaps best put by Kant: “The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility.”
Einstein is at his best when dropping wisdom and humility in the epistemological pursuit - the brunt of which comes out as strikingly buddhist:
“This more aristocratic illusion concerning the unlimited penetrative power of thought has as its counterpart the more plebeian illusion of naive realism, according to which things ‘are’ as they are perceived by us through our senses.”
“The belief in an external world independent of the perceiving subject is the basis of all natural science. Since, however, sense perception only gives information of this external world or of ‘physical reality’ indirectly, we can only grasp the latter by speculative means. It follows from this that our notions of physical reality can never be final.”
Let that sink in. Says one of the most, if not the most, famous scientist in history, a “belief…is the basis of…science.”
“If, then, it is true that the axiomatic basis of theoretical physics cannot be extracted from experience but must be freely invented, can we ever hope to find the right way? Nay, more, has this right way any existence outside our illusions? Can we hope to be guided safely by experience at all when there exist theories (such as classical mechanics) which to a large extent do justice to experience without getting to the root of the matter?”
“…in our thinking (which determines our expectation), we attribute to this concept of the bodily object a significance, which is to a high degree independent of the sense impressions which originally give rise to it. This is what we mean when we attribute to the bodily object ‘a real existence.’ The justification of such a setting rests exclusively on the fact that, by means of such concepts and mental relations between them, we are able to orient ourselves in the labyrinth of sense impressions. These notions and relations, although free mental creations, appear to us as stronger and more unalterable than the individual sense experience itself, the character of which as anything other than the result of an illusion or hallucination is never completely guaranteed.”
May 12, 2009
Unbelievable. No words. Just lovely.
September 18, 2009
I read this book because I wanted to get to know Einstein a little. I'd run across several insightful quotes from him and decided to explore what he was all about. As my rating indicates, I felt this book was just "ok". The man himself was very impressive. He was definitely a humanitarian, and wanted nothing but peace. But the book is a collection of his essays and I didn't find it fascinating reading. It also seemed too repetitious at times. The last section of the book was about his "ideas & opinions" on Science, which was WAY over my head and I found myself just skimming the pages to get through it.
August 13, 2013
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed."
"Feeling and longing are the motive force behind all human endeavor and human creation."
"Nobody, certainly, will deny that the idea of the existence of an omnipotent, just, and omnibeneficent personal God is able to accord man solace, help, and guidance; also, by virtue of its simplicitiy it is accessible to the most undeveloped mind. But, on the other hand, there are decisive weaknesses attached to this idea in itself, which have been painfully felt since the beginning of history. That is, if this being is omnipotent, then every occurrence, including every human action, every human thought, and every human feeling and aspiration is also His work; how is it possible to think of holding men responsible for their deeds and thoughts before such an almighty being? In giving out punishment and rewards He would to a certain extent be passing judgement on Himself. How can this be combined with the goodness and righteousness ascribed to Him?"
"Education is that which remains, if one has forgotten everything he has learned in school."
"Bureaucracy is the death of any achievement."
"Feeling and longing are the motive force behind all human endeavor and human creation."
"Nobody, certainly, will deny that the idea of the existence of an omnipotent, just, and omnibeneficent personal God is able to accord man solace, help, and guidance; also, by virtue of its simplicitiy it is accessible to the most undeveloped mind. But, on the other hand, there are decisive weaknesses attached to this idea in itself, which have been painfully felt since the beginning of history. That is, if this being is omnipotent, then every occurrence, including every human action, every human thought, and every human feeling and aspiration is also His work; how is it possible to think of holding men responsible for their deeds and thoughts before such an almighty being? In giving out punishment and rewards He would to a certain extent be passing judgement on Himself. How can this be combined with the goodness and righteousness ascribed to Him?"
"Education is that which remains, if one has forgotten everything he has learned in school."
"Bureaucracy is the death of any achievement."
May 8, 2017
I never seen a man like him!
Such a great mentality I ever seen in my whole life. He has different vision that the all other people around the world!!
In spite of my disagreement with some of his opinions for maybe genetic factors but he still number one.
On the other hand I agree with his ideals!
Such a great mentality I ever seen in my whole life. He has different vision that the all other people around the world!!
In spite of my disagreement with some of his opinions for maybe genetic factors but he still number one.
On the other hand I agree with his ideals!
April 24, 2013
Algunas de las cosas que dice el libro: La mayoría ha de vivir temerosa ante la posibilidad de verse eliminada del ciclo económico, y sufrir así la falta de lo necesario. Los habitantes de distintas naciones se matan entre sí a intervalos regulares. La inteligencia y el carácter de las masas son muy inferiores a la inteligencia y al carácter de los pocos que producen algo valioso para la comunidad. Combinar la sabiduría y el poder ha tenido éxito muy pocas veces, y cuando lo tuvo no fue por mucho tiempo. La alegría de mirar y comprender es el don más bello de la naturaleza. Me produce un gran placer, por supuesto, advertir que se aplaude cálidamente la obstinación de un inconformismo incorregible. La conciencia está por encima de la autoridad de la ley del Estado. La ciencia sin religión es coja; la religión sin ciencia es ciega. Sin una "cultura ética" no hay salvación para la humanidad. Por lo que he podido observar, el sistema de educación inglés es el que más se aproxima a este ideal. El valor de un hombre debería juzgarse en función de lo que da y no de lo que recibe. De una persona que sólo lee los periódicos o los libros de autores contemporáneos se dice que es un miope. Nuestra situación no se puede comparar con ninguna otra en el pasado. El fin de la producción es el beneficio, no su consumo.
June 18, 2014
I always believe that WHEN you read a particular book for the first time is akin to the first time you heard say Gershwin for the first time or Rakim. Whatever your tastes are the timing does matter. For me, this book mattered a great deal when I first read it.
I read this in 1995. I was 21 and about to move into a 285 square foot efficiency, on my own. So one can imagine the impact a book like this can have at that age in that place.
I absorbed the book like an Iguana in the desert laying in 3 inches of water in the shade after 3 months of heat.
Did I like it? Yes!
I read this in 1995. I was 21 and about to move into a 285 square foot efficiency, on my own. So one can imagine the impact a book like this can have at that age in that place.
I absorbed the book like an Iguana in the desert laying in 3 inches of water in the shade after 3 months of heat.
Did I like it? Yes!
October 1, 2007
The whole non-science part of the book is great but one essay - "Why Socialism?" - is a must read.
December 22, 2008
I've given this book at least a dozen times to people over the years. Wise insights and a good book to have around.
November 15, 2014
Go, dive, explore, build your opinion; this will do service to all.
Read
July 25, 2021This is a book by Albert Einstein. Unlike the rest of us, he is Einstein.
Enough said.
Enough said.
June 19, 2020
I thought this book was okay (2/5 stars). The book is broken down into 5 sections: ideas and opinions, on politics, government and pacifism, on the Jewish people, on Germany, and contributions to science. If I read only the first four sections and stopped, I would have given this book a higher rating (3-4 stars). The fifth section, contributions to science, was by far the longest section and definitely the most difficult thing I have read in my life.
The book is basically a conglomeration of Einstein's articles, speeches, lectures, letters, etc. So, it was really interesting learning about his opinions in the world outside of science. Considering he lived through both world wars, he has a lot on his mind. Even though the world we live in is very different from the one Einstein experienced, some of his ideas are relevant in today's time.
One part of the book I particularly liked were the subsections on the intersection of science and religion. Einstein was a deeply religious man and he wrote a lot on that topic. I also enjoyed his writings on the military and the idea of a supranational government.
Now in reviewing the last section: contributions to science. Considering most of the writing was to be presented to other high level physicists, I understood like 5% of what he was talking about. Being the stubborn person I am, I kept thinking, "if I read a little more, maybe I'll start understanding a little better." That didn't happen. Like I didn't even know there was non-Euclidean geometry and how to analyze physics phenomena with it. I would only suggest reading this if you have a strong background in physics. If you don't and still want an introduction to the theory of special relativity and the theory of general relativity, I would suggest some other source.
Overall, I wish I just stopped after reading the first four sections. Maybe if I get 100x smarter, I'll try reading it again.
The book is basically a conglomeration of Einstein's articles, speeches, lectures, letters, etc. So, it was really interesting learning about his opinions in the world outside of science. Considering he lived through both world wars, he has a lot on his mind. Even though the world we live in is very different from the one Einstein experienced, some of his ideas are relevant in today's time.
One part of the book I particularly liked were the subsections on the intersection of science and religion. Einstein was a deeply religious man and he wrote a lot on that topic. I also enjoyed his writings on the military and the idea of a supranational government.
Now in reviewing the last section: contributions to science. Considering most of the writing was to be presented to other high level physicists, I understood like 5% of what he was talking about. Being the stubborn person I am, I kept thinking, "if I read a little more, maybe I'll start understanding a little better." That didn't happen. Like I didn't even know there was non-Euclidean geometry and how to analyze physics phenomena with it. I would only suggest reading this if you have a strong background in physics. If you don't and still want an introduction to the theory of special relativity and the theory of general relativity, I would suggest some other source.
Overall, I wish I just stopped after reading the first four sections. Maybe if I get 100x smarter, I'll try reading it again.
May 30, 2020
Dull, but important? Couldn't track with the final section, on physics, at all.
June 16, 2016
This is a large collection of various writings and talks by Albert Einstein. It's boring and repetitive, but it's hard to blame this on Einstein. He wasn't trying to write a book. That was done by others after he died. These writings all existed in isolation when he wrote them, and a lot of what made them interesting was the historical and scientific context in which he wrote them.
Probably my favorite part was the correspondence with the Prussian Academy of Science. Adolph Hitler had just come into power and was instituting blatantly anti-Semitic policies. Einstein, a secular Jew, left Germany in protest, along with his affiliations in Germany. The Academy was offended and felt he was being unpatriotic. He basically told them to go fuck themselves.
But otherwise, damn, this book was hard to read. Just lots of political rants and physics stuff that went over my head, which I mostly just skimmed. It was hardly worth reading.
Probably my favorite part was the correspondence with the Prussian Academy of Science. Adolph Hitler had just come into power and was instituting blatantly anti-Semitic policies. Einstein, a secular Jew, left Germany in protest, along with his affiliations in Germany. The Academy was offended and felt he was being unpatriotic. He basically told them to go fuck themselves.
But otherwise, damn, this book was hard to read. Just lots of political rants and physics stuff that went over my head, which I mostly just skimmed. It was hardly worth reading.
March 21, 2010
This is a collection of writings and lectures by Albert Einstein, organised in sections, discussing ideas, politics, pacifism, the Jewish people, science and more. I got through all of it until I reached the final part: contributions to science. Although Einstein's writing could be dense (particularly his pre-war stuff), it was generally understandable. The science writing was beyond me. I struggled through a lot of it, but stopped when I realised that I had read entire pages that didn't make any sense.
His writing on other topics makes for interesting reading though, and it's particularly interesting to see his attitudes change post-war (and his writing becomes much easier to read at that point as well), but the science contributions defeated me.
His writing on other topics makes for interesting reading though, and it's particularly interesting to see his attitudes change post-war (and his writing becomes much easier to read at that point as well), but the science contributions defeated me.
February 13, 2016
Einstein's own words, what could be better? Some scientists struggle to bring their ideas to the general public, and many scientists require you to have a working knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics to translate their writings. I was thrilled when I discovered this book and the easy way he writes about his life and theory. He was to science what Carl Jung was to psychology... both of them visionary, both humble. They both took the time to decodify their fields for us. Kinda like Bodhisattvas. Committed to the attainment of enlightenment for the benefit of others.
June 29, 2013
i really pleased by reading this book of albert einstein;coz i always wanna to read different books of different peoples who have master mind, and he is also one & my first choice. no one is perfect in this world;but information makes everyone perfect. man of gr8 thought albert....sebsibe wish his friends to join his reading network. hey guys let's start.....
May 4, 2012
I found the first part of this book fantastic, the later part of the book was a bit over my head as I was not familiar with some of the other scientists theories that he was quoting from so I became a bit lost during the 2nd half of the book and had to slow my reading down to process it.
May 21, 2016
This book is probably worth more stars. My mother made me read it as punishment for some disobedience or other so it started out with zero stars. ;-)
November 1, 2009
Full of quotes and quips from a giant brain. Wholesome.
Read
February 28, 2013definately...some ideas hidden in our mind...and some thoughts we express by our movement and actions......fantastic work
August 20, 2013
Bu adamı bu kitapla sevdim :)
January 17, 2015
i was surprised that one of the smartest guys, let's see...ever, could write so simply. you hardly have to be polysyllabic to read this and it was a joy.
June 3, 2022
كيف لي أن أقيم آراءا ...
الأراء تبقى آراءا سواء اختلفنا أو اتفقنا معها ، حتى لو كانت من شخص ذائع الصيت كآينشتاين !
الملاحظة الوحيدة لي هي أن الترجمة التي قرأتها ضعيفة للغاية (ترجمة دار الفردوس).
الأراء تبقى آراءا سواء اختلفنا أو اتفقنا معها ، حتى لو كانت من شخص ذائع الصيت كآينشتاين !
الملاحظة الوحيدة لي هي أن الترجمة التي قرأتها ضعيفة للغاية (ترجمة دار الفردوس).
November 19, 2017
Is Einstein a Philosopher?
This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long, long time. The most recent addition to my “Top Shelf” on my bookshelf.
Everyone “knows” Einstein as the scientist with the scientist look, E=MC2, etc. Until reading this I thought Einstein was just a scientist. After reading this book I stand in awe of the man’s intellect, the wide range of topics he thinks about, and the beautiful way that he writes and thinks.
Someone recently told me an entrepreneur is an artist. I believe that a scientist, an artist, and a philosopher are all the same profession. Devotion disciple of the Real. A scientist is a philosopher. Einstein happens to be a poetic philosopher.
Here’s a range of the (non-scientific) topics Einstein discusses and the main principles of his thinking.
• God
Einstein believes in “Spinoza’s God.” All is one, “the Reason that manifests itself in nature.” Essentially that the universe is God’s cloak, and we’re little dust mites that live on it. The evidence of the Good, the True, and the Beautiful (Einstein usually capitalizes these ideas) and the dedication towards creating theories that best describe the world are his form of religious devotion. Einstein calls the inspiration the cosmic religious feeling, not a religious institution.
• Religion
Given his Jewish heritage and having to leave his home country because of religion, as well his devotion to the cosmic religious spirit, Einstein talks about religion fairly extensively. He distinguishes three phases of religion, each relating to a certain emotion or longing which he says drives all of human activity.
The first is primitive religion. No real understanding of cause and effect, creation of a special priestly caste, and enforcement of rules based in fear (think Opus Dei and other primitive religions).
The second is social religion. The impulse being to create stronger communities, the extension being communal churches with specific days of devotion. Here God is often depicted as a parent who gives out blessings and counts rights and wrongs based on what people do or another such point system.
The third, which he acknowledges as the rarest type, is the cosmic religious feeling. This is a feeling, not an institution, that intuitively guides us towards the Real. Almost like “the invisible hand” in economics, the cosmic religious spirit inspires those who follow it and guides them towards the light.
• Government
Given the social conditions this is no surprise. Einstein left Germany prior to World War II and believes the state should serve man, not the other way around. He believes a government should protect people’s right to grow into thinker and not interfere with their life choices. After World War II he advocates for a kind of international government system that would safeguard rights and prevent war.
• War
Einstein is a pacifist and does not believe states should have militaries. He discusses “patriotism” as a disease, a way to indoctrinate young people into accepting mass murder in uniforms (war).
• Creativity
Obviously, Einstein knows math, physics, etc. But he also recognizes and acknowledges the limitations of science. Science tells you can is, creativity tells you what can be. He encourages both and respects the mystical path as much as he does the scientific. Here’s how he puts it “loving interest in the object and a desire for truth and understanding, and thus to that divine curiosity which every healthy child possesses, but which so often is weakened early.” 61
• Responsibility
He’s a big believer in civic duty, not to the state but to other people. “The value of a man, however, should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.” 62
Quotes
The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed…I am satisfied with the mystery of the eternity of life and with the awareness and a glimpse of the marvelous structure of the existing world, together with the devoted striving to comprehend a portion, be it ever so tiny, of the Reason that manifests itself in nature. 11
With primitive man it is above all fear that evokes religious notions – fear of hunger, wild beasts, sickness, death. Since at this stage of existence understanding of causal connections is usually poorly developed, the human mind creates illusory beings more or less analogous to itself on whose wills and actions these fearful happenings depend. Thus one tries to secure the favor of these beings by carrying out actions and offering sacrifices…Religion of fear. This not created, is in an important degree stabilized by the creation of a special priestly caste…
The social impulses are another source of the crystallization of religion. Fathers and mothers and the leaders of larger human communities are mortal and fallible. The desire for guidance, love, and support prompts men to form the social or moral conception of God. This is the God of Providence, who protects, disposes, rewards, and punishes….
There is a third stage of religious experience which belongs to all of them, even though it is rarely found in a pure form: I shall call it cosmic religious feeling. It is very difficult to elucidate this feeling to anyone who is entirely without it, especially as there is no anthropomorphic conception of God corresponding to it. 38
It is easy to see why the churches have always fought science and persecuted its devotees. On the other hand, I maintain that the cosmic religious feeling is the strongest and noblest motive for scientific research. Only those who realize the immense efforts and, above all the devotion without which pioneer work in theoretical science cannot be achieved are able to grasp the strength and emotion out of which along such work, remote as it is from the immediate realities of life, can be issue. 39
The scientist is possessed by the sense of universal causation…His religious feeling takes the form of a rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law, which reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection. This feeling is the guiding principle of his life and work. 40
Knowledge of what is [science] does not open the door directly to what should be [creativity]. 42
[A creator or teacher] will have to avail themselves of those forces which are capable of cultivating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself. 48
When presented with a specific case [of what is the “right” religion], however, it is no easy task to determine clearly what is desirable and what should be eschewed, just as we find it difficult to describe what exactly it is that makes good painting or good music. It is something that may be felt intuitively more easily than rationally comprehended. Likewise, the great moral teachers of humanity were, in a way, artistic geniuses in the art of living. 51
It is not enough to teach man a specialty. Through it he may become a kind of useful machine but not a harmoniously developed personality. It is essential that the student acquire an understand of and a lively feeling for values. He must acquire a vivid sense of the beautiful and the morally good. Otherwise he – with his specialized knowledge – more closely resembles a well-trained dog than a harmoniously developed person. He must learn to understand the motives of human beings, their illusions, and their sufferings in order to acquire a proper relationship to individual fellow-men and to the community. 66
The greatest obstacle to international order is that monstrously exaggerated spirit of nationalism which also goes by the fair-sounding but misused name of patriotism. During the last century and a half this idol has acquired an uncanny and exceedingly pernicious power everywhere…this is intimately connected with the institution of compulsory military service or, to call it by its sweeter name, national armies. A state which demands military service of its inhabitants is compelled to cultivate in them a nationalistic spirit, thereby laying the psychological foundation for their military usefulness. In its schools it must idolize, alongside with religion, its instrument of brutal force in the eyes of the youth. 97
The benefits that the inventive genius of man has conferred on us on us in the last hundred years could make life happy and carefree, if organization had been able to keep pace with technical progress. As it is, in the hands of our generation these hard-won achievements are like a razor wielded by a child of three. The possession of marvelous means of production has brought care and hunger instead of freedom. 98
The individual must not merely wait and criticize. He must serve the cause as best he can. The fate of the world will be such as the world deserves. 100
Is it not significant that such men have been universally accepted as leaders, even though their efforts to mold the course of human affairs were attended with but small success? 104
This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long, long time. The most recent addition to my “Top Shelf” on my bookshelf.
Everyone “knows” Einstein as the scientist with the scientist look, E=MC2, etc. Until reading this I thought Einstein was just a scientist. After reading this book I stand in awe of the man’s intellect, the wide range of topics he thinks about, and the beautiful way that he writes and thinks.
Someone recently told me an entrepreneur is an artist. I believe that a scientist, an artist, and a philosopher are all the same profession. Devotion disciple of the Real. A scientist is a philosopher. Einstein happens to be a poetic philosopher.
Here’s a range of the (non-scientific) topics Einstein discusses and the main principles of his thinking.
• God
Einstein believes in “Spinoza’s God.” All is one, “the Reason that manifests itself in nature.” Essentially that the universe is God’s cloak, and we’re little dust mites that live on it. The evidence of the Good, the True, and the Beautiful (Einstein usually capitalizes these ideas) and the dedication towards creating theories that best describe the world are his form of religious devotion. Einstein calls the inspiration the cosmic religious feeling, not a religious institution.
• Religion
Given his Jewish heritage and having to leave his home country because of religion, as well his devotion to the cosmic religious spirit, Einstein talks about religion fairly extensively. He distinguishes three phases of religion, each relating to a certain emotion or longing which he says drives all of human activity.
The first is primitive religion. No real understanding of cause and effect, creation of a special priestly caste, and enforcement of rules based in fear (think Opus Dei and other primitive religions).
The second is social religion. The impulse being to create stronger communities, the extension being communal churches with specific days of devotion. Here God is often depicted as a parent who gives out blessings and counts rights and wrongs based on what people do or another such point system.
The third, which he acknowledges as the rarest type, is the cosmic religious feeling. This is a feeling, not an institution, that intuitively guides us towards the Real. Almost like “the invisible hand” in economics, the cosmic religious spirit inspires those who follow it and guides them towards the light.
• Government
Given the social conditions this is no surprise. Einstein left Germany prior to World War II and believes the state should serve man, not the other way around. He believes a government should protect people’s right to grow into thinker and not interfere with their life choices. After World War II he advocates for a kind of international government system that would safeguard rights and prevent war.
• War
Einstein is a pacifist and does not believe states should have militaries. He discusses “patriotism” as a disease, a way to indoctrinate young people into accepting mass murder in uniforms (war).
• Creativity
Obviously, Einstein knows math, physics, etc. But he also recognizes and acknowledges the limitations of science. Science tells you can is, creativity tells you what can be. He encourages both and respects the mystical path as much as he does the scientific. Here’s how he puts it “loving interest in the object and a desire for truth and understanding, and thus to that divine curiosity which every healthy child possesses, but which so often is weakened early.” 61
• Responsibility
He’s a big believer in civic duty, not to the state but to other people. “The value of a man, however, should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.” 62
Quotes
The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed…I am satisfied with the mystery of the eternity of life and with the awareness and a glimpse of the marvelous structure of the existing world, together with the devoted striving to comprehend a portion, be it ever so tiny, of the Reason that manifests itself in nature. 11
With primitive man it is above all fear that evokes religious notions – fear of hunger, wild beasts, sickness, death. Since at this stage of existence understanding of causal connections is usually poorly developed, the human mind creates illusory beings more or less analogous to itself on whose wills and actions these fearful happenings depend. Thus one tries to secure the favor of these beings by carrying out actions and offering sacrifices…Religion of fear. This not created, is in an important degree stabilized by the creation of a special priestly caste…
The social impulses are another source of the crystallization of religion. Fathers and mothers and the leaders of larger human communities are mortal and fallible. The desire for guidance, love, and support prompts men to form the social or moral conception of God. This is the God of Providence, who protects, disposes, rewards, and punishes….
There is a third stage of religious experience which belongs to all of them, even though it is rarely found in a pure form: I shall call it cosmic religious feeling. It is very difficult to elucidate this feeling to anyone who is entirely without it, especially as there is no anthropomorphic conception of God corresponding to it. 38
It is easy to see why the churches have always fought science and persecuted its devotees. On the other hand, I maintain that the cosmic religious feeling is the strongest and noblest motive for scientific research. Only those who realize the immense efforts and, above all the devotion without which pioneer work in theoretical science cannot be achieved are able to grasp the strength and emotion out of which along such work, remote as it is from the immediate realities of life, can be issue. 39
The scientist is possessed by the sense of universal causation…His religious feeling takes the form of a rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law, which reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection. This feeling is the guiding principle of his life and work. 40
Knowledge of what is [science] does not open the door directly to what should be [creativity]. 42
[A creator or teacher] will have to avail themselves of those forces which are capable of cultivating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself. 48
When presented with a specific case [of what is the “right” religion], however, it is no easy task to determine clearly what is desirable and what should be eschewed, just as we find it difficult to describe what exactly it is that makes good painting or good music. It is something that may be felt intuitively more easily than rationally comprehended. Likewise, the great moral teachers of humanity were, in a way, artistic geniuses in the art of living. 51
It is not enough to teach man a specialty. Through it he may become a kind of useful machine but not a harmoniously developed personality. It is essential that the student acquire an understand of and a lively feeling for values. He must acquire a vivid sense of the beautiful and the morally good. Otherwise he – with his specialized knowledge – more closely resembles a well-trained dog than a harmoniously developed person. He must learn to understand the motives of human beings, their illusions, and their sufferings in order to acquire a proper relationship to individual fellow-men and to the community. 66
The greatest obstacle to international order is that monstrously exaggerated spirit of nationalism which also goes by the fair-sounding but misused name of patriotism. During the last century and a half this idol has acquired an uncanny and exceedingly pernicious power everywhere…this is intimately connected with the institution of compulsory military service or, to call it by its sweeter name, national armies. A state which demands military service of its inhabitants is compelled to cultivate in them a nationalistic spirit, thereby laying the psychological foundation for their military usefulness. In its schools it must idolize, alongside with religion, its instrument of brutal force in the eyes of the youth. 97
The benefits that the inventive genius of man has conferred on us on us in the last hundred years could make life happy and carefree, if organization had been able to keep pace with technical progress. As it is, in the hands of our generation these hard-won achievements are like a razor wielded by a child of three. The possession of marvelous means of production has brought care and hunger instead of freedom. 98
The individual must not merely wait and criticize. He must serve the cause as best he can. The fate of the world will be such as the world deserves. 100
Is it not significant that such men have been universally accepted as leaders, even though their efforts to mold the course of human affairs were attended with but small success? 104
February 20, 2023
The book covers a variety of aspects important for Einstein about freedom, education, politics, pacifism, Jewish people and Germany, which he raised at various public occasions he participated or contributed to.
This is followed up by an excellent section where he discusses his contributions to science.
The most outstanding there is his article published in 1936 in "The Journal of the Franklin Institute" under a title "Physics and Reality".
He discusses there his road from the special to general theory of relativity and contribution to it by many other scientists, which usually go unmentioned.
His discussion of a theory of everything remains unresolved despite many attempts by his successors.
Memorable Quotes
Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift (Page 28)
The Nuremberg Trial of the German war criminals was tacitly based on the recognition of the principle: criminal actions cannot be excused if committed on government orders; conscience supersedes the authority of the law of the state. (Page 35)
Sometimes one sees in the school simply the instrument for transferring a certain maximum quantity of knowledge to the growing generation. But that is not right. Knowledge is dead; the school, however, serves the living. It should develop in the young individuals those qualities and capabilities which are of value for the welfare of the commonwealth. But that does not mean that individuality ahould be destroyed and the individual become a mere tool of the community, like a bee or an ant. For a community of standardised individuals without personal originality and personal aims would be a poor community without possibilities for development. On the contrary, the aim must be the training of independently acting and thinking individuals, who, however, see in the service of the community their highest life problem. (Page 60)
This is followed up by an excellent section where he discusses his contributions to science.
The most outstanding there is his article published in 1936 in "The Journal of the Franklin Institute" under a title "Physics and Reality".
He discusses there his road from the special to general theory of relativity and contribution to it by many other scientists, which usually go unmentioned.
His discussion of a theory of everything remains unresolved despite many attempts by his successors.
Memorable Quotes
Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift (Page 28)
The Nuremberg Trial of the German war criminals was tacitly based on the recognition of the principle: criminal actions cannot be excused if committed on government orders; conscience supersedes the authority of the law of the state. (Page 35)
Sometimes one sees in the school simply the instrument for transferring a certain maximum quantity of knowledge to the growing generation. But that is not right. Knowledge is dead; the school, however, serves the living. It should develop in the young individuals those qualities and capabilities which are of value for the welfare of the commonwealth. But that does not mean that individuality ahould be destroyed and the individual become a mere tool of the community, like a bee or an ant. For a community of standardised individuals without personal originality and personal aims would be a poor community without possibilities for development. On the contrary, the aim must be the training of independently acting and thinking individuals, who, however, see in the service of the community their highest life problem. (Page 60)
April 23, 2020
There are first hand accounts that help a reader understand the person behind them. This wide collection of letters, essays and speeches by Einstein is enlightening and delightful. His cheeky comments, eloquent writing and clarity of thought are remarkable. Things written about a century are still equally valid. Even if there are disagreeable points, the underpinning arguments are perfectly logical. Quite fortunate that such a book exists and that I got a chance to read it. If only I could give six stars.
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