Einstein on God
Despite the claims of the New Atheists, such as Richard Dawkins, Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was not an atheist, nor was he a pantheist. Einstein expressly rejected both of these philosophical positions in favour of a form of deism, or maybe distant theism. Here are some quotes from Einstein to support this:
I am not an atheist, and I don’t think I can call myself a pantheist… We see the universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws, but only dimly understand these laws. Our limited minds grasp the mysterious force that moves the constellations.
(Max Jammer, Einstein and Religion, Princeton University Press, p44)
Certain it is that a conviction, akin to religious feeling, of the rationality or intelligibility of the world lies behind all scientific work of a higher order… This firm belief, a belief bound up with deep feeling, in a superior mind that reveals itself in the world of experience, represents my conception of God.
(Einstein, Ideas & Opinions, p255)
Everyone who is seriously engaged in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that the laws of nature manifest the existence of a spirit vastly superior to that of men, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.
(Max Jammer, Einstein and Religion, Princeton University Press, p93)
My religiosity consists of a humble admiration of the infinitely superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God.
Einstein, The Quotable Einstein, 2005, p195-6)
relativist
on March 23rd, 2011
“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.”
–Einstein (1954)
rogermorris
on March 23rd, 2011
As a relativist, you would obviously agree that my assertion that Einstein was at least a deist cannot not be objectively wrong. So you won’t worry you in the least – that is, of course, if you are consistent in your relativism.
Gericho49
on February 1st, 2012
Einstein was a great scientist, an amateur philosopher & a troubled theologian it would seem.. Nevertheless one wonders how he could make such conflicting statements about God. People do have paradigm shits but so many? One really has to doubt the accuracy & authenticity of some of them, particularly when they are unreferenced!
I am not an atheist, and I don’t think I can call myself a pantheist… We see the universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws, but only dimly understand these laws. Our limited minds grasp the mysterious force that moves the constellations. (Max Jammer, Einstein and Religion, Princeton University Press, p44)
Everyone who is seriously engaged in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that the laws of nature manifest the existence of a spirit vastly superior to that of men, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble. (Max Jammer, Einstein and Religion, Princeton University Press, p93
Certain it is that a conviction, akin to religious feeling, of the rationality or intelligibility of the world lies behind all scientific work of a higher order… This firm belief, a belief bound up with deep feeling, in a superior mind that reveals itself in the world of experience, represents my conception of God (Einstein, Ideas & Opinions, p255)
gerhard kemmerer
on April 21st, 2012
Einstein’s greatness comes form a culture that acknowledges Divine intelligence, he may not have realised that the Bible held all the necessary clues to his quests.