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Einstein’s Religious Philosophy
Here is a short, sweet, and quick summary of some of Albert Einstein’s philosophy and religious views which I thought were interesting enough to jot down while I have that material fresh in mind. (I thought it’s good to read all these various views of Einstein’s in one fell swoop to get a good mental image of his views.) These can be found in most biographies on Einstein, but I included references [1] and [2] below for definiteness. (Throughout this note, ‘he’ refers, of course, to Einstein.) Let’s begin!
- Einstein began to appreciate and identify more with his Jewish heritage in later life (as he approached 50).
- He had profound faith in the order and discernible laws in the universe, which he said was the extent to which he calls himself ‘religious.’
- God had no choice but to create the universe in the way He did.
- He believed in something larger than himself, in a greater mind.
- He called nationalism an infantile disease.
- He received instruction in the Bible and Talmud. He is a Jew, but one who is also enthralled by “the luminous figure of the Nazarene.”
- He believed Jesus was a real historical figure and that Jesus’ personality pulsates in every word in the Gospels.
- He was not an atheist, but a kind of “deist.”
- He did not like atheists quoting him in support of atheism.
- He believed in an impersonal God, who is not concerned with human action.
- His belief in an impersonal God was not disingenuous in order to cover up an underlying ‘atheism’.
- He was neither theist nor atheist.
- He did not believe in free will. He was a causal determinist. (Not even God has free will! 🙂 )
- Though he did not believe in free will, nevertheless he said “I am compelled to act as if free will existed.”
- He liked Baruch Spinoza’s treatment of the soul and body as one.
- He did not believe in immortality.
- He believed that the imagination was more important than knowledge.
- He believed in a superior mind that reveals itself in world of experience, which he says represents his conception of God.
- He believed in a “cosmic religious feeling” which he says “is the strongest and noblest motive for scientific research.”
- “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”
There you have it, without commentary! 😉
References.
[1] Albert Einstein, Ideas and Opinions.
[2] Walter Isaacson, Einstein: His Life and Universe. (See especially chapter 17.)
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