Einstein: The philosopher scientist

Both the scientist and visionary are the same person. Albert Einstein was able to see way beyond his time and developed a theory that revolutionised the world and the philosophical thought. On the other hand, he was someone who, knowing that the major part of the physical phenomena can be explained, understood that he couldn’t comprehend everything.

In today’s world, when people have explanations for everything and ridicule any matter that doesn’t fit into the small universe they have created, it is worth recalling the words of the greatest and most important scientist of the 20th century. Nothing happens by chance: “God doesn’t throw dice with the Universe.”

Respect toward mystery: “The most important and most beautiful feeling man can experience is his respect towards mystery; it is the source of all art and science. Those who can’t contemplate (the world) with astonishment, have their eyes closed.”

Science and religion: “I affirm that the cosmic religiosity is the strongest and more powerful among all tools of scientific research. Science without religion is blind. All religions, arts or sciences are fruits from the same tree, whose only aspiration is to turn the life of humans more dignified: that is, allow individuals to rise beyond the simple physical existence and be free.”

About his greatest discovery (using good humour): Sometimes I keep thinking of how I reached the theory of relativity: I think that a normal person never stops thinking in terms of space and time, but as my intellectual development was slow, retarded, I ended up coming to think of time and space only when I was already an adult. How could I explain my theory in a simpler manner? Place your hand on a hot plate for a minute and this will seem to you as an hour. Sit beside a gorgeous lady for an hour and this will seem to you a minute — there you have the theory of relativity.”

Death and the demon (using good humour): “The most foolish fear of all is the fear of dying, as the dead never face any type of accident. And the worst punishment from the demon was to make us pay a high price for everything good that exists around us: our health is affected, or we torture our soul, or we end up getting fat.”

Finally, a few words on himself: “It isn’t that I am more intelligent or smarter than others, my quality is not abandoning a problem rapidly. When I examine my way of thinking, I reach the conclusion that the gift of imagination always had much more importance to me than the capacity of accumulating information. If I weren’t a physic, I would be a musician, because I think like a composer, I look at my life as if it were music. And what regards my personal life, I think that the silent vice is much more interesting than the ostensive virtue.”

Translated by Bettina Dung