Was Albert Einstein a Theist or an Atheist? (131)
krimsaMiddleton, New Hampshire USA6 Threads 2 Polls 1,345 PostsThis topic grew out of another thread so I thought it deserved its own. What do you think? Be sure to provide supportive evidence as you might be required to cite sources if you utilize quotes.
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In response to: This topic grew out of another thread so I thought it deserved its own. What do you think? Be sure to provide supportive evidence as you might be required to cite sources if you utilize quotes.
From what I understand he was possibly a Pantheist I heard quite a while ago that he is quoted as saying "God doesn't play dice with the universe".
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Interesting! I have heard something along those lines also. Pantheism is not a "religion" but more of a philosophy that many religions have adopted. It does seem to make the most sense in many ways.
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And is this going to change the price of tea in China?
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RillyNiceGuy: And is this going to change the price of tea in China?
Is any thread on here going to do that? No one is forcing you to participate on this site.
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krimsa: This topic grew out of another thread so I thought it deserved its own. What do you think? Be sure to provide supportive evidence as you might be required to cite sources if you utilize quotes.
Einstein had a solid belief in God. His theory on evolution came from his studies of nature. That is one reason I say God used the process of evolution to create.
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buzzy: Einstein had a solid belief in God. His theory on evolution came from his studies of nature. That is one reason I say God used the process of evolution to create.
Do you have any basis to place this on or just a personal feeling?
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krimsa: Interesting! I have heard something along those lines also. Pantheism is not a "religion" but more of a philosophy that many religions have adopted. It does seem to make the most sense in many ways.
Hmm well Philosophies and religions sometimes get mixed together. If you think about it I guess an earth religion would be Wicca or maybe a believe that Mother Earth or "Gaea" (spelling) is a living entity and to be worshiped in a sense. It wouldn't surprise me if Einstein was a Deist many of the greats that founded America were. I would be surprised with his knowledge of Physics if he was an Atheist.
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Dawn7z: Hmm well Philosophies and religions sometimes get mixed together. If you think about it I guess an earth religion would be Wicca or maybe a believe that Mother Earth or "Gaea" (spelling) is a living entity and to be worshiped in a sense. It wouldn't surprise me if Einstein was a Deist many of the greats that founded America were. I would be surprised with his knowledge of Physics if he was an Atheist.
True. Pantheism is just a philosophy but its found its way into any number of religous faiths. Its the view that everything is part of an all-encompassing immanent abstract God. I was just thinking that it's similar to the understanding of god found in Deism. You are also right that this country (the United States) was founded by Deists and not Christians. Thats another thread.
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krimsa: Do you have any basis to place this on or just a personal feeling?
Yes, Discover mag recently dedicated two issues to Einstein. In one of those articles it went into his beliefs.
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Well if you can find something online, then that would be helpful.
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Go to Discover.com and research their archives for Discover magizines.
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Alright I will see what I can find. I will just do a search for "Einstein." so it pulls up everything.
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krimsa: This topic grew out of another thread so I thought it deserved its own. What do you think? Be sure to provide supportive evidence as you might be required to cite sources if you utilize quotes.
I think he was a christian
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"Discover" is a credit card. Did you mean the "Discovery Channel"?
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krimsa: Alright I will see what I can find. I will just do a search for "Einstein." so it pulls up everything.
I stand corrected, he ws agnostic.
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Einstein was neither a Theist nor an Atheist:
“It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it.”
Albert Einstein, in a letter March 24, 1954; from Albert Einstein the Human Side, Helen Dukas and Banesh Hoffman, eds., Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1981, p. 43.
“My position concerning God is that of an agnostic. I am convinced that a vivid consciousness of the primary importance of moral principles for the betterment and ennoblement of life does not need the idea of a law-giver, especially a law-giver who works on the basis of reward and punishment.”
Albert Einstein in a letter to M. Berkowitz, October 25, 1950; Einstein Archive 59-215; from Alice Calaprice, ed., The Expanded Quotable Einstein, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2000, p. 216.
“It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it.”
Albert Einstein, in a letter March 24, 1954; from Albert Einstein the Human Side, Helen Dukas and Banesh Hoffman, eds., Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1981, p. 43.
“My position concerning God is that of an agnostic. I am convinced that a vivid consciousness of the primary importance of moral principles for the betterment and ennoblement of life does not need the idea of a law-giver, especially a law-giver who works on the basis of reward and punishment.”
Albert Einstein in a letter to M. Berkowitz, October 25, 1950; Einstein Archive 59-215; from Alice Calaprice, ed., The Expanded Quotable Einstein, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2000, p. 216.
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mrali: I think he was a christian
That you would need to substantiate with credible evidence. Seeing as he was a Jewish man....
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krimsa: That you would need to substantiate with credible evidence. Seeing as he was a Jewish man....
May be ,i dont know about him
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buzzy: I stand corrected, he ws agnostic.
That was what I thought also.
Although if you look at some of his writings, he seems to wobble on his "faith" at different points in his life. He sounds almost like an Atheist condemning the belief in a god or supernatural creator as foolish and other times he lightens up. Certainly not uncharacteristic for a scientist.------ This thread is Archived ------
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Created: Feb 2009
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