http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/05/15/einstein-letter.html { Einstein letter dismissing God sells for $330,000 US Last Updated: Thursday, May 15, 2008 | 5:19 PM ET CBC News A letter written by Albert Einstein in which he dismissed belief in God as a “product of human weaknesses” was auctioned off Thursday for more than $330,000 US, destroying previous selling records of letters by the renowned physicist.
The letter, written in German in 1954 to philosopher Eric Gutkind, was sold in London, England, by Bloomsbury Auctions to a private collector. It had initially been expected to fetch between $12,000 US and $16,000 US.
“It beats the world record for an Einstein letter by about four times," managing director Rupert Powell told the Guardian newspaper. "It's a massive difference."
In the letter, Einstein writes "the word 'God' is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish."
Einstein, who was Jewish, also rejects the notion that Jews were God’s chosen people "For me, the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions,"
he wrote.
He added that "the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong, and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity, have no different quality for me than all other people.
“As far as my experience goes, they are also no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise, I cannot see anything 'chosen' about them."
Einstein's religious and spiritual beliefs have been the subject of much speculation by both believers and skeptics.}
Well, such an understanding demonstrates that he had an overall narrow viewpoint about the universe.
I imagine he was possibly out of his mind a year before his death.
> http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/05/15/einstein-letter.html > { > Einstein letter dismissing God sells for > $330,000 US > Last Updated: Thursday, May 15, 2008 | 5:19 PM ET > CBC News > A letter written by Albert Einstein in which he dismissed belief in God as a “product of human weaknesses” was auctioned off Thursday for more than $330,000 US, destroying previous selling records of letters by the renowned physicist.
> The letter, written in German in 1954 to philosopher Eric Gutkind, was sold in London, England, by Bloomsbury Auctions to a private collector. It had initially been expected to fetch between $12,000 US and $16,000 US.
> “It beats the world record for an Einstein letter by about four times," managing director Rupert Powell told the Guardian newspaper. "It's a massive difference."
> In the letter, Einstein writes "the word 'God' is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish."
> Einstein, who was Jewish, also rejects the notion that Jews were God’s chosen people > "For me, the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions,"
> he wrote.
> He added that "the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong, and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity, have no different quality for me than all other people.
> “As far as my experience goes, they are also no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise, I cannot see anything 'chosen' about them."
> Einstein's religious and spiritual beliefs have been the subject of much speculation by both believers and skeptics.}
> Well, such an understanding demonstrates that he had an overall narrow viewpoint about the universe.
> I imagine he was possibly out of his mind a year before his death.
> Dr.M.Basti
Let's see - either Einstein was or Basti is out of his mind. Hmm, that's a hard one.
I'm pleased to hear about this letter. Einstein is usually portrayed as being sympathetic with the "god notion". And, of course, he's always quoted for saying "god doesn't play dice with the universe" that strongly indicates a belief in a deity. This letter shows he was able to turn a cold hard eye on sentiment and fuzzy-thinking at the end of his life. Re: "such an understanding demonstrates that he had an overall narrow viewpoint about the universe." On the contrary, to me it shows he recognized the highest truth: that the laws of physics and mathematics - including Relativity - that animate the universe are innately undesigned, inherently intelligent, and ultimately self-defining.
> I'm pleased to hear about this letter. Einstein is usually portrayed as being > sympathetic with the "god notion". And, of course, he's always quoted for > saying "god doesn't play dice with the universe" that strongly indicates a > belief in a deity.
And don't forget "Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." or "God is subtle but he is not malicious."
José Carlos Santos wrote: > On 16-05-2008 13:45, michaelmross wrote:
>> I'm pleased to hear about this letter. Einstein is usually portrayed as >> being sympathetic with the "god notion". And, of course, he's always >> quoted for saying "god doesn't play dice with the universe" that strongly >> indicates a belief in a deity.
> And don't forget "Science without religion is lame. Religion without > science is blind." or "God is subtle but he is not malicious."
Also, after hearing Yehudi Menuhin (aged 15 or so) playing Bach's unaccompanied violin sonatas in Paris, "So God does exist after all".
> http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/05/15/einstein-letter.html > { > Einstein letter dismissing God sells for > $330,000 US > Last Updated: Thursday, May 15, 2008 | 5:19 PM ET > CBC News > A letter written by Albert Einstein in which he dismissed belief in God as a “product of human weaknesses” was auctioned off Thursday for more than $330,000 US, destroying previous selling records of letters by the renowned physicist.
> The letter, written in German in 1954 to philosopher Eric Gutkind, was sold in London, England, by Bloomsbury Auctions to a private collector. It had initially been expected to fetch between $12,000 US and $16,000 US.
> “It beats the world record for an Einstein letter by about four times," managing director Rupert Powell told the Guardian newspaper. "It's a massive difference."
> In the letter, Einstein writes "the word 'God' is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish."
> Einstein, who was Jewish, also rejects the notion that Jews were God’s chosen people > "For me, the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions,"
> he wrote.
> He added that "the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong, and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity, have no different quality for me than all other people.
> “As far as my experience goes, they are also no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise, I cannot see anything 'chosen' about them."
> Einstein's religious and spiritual beliefs have been the subject of much speculation by both believers and skeptics.}
> Well, such an understanding demonstrates that he had an overall narrow viewpoint about the universe.
> I imagine he was possibly out of his mind a year before his death.
> Dr.M.Basti
I believe right now Einstein in teaching math to el diablo for eternity
>>> I'm pleased to hear about this letter. Einstein is usually portrayed >>> as being sympathetic with the "god notion". And, of course, he's >>> always quoted for saying "god doesn't play dice with the universe" >>> that strongly indicates a belief in a deity.
>> And don't forget "Science without religion is lame. Religion without >> science is blind." or "God is subtle but he is not malicious."
> Also, after hearing Yehudi Menuhin (aged 15 or so) > playing Bach's unaccompanied violin sonatas in Paris, > "So God does exist after all".
Which is why Bach is called "The Fifth Evangelist."
>>> I'm pleased to hear about this letter. Einstein is usually portrayed as >>> being sympathetic with the "god notion". And, of course, he's always >>> quoted for saying "god doesn't play dice with the universe" that strongly >>> indicates a belief in a deity. >> And don't forget "Science without religion is lame. Religion without >> science is blind." or "God is subtle but he is not malicious."
> Also, after hearing Yehudi Menuhin (aged 15 or so) > playing Bach's unaccompanied violin sonatas in Paris, > "So God does exist after all".
Menuhin probably said the same when he heard of Einstein's thought.
> http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/05/15/einstein-lett > er.html > { > Einstein letter dismissing God sells for > $330,000 US > Last Updated: Thursday, May 15, 2008 | 5:19 PM ET > CBC News > A letter written by Albert Einstein in which he > dismissed belief in God as a “product of human > weaknesses” was auctioned off Thursday for more than > $330,000 US, destroying previous selling records of > letters by the renowned physicist.
> The letter, written in German in 1954 to philosopher > Eric Gutkind, was sold in London, England, by > Bloomsbury Auctions to a private collector. It had > initially been expected to fetch between $12,000 US > and $16,000 US.
> “It beats the world record for an Einstein letter by > about four times," managing director Rupert Powell > told the Guardian newspaper. "It's a massive > difference."
> In the letter, Einstein writes "the word 'God' is for > me nothing more than the expression and product of > human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of > honourable but still primitive legends which are > nevertheless pretty childish."
> Einstein, who was Jewish, also rejects the notion > that Jews were God’s chosen people > "For me, the Jewish religion like all other religions > is an incarnation of the most childish > superstitions,"
> he wrote.
> He added that "the Jewish people to whom I gladly > belong, and with whose mentality I have a deep > affinity, have no different quality for me than all > other people.
> “As far as my experience goes, they are also no > better than other human groups, although they are > protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. > Otherwise, I cannot see anything 'chosen' about > them."
> Einstein's religious and spiritual beliefs have been > the subject of much speculation by both believers and > skeptics.}
> Well, such an understanding demonstrates that he had > an overall narrow viewpoint about the universe.
> I imagine he was possibly out of his mind a year > before his death.
> Dr.M.Basti
This is no revelation. Anyone who is familiar with Einstein's work and writings could not get any other impression than that he was a committed nonbeliever, a rationalist whose god was Spinoza's god, reflected in the perfect symmetry of nature, and who was often scornful of "merely personal belief."
Out of his mind? These are only more reasons that I revere him.
