Einstein's view on Schopenhauer

[insight]

Albert Einstein, from an address at a celebration of Max Planck's 60th

birthday (1918), delivered before the Physical Society in Berlin; published

in Mein Weltbild (Amsterdam: Querido Verlag, 1934); the following is from

Albert Einstein, Ideas and Opinions, transl. Sonja Bargmann (New York:

Three Rivers Press, 1954): 224-5.

 

 

"In the temple of science are many mansions, and various indeed are they

that dwell therein and the motives that have led them thither. Many take to

science out of a joyful sense of superior intellectual power; science is

their own special sport to which they look for vivid experience and the

satisfaction of ambition; many others are to be found in the temple who

have offered the products of their brains on this altar for purely

utilitarian purposes. Were an angel of the Lord to come and drive all the

people belonging to these two categories out of the temple, the assemblage

would be seriously depleted, but there would still be some men, of both

present and past times, left inside. Our Planck is one of them, and that is

why we love him.

 

 

"I am quite aware that we have just now light-heartedly expelled in

imagination many excellent men who are largely, perhaps chiefly,

responsible for the building of the temple of science; and in many cases

our angel would find it a pretty ticklish job to decide. But of one thing I

feel sure: if the types we have just expelled were the only types there

were, the temple would never have come to be, any more than a forest can

grow which consists of nothing but creepers. For these people any sphere of

human activity will do, if it comes to a point; whether they become

engineers, officers, tradesmen, or scientists depends on circumstances. Now

let us have another look at those who have found favor with the angel. Most

of them are somewhat odd, uncommunicative, solitary fellows, really less

like each other, in spite of these common characteristics, than the hosts

of the rejected. What has brought them to the temple? That is a difficult

question and no single answer will cover it. To begin with, I believe with

Schopenhauer that one of the strongest motives that leads men to art and science is escape from everyday life with its painful crudity and hopeless

dreariness, from the fetters of one's own ever shifting desires. A finely

tempered nature longs to escape from personal life into the world of

objective perception and thought; this desire may be compared with the

townsman's irresistible longing to escape from his noisy, cramped

surroundings into the silence of high mountains, where the eye ranges

freely through the still, pure air and fondly traces out the restful

contours apparently built for eternity."

 

 

Yours,

WM

 

They are One of the greatest scientists and One of the greatest philosophers.

They believe in Mysticism, are you too?

[Pyrotex]

Albert Einstein, from an address at a celebration of Max Planck's 60th birthday (1918),... this desire may be compared with the

townsman's irresistible longing to escape from his noisy, cramped

surroundings into the silence of high mountains, where the eye ranges

freely through the still, pure air and fondly traces out the restful

contours apparently built for eternity."

I know this feeling well.

I originally went into Physics because I thought it would be a useful way of gaining employment, and it would utilize my talents with math. Even after I switched majors to Comp.Sci. (to maximize my chances of employment), I continued to study heavily in physics and astronomy.

The so-called "laws" of Man and God are so ephemeral, so subject to personal interpretation, so altered by the victories and defeats of great "armies" -- both actual and metaphorical. But the Universe, and its universal laws, are so incredibly beautiful and eternal. It is like admiring the Rainbow (for there is only One) and the perfection of the Atom (though there are Many). Their beauty lies in the fact that they are what they are without regard for those who may have sentience enough to admire and understand them.

They are Reality. They continue to exist despite all those who would refuse to believe in them.

[CraigD]

What a beautiful speech! Thank you, insight for sharing it.

 

I agree that what we these days terms “escapism” is a powerful motivating factor toward Art and Science. It certainly is for me. However, the conclusion that

They [Einstein, Plank, etc.] believe in Mysticism

is, I believe, inaccurate. The common meaning of “belief in Mysticism” is the belief that there are real phenomena that cannot be explained by rational means. These famous scientists epitomize nearly the opposite of this, standing for the belief that nature the universe is ultimately knowable thought Science.

[Pyrotex]

"The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful."

-- Henri Poincare

[insight]

However, the conclusion that is, I believe, inaccurate. The common meaning of “belief in Mysticism” is the belief that there are real phenomena that cannot be explained by rational means. These famous scientists epitomize nearly the opposite of this, standing for the belief that nature the universe is ultimately knowable thought Science.

 

:) I still remember Hegel's Dialectic Method (Real is rational). Althoiugh I also like to discuss it, i have limited time here.

 

The another Philosopher which Einstein believed was Spinoza. Spinoza expressed his conception of God: Every inanimate object in the Universe, as well as every living creature and every thought of a human mind, is an expression of the infinite substance, God. Spinoza preferred the designation "Deus sive Natura" ("god or nature") as the most fitting name for this being. Actually, Spinoza took the Philosophy of Hinduism. (I wrote some in Bhagavad Gita thread in Theology forum.)

[Qfwfq]

I agree with Craig that mysticism isn't the right term. One could talk about metaphysics and its links with theology.

 

:rainbow:

[insight]

I agree with Craig that mysticism isn't the right term. One could talk about metaphysics and its links with theology.

 

:rainbow:

 

i hope these can help you. http://www.superstringtheory.com/forum/metaboard/messages18/194.html

http://www.physicstoday.org/vol-58/iss-12/p34.html

http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=3964

and

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/schopenhauer/#7

"Schopenhauer acknowledges that mystical experience might provide this sort of knowledge, and this view was probably only reinforced by his increasing interest in Upanishadic and Buddhistic thought as the years went by."

[Drip Curl Magic]

Einstein said some powerful things in this speech. Savage imagery, too.

[Drip Curl Magic]

beautiful speech. thank you, insight. :surprise:

[rn86]

Thank you for giving your speach !

 

at the first sight ,i feel this speach must be the very thing for me .cause i have been very interested in both physics and the philosophy of Schopenhauer for many years !

 

through a long time study of Schopenhauer,I've learnt that he also has his original ides toward the science .Very different viewpoint that maybe answer the puzzle of physics in future .

 

Now ,I'm doing my interest through Schopenhauer's ideas ,not only Einstein and Schopenhauer,but also Newton ,Maxwell and so on .

[Sebastianlobo]

Yes, very enlightening indeed, but bear in mind that Einstein unequivocally rejected a universe without God, so much so the he considred his Cosmological Constant a blunder.It is interesting to quote Hawking's comment on God playing dice with the Universe on CNN a couple of years ago: " Einstein was doubly wrong, not only does God play dice with the Universe but he sometimes puts the dice where we can't find them."reje