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Albert Einstein

(14 Mar 1879 - 18 Apr 1955)

German-American physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity. He was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.

Short biography of Albert Einstein >>

For the most part we humans live with the false impression of security and a feeling of being at home in a seemingly trustworthy physical and human environment. But when the expected course of everyday life is interrupted, we are like shipwrecked people on a miserable plank in the open sea, having forgotten where they came from and not knowing whither they are drifting. But once we fully accept this, life becomes easier and there is no longer any disappointment.

— Albert Einstein

…...

I agree with Schopenhauer that one of the most powerful motives that attracts people to science and art is the longing to escape from everyday life.

— Albert Einstein

Quoted, without citation in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (Feb 1959), 85. If you know a primary source, please contact Webmaster.

I believe with Schopenhauer that one of the strongest motives that lead 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.

— Albert Einstein

Address at The Physical Society, Berlin (1918) for Max Planck’s 60th birthday, 'Principles of Research', collected in Essays in Science (1934) 2.

One of the strongest motives that lead 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 the personal life into the world of objective perception and thought.

— Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein and Walter Shropshire (ed.), The Joys of Research (1981), 40.

The physicist cannot simply surrender to the philosopher the critical contemplation of the theoretical foundations for he himself knows best and feels most surely where the shoe pinches. … he must try to make clear in his own mind just how far the concepts which he uses are justified … The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking. It is for this reason that the critical thinking of the physicist cannot possibly be restricted by the examination of the concepts of his own specific field. He cannot proceed without considering critically a much more difficult problem, the problem of analyzing the nature of everyday thinking.

— Albert Einstein

‘Physics and Reality’, Franklin Institute Journal (Mar 1936). Collected in Out of My Later Years (1950), 59.

The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.

— Albert Einstein

‘Physics and Reality’, Franklin Institute Journal (Mar 1936). Collected in Out of My Later Years (1950), 59.

Albert Einstein quote “God does not care … He integrates empirically” + Einstein notebook mathematics + Einstein face

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Albert Einstein quote Falling in love is not at all the most stupid thing

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Albert Einstein quote Why is the electron negative?

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See also:

14 Mar - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Einstein's birth.
Albert Einstein - Context of “God … integrates empirically” quote - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - Context of “Laws of mathematics refer to reality” quote
Albert Einstein - Context of “Laws of mathematics refer to reality” quote - with Large image (800 x 600 px).
Albert Einstein - Context of “God … integrates empirically” quote - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote Mathematics…a product of human thought - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote Mathematics…a product of human thought - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Large color picture of Albert Einstein (850 x 1000 px).
Albert Einstein - context of quote “Politics is more difficult than physics” - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “Politics is more difficult than physics” - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.” - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.” - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - My Theory - The Times (1919).
Geometry and Experience - Address by Albert Einstein to the Prussian Academy of Sciences (27 Jan 1921).
Even Einstein's Little Universe Is Big Enough - New York Times article (2 Feb 1921).
Albert Einstein - context of quote The Lord God is subtle - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote The Lord God is subtle - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote Imagination is more important than knowledge - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote Imagination is more important than knowledge - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote A theory can be proved by experiment - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote A theory can be proved by experiment - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote Falling in love is not at all the most stupid thing - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote Falling in love is not at all the most stupid thing - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote That is relativity - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote That is relativity - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “One thing I have learned in a long life” - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote One thing I have learned in a long life - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “Why is the electron negative?” - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “Why is the electron negative?” - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “The formulation of a problem is often far more essential than its solution” - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “The formulation of a problem is often far more essential than its solution” - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “Our exalted technological progress” - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “Our exalted technological progress” - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “There exists a passion for comprehension” - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “There exists a passion for comprehension” - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “An equation is for eternity” - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
Albert Einstein - context of quote “An equation is for eternity” - Large image (800 x 600 px)
Subtle Is the Lord: The Science and the Life of Albert Einstein, by Abraham Pais. - book suggestion.
Booklist for Albert Einstein.

In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion. (1987) -- Carl Sagan

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