And Einstein's science and religion. What Einstein thought about the Universe, God, science and religion - Northern Lighthouse - online publication

Nikolai Kladov: =Well, well. It's funny. I just want to classify myself as one of the dense militant atheists. I could cite here the statements of all the greats about faith in God, but why? Here are quotes from one of your “believers”: “Gods are created by human imagination” ( pagan gods- yes (S.L.)). "Scientists are not inclined to believe in the power of prayer to supernatural beings." “God is the fruit of human weakness.” Everything said applies to Albert Einstein. So you, sir, lied...=

Answer.
Apparently, you, Mr. Kladov, are not only lying (there is not a single reference to the original source), but also ignorant, like any dense militant atheist.)

And this is Albert Einstein about you:

“Despite all the harmony of the cosmos, which I, with my limited mind, am still able to perceive, there are those who claim that there is no God. But what irritates me most is that they quote me in support of their views.” (Quoted in Clark 1973, 400; Jammer 2002, 97). .

“There are also fanatical atheists... They are like slaves who still feel the oppression of chains thrown off after a hard struggle. They rebel against the “opium of the people” - the music of the spheres is unbearable for them. The miracle of nature does not become less because it can be measured by human morals and human goals." (Quoted in Max Jammer, Einstein and Religion: Physics and Theology, Princeton University Press, 2002, 97).

Albert Einstein on GOD:
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1. “I want to know how God created the world. I am not interested in certain phenomena in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts, the rest is details.” (quoted in Ronald Clark, Einstein: The Life and Times, London, Hodder and Stoughton Ltd., 1973, 33).

2. “We are like a child who finds himself in a huge library, in which there are many books different languages. The child knows that someone wrote these books, but does not know how they were written. He does not understand the languages ​​in which they are written. The child vaguely suspects that there is some mystical order in the arrangement of books, but he does not know what this order is.
It seems to me that even the wisest of people looks exactly like this before God. We see that the universe is arranged in a wonderful way and obeys certain laws, but we barely understand these laws. Our limited minds are unable to comprehend the mysterious force that moves the constellations." (Quoted in Denis Brian, Einstein: A Life, New York, John Wiley and Sons, 1996, 186).

3. "We all live by the will of God and develop almost identical spiritual abilities. Jew or Gentile, slave or free, we all belong to God." (quoted in H. G. Garbedian, Albert Einstein: Maker of Universes, New York, Funk and Wagnalls Co., 1939, 267).

4. “Anyone who is seriously engaged in science comes to the realization that in the laws of nature a Spirit is manifested, which is much higher than the human, - a Spirit in the face of which we, with our limited powers, must feel our own weakness. In this sense, scientific searches lead to religious feeling of a special kind, which really differs in many ways from more naive religiosity." (A statement made by Einstein in 1936. Quoted in Dukas and Hoffmann, Albert Einstein: The Human Side, Princeton University Press, 1979, 33).

5. “The deeper a person penetrates into the secrets of nature, the more he reveres God.” (Quoted in Brian 1996, 119).

6. “The most beautiful and profound experience that befalls a person is the feeling of mystery. It lies at the basis of true science. Anyone who has not experienced this feeling, who is no longer overwhelmed by awe, is practically dead. This deep emotional confidence in the existence of a higher intelligent power revealing itself in the incomprehensibility of the Universe is my idea of ​​God." (Quoted in Libby Anfinsen 1995).

7. “My religion consists of a feeling of humble admiration for the boundless intelligence that manifests itself in the smallest details of the picture of the world, which we are only able to partially grasp and know with our minds.” (Saying made by Einstein in 1936. Quoted in Dukas and Hoffmann 1979, 66).

8. “The more I study the world, the stronger my faith in God.” (Quoted in: Holt 1997).

9. Max Yammer (emeritus professor of physics, author of the biography Einstein and Religion (2002), argues that widely famous saying Einstein's "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind" - quintessence religious philosophy great scientist. (Jammer 2002; Einstein 1967,30).

10. “In the Judeo-Christian religious tradition we find the highest principles by which we must guide all our aspirations and judgments. Our feeble powers are not sufficient to reach this highest goal, but it forms the sure foundation of all our aspirations and value judgments.” (Albert Einstein, Out of My Later Years, New Jersey, Littlefield, Adams and Co., 1967, 27).

11. “Despite all the harmony of the cosmos, which I, with my limited mind, am still able to perceive, there are those who claim that there is no God. But what irritates me most is that they quote me in support of their views.” (Quoted in Clark 1973, 400; Jammer 2002, 97).

12. "True religion is true life, life with all the soul, with all its goodness and righteousness." (Quoted in Garbedian 1939, 267).

13. “Behind all the greatest achievements of science there is confidence in the logical harmony and knowability of the world - a confidence that is akin to religious experience… This deep emotional conviction of the existence of a higher intelligent power revealed in the incomprehensibility of the Universe is my idea of ​​God" (Einstein 1973, 255).

14. "Strong mental activity and the study of God's Nature - these are the angels that will guide me through all the hardships of this life, give me consolation, strength and uncompromisingness." (Quoted in: Calaprice 2000, ch. 1).

15. Einstein's opinion about Jesus Christ was expressed in his interview with the American magazine "The Saturday Evening Post" (The Saturday Evening Post, October 26, 1929):
"What influence did Christianity have on you?
- As a child, I studied both the Bible and the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am fascinated by the bright personality of the Nazarene.
-Have you read the book about Jesus written by Emil Ludwig?
- The portrait of Jesus painted by Emil Ludwig is too superficial. Jesus is so large-scale that it defies the pen of phrase-mongers, even very skilled ones. Christianity cannot be rejected just on the basis of a catchphrase.
- Do you believe in the historical Jesus?
- Of course! It is impossible to read the Gospel without feeling the real presence of Jesus. His personality breathes in every word. No myth has such a powerful vital force."
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ALBERT EINSTEIN - NOBEL PRIZE WINNER IN PHYSICS
Nobel Prize: Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his contributions to the development of quantum theory and "for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect." Einstein is one of the founders of modern physics, creator of the theory of relativity. In December 2000, funds mass media(according to Reuters) called Einstein “the man of the second millennium.”
Citizenship: Germany; was later a citizen of Switzerland and the United States.
Education: Doctor of Philosophy (physics), University of Zurich, Switzerland, 1905.
Professional activity: expert at the patent office, Bern, 1902-1908; Professor of Physics at the Universities of Zurich, Prague, Bern and Princeton (New Jersey).

You can see what other great scientists thought about GOD at http://www.scienceandapologetics.org/text/314.htm They believed in God: fifty Nobel laureates and other great scientists

Reviews

Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia
This article is about religious views Albert Einstein. For books with this title, see Einstein and Religion (disambiguation).

Albert Einstein's religious views have been widely studied. However, there are still debates and myths about his beliefs, views and attitude towards religion. He said that he believed in the “pantheistic” God of Benedict Spinoza, but not in a personified God - he criticized such a belief. He also called himself an agnostic, but rejected the label "atheist", preferring "a humility corresponding to the weakness of our understanding of nature by reason and of our own being."

Einstein was raised by non-religious Jewish parents. In his Autobiographical Notes, Einstein wrote that he gradually lost faith in early childhood:

...I - although I was the child of non-religious parents - was deeply religious until the age of 12, when my faith came to an abrupt end. Soon, thanks to reading popular science books, I became convinced that much of Bible stories can't be true. The consequence of this was a downright fanatical free-thinking, combined with the impression that the state was deceiving the youth; it was a devastating conclusion. Such experiences gave rise to distrust of all kinds of authorities and a skeptical attitude towards the beliefs and convictions that lived in the social environment that surrounded me at that time. This skepticism never left me, although it lost its sharpness later, when I better understood the cause-and-effect relationships. It is quite clear to me that the religious paradise of youth thus lost was the first attempt to free ourselves from the shackles of the “personal ego” from an existence dominated by desires, hopes, primitive feelings. There, outside, was this Big world, which exists independently of us, people, and is a huge eternal mystery for us, accessible, however, at least in part, to our perception and our mind. The contemplation of this world beckoned with liberation, and I soon became convinced that many of those whom I had learned to value and respect had found their inner freedom and confidence, giving yourself entirely to this pastime. Mental coverage within the framework of the possibilities available to us of this extra-personal world, which seemed to me half consciously half unconsciously, as the highest goal. Those who thought this way, whether they were my contemporaries or people of the past, together with the conclusions they drew, were my only constant friends. The road to this paradise was not as convenient and attractive as the road to the religious paradise, but it turned out to be reliable, and I never regretted that I chose it
- Einstein, Albert (1979). Autobiographical Notes. Chicago: Open Court Publishing Company, pp. 3-5

And your article:
"I want to know how God created the world. I am not interested in certain phenomena in the spectrum of this or that element."

I also think this is the most important thing.
Who knows HOW? the world was created - he is the believer.
The rest are demagogues who deceive themselves and others. NK.

Einstein's attitude towards religion

V. L. Ginzburg in Vestnik RAS 2003, T. 73, No. 9, p. 816-821:
Here, for example, is what Einstein answered in 1929 when asked about his beliefs: “I believe in Spinoza’s God, who manifests himself in the harmony of all things, but not in a God who cares about the fate and actions of people.” Einstein also used the term “cosmic religion,” but when friends reproached him for using religious terminology, he answered them this way: “I simply could not find more the right word. Why the hell do I care that priests make capital from this." In short, Einstein was most definitely not a theist and, in my opinion, it is most correct to consider him, like Spinoza, a pantheist. But I don’t see any substantive differences between pantheism and atheism I see that B. Spinoza was excommunicated. church community for religious free-thinking, for identifying God with “Creative Nature.”

Lies about Einstein's supposed religiosity

In fact, Einstein said quite clearly and unambiguously,
that he does not believe in a personal God (i.e. in some kind of superintelligence), and when
pronounces “God”, he means harmonious order in the world:

"Of course, what you read about my religious beliefs is a lie that is constantly repeated... I DO NOT BELIEVE IN A PERSONAL GOD (personal God) and I have never denied this, but I have expressed it clearly. If there is anything in me - What can be called religious is an unlimited admiration for the structure of the universe as far as science can discover it."

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.

I think that this quote It shows Einstein's position quite clearly and unambiguously.

Einstein also said:

"I do not believe in immortality of the individual, and I consider ethics to be an exclusively human concern with no superhuman authority behind it."

"I do not believe in the immortality of the individual, and I regard ethics as a purely human matter without any superhuman authority behind it"

Those. ethics including questions of good and evil.

Full text of the article:

"God does not play dice"

Einstein did once comment that "God does not play dice." This quotation is commonly mentioned to show that Einstein believed in the Christian God. Used this way, it is out of context; it refers to Einstein's refusal to accept the uncertainties indicated by quantum theory. Furthermore, Einstein's religious background was Jewish rather than Christian.

A better quotation showing what Einstein thought is the following: "I believe in Spinoza"s God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings."

Einstein was unable to accept Quantum Theory because of his belief in an objective, orderly reality: a reality which would not be subject to random events and which would not be dependent upon the observer. He believed that Quantum Mechanics was incomplete, and that a better theory would have no need for statistical interpretations. So far no better theory has been found and evidence suggests that it will never be.

A longer quote from Einstein appears in Science, Philosophy, and Religion, A Symposium, published by the Conference on Science, Philosophy, and Religion in Their Relation to the Democratic Way of Life, Inc., New York, 1941. In it he says :

The more a man is imbued with the ordered regularity of all events the firmer becomes his conviction that there is no room left by the side of this ordered regularity for causes of a different nature. For him neither the rule of human nor the rule of divine will exist as an independent cause of natural events. To be sure, the doctrine of a personal God interfering with natural events could never be refuted, in the real sense, by science, for this doctrine can always take refuge in those domains in which scientific knowledge has not yet been able to set foot.

But I am convinced that such behavior on the part of representatives of religion would not only be unworthy but also fatal. For a doctrine which is to maintain itself not in clear light but only in the dark, will of necessity lose its effect on mankind, with incalculable harm to human progress. In their struggle for the ethical good, teachers of religion must have the status to give up the doctrine of a personal God, that is, give up that source of fear and hope which in the past placed such vast power in the hands of priests. In their labors they will have to avail themselves of those forces which are capable of cultivating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself. This is, to be sure, a more difficult but an incomparably more worthy task ...

Einstein also said:

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.

The latter quote is from Albert Einstein: The Human Side, edited by Helen Dukas and Banesh Hoffman, and published by Princeton University Press.

Also from the same book:

I do not believe in immortality of the individual, and I consider ethics to be an exclusively human concern with no superhuman authority behind it.

Of course, the fact that Einstein chose not to believe in Christianity does not in itself imply that Christianity is false.

Religious geniuses of all times have been marked by this cosmic religious feeling, which knows neither dogma nor God, created in the image and likeness of man. Therefore, there cannot be a church whose main teaching is based on cosmic religious feeling. It follows that at all times it was among the heretics that there were people who were very susceptible to this feeling, who often seemed to their contemporaries to be atheists, and sometimes even saints. From this point of view, men like Democritus, Francis of Assisi and Spinoza have much in common.

The most beautiful and profound experience that befalls a person is a feeling of mystery. It underlies religion and all the most profound tendencies in art and science. Anyone who has not experienced this sensation seems to me, if not dead, then at least blind. The ability to perceive that incomprehensible to our mind, which is hidden under direct experiences, whose beauty and perfection reaches us only in the form of an indirect weak echo, is religiosity. This is the meaning of I am religious. I content myself with conjecturing with amazement about these mysteries and humbly trying to mentally create a far from full picture perfect structure of all things.

Excerpt from the article "My Credo". This speech by Einstein was published by the League of Human Rights in the spring of 1932 in Germany in the form of a gramophone record.
Source: Albert Einstein. Meeting scientific works, M.: “Science”, 1967, vol. IV, art. 55, p. 175

This quote is perhaps Einstein's most famous statement about his faith. It can be found in the book Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist, third edition, 1970, pp. 659 - 660. The source given there is a newspaper New York Times, April 25, 1929, page 60, column 4. However, Ronald W. Clark in the book Albert Einstein The Life and Times(1971, pp. 413-414) details the origin of these words: On April 24, 1921, Herbert Goldstein, rabbi of the Institutional Synagogue, New York, sent Einstein a five-word telegram: “Do you believe to God?"

Einstein replied:

"I believe in Spinoza"s God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings."

“I believe in Spinoza’s God, who manifests himself in the ordered harmony of existence, but not in a God who is interested in the destinies and actions of human beings.”

The more a man is imbued with the ordered regularity of all events the firmer becomes his conviction that there is no room left by the side of this ordered regularity for causes of a different nature. For him neither the rule of human nor the rule of divine will exist as an independent cause of natural events. To be sure, the doctrine of a personal God interfering with natural events could never be refuted, in the real sense, by science, for this doctrine can always take refuge in those domains in which scientific knowledge has not yet been able to set foot. But I am convinced that such behavior on the part of representatives of religion would not only be unworthy but also fatal. For a doctrine which is to maintain itself not in clear light but only in the dark, will of necessity lose its effect on mankind, with incalculable harm to human progress. In their struggle for the ethical good, teachers of religion must have the status to give up the doctrine of a personal God, that is, give up that source of fear and hope which in the past placed such vast power in the hands of priests. In their labors they will have to avail themselves of those forces which are capable of cultivating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself. This is, to be sure, a more difficult but an incomparably more worthy task...

"Science, Philosophy, and Religion, A Symposium", published by the Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion in Their Relation to the Democratic Way of Life, Inc., New York, 1941.

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.

It was, of course, a lie - what you read about my religious beliefs, a lie that is systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God, and I have never denied this, but I have expressed it clearly. If there is something in me that can be called religious, then it is only boundless admiration for the structure of the world, comprehended by science.

From Albert Einstein: The Human Side, published by Princeton University, Helen Dukas and Banesh Hoffman, editors

I do not believe in immortality of the individual, and I consider ethics to be an exclusively human concern with no superhuman authority behind it.

I do not believe in the immortality of the individual; and I consider ethics to be an exclusively human matter without any superhuman power behind it.

From the book "Albert Einstein: The Human Side"

Einstein's own answers to the questions posed in "The Duel"

“To summarize, we can say that the general theory of relativity endows space with physical properties; thus, in this sense, the ether exists...” Einstein A. Ether and the theory of relativity: Speech delivered on May 5, 1920 at the University of Leiden regarding the election of Einstein as an honorary "professor" of this university / Works: In 4 vol.-M.: Nauka, 1965.- » T. 4.-S. 689.
"... in theoretical physics we cannot do without ether, i.e. a continuum endowed with physical properties, because the general theory of relativity... excludes direct long-range action; every theory of short-range action assumes the presence of continuous fields, and therefore the existence of "ether" "." Einstein A. About the ether: 1924 / Works: In 4 vols.-M.: Nauka, 1965.-T. » 2.-P. 160.
“...physical space and ether are just different expressions for one and the same thing...” » Einstein A. The problem of space, ether and field in physics: 1930 / » Works: In 4 vols.-M. : Nauka, 1965.-T. 2.-S. 279.
"The word ether has changed its meaning many times in the process of the development of science. At the moment, it is no longer used to designate a medium made of particles. Its history, by no means complete, continues with the theory of relativity." "Einstein A., Infeld L. Evolution of physics: 1938 / Works: B 4" T.-M.: Nauka, 1965.-T. 4.-S. 452.
"This rigid four-dimensional space of the special theory of relativity is to some extent an analogue of the motionless three-dimensional ether of G.A. Lorentz... ...Thus, Descartes was not so far from the truth when he believed that the existence of empty space should be excluded." » Einstein A. Relativity and the problem of space: 1952 / » Works: In 4 vols.-M.: Nauka, 1965.-T. 2.-S. 754 - 758.
My comments: In the light of what has been said, I am saddened, on the one hand, by the statements about the stupidity of A. Einstein, who “abolished” the airwaves, as well as the positive assessments of the arguments that arose out of nowhere about the “abolition” of the airwaves by A. Einstein. This apparently applies to those authors who have only completed the introduction to the theory of relativity (I should note that this in no way applies to Professor V.A. Atsyukovsky, mentioned in the “Duel”, head of the systems engineering laboratory of the Flight Research Institute, communist leader of the city Zhukovsky, with whom I was lucky enough to develop some scientific problems), which contains some ambiguity in the perception of the following two phrases:
“Failed attempts to detect the movement of the Earth relative to the “luminiferous medium” lead to the assumption that not only in mechanics, but also in electrodynamics, no properties of phenomena correspond to the concept of absolute rest...” “Einstein A. On the electrodynamics of moving bodies: 1905 / Works: In » 4 volumes.-M.: Nauka, 1965.-T. 1.-S. 7.
A. Einstein, quoting the words “luminiferous medium,” questioned its existence. The physics of that time considered ether to be a “luminiferous medium,” which, in fact, was introduced into physics as a luminiferous medium. As a result, A. Einstein further develops his thought in the following form:
“The introduction of the “luminiferous ether” will turn out to be unnecessary, since the proposed theory does not introduce “absolutely at rest space” endowed with special properties"" Einstein A. Ibid. - P. 8.
These two phrases can be interpreted in two ways. In the first interpretation, we find that, on the one hand, there is no need to introduce a special luminiferous medium, and therefore, the objectively existing ether ceases to be endowed with the property of luminosity. On the other hand, A. Einstein excluded “absolutely at rest space” from consideration, thereby attributing to space-time the property of a physical environment, a substance characterized by duration and extension. At the same time, the properties of physical space-time and ether turn out to be identical, as a result of which A. Einstein proposes to abandon the introduction of just the term “ether”, as unnecessary. In the second interpretation, the second phrase I quoted is taken literally. A. Einstein allegedly denied the existence not of the term “ether”, but of the material medium itself, which he called, which has physical properties. With this approach, space-time is considered not as a material environment, which should be described by means of mathematics, but investigated by means of physics, but as an absolute, unfilled void, to identify the properties of which (naturally, purely geometric) one should only select a successful mathematical construction. We apparently owe the introduction of the second, erroneous interpretation to the brilliant interpreter of the theory of relativity, Hermann Weyl, who, relying on the theory of relativity, wanted to substantiate his (from my point of view, worthless) philosophical views (while becoming, as I believe, a remarkable methodologist in this field):
“We are accustomed to considering time and space as forms of existence of the real world, and matter as its substance... Finally, on the question of matter, it was considered known that the basis of any change must be some substance, namely matter, and every part of matter can be quantitatively measured... These ideas about space and time that have come down to us, often considered by philosophy as an a priori knowledge of unlimited generality and necessity, are now noticeably shaken... This transformation was actually carried out by the thought of one person, Albert Einstein." » Weil G. Introduction // Space. Time. Matter: Lectures on the General Theory of Relativity, ed. 5th, revised, 1923 // Trans. with him. "V.P.Vizgina.-M.: Janus, 1996.-P. 11 - 12.
Probably, many of those reading these lines will say that Hermann Weil was right, and the first interpretation I proposed is far-fetched. However, in Appendix V to the 1954 German edition of the book “On the Special and General Theory of Relativity,” A. Einstein (a year before his death!) quite unequivocally characterized his creation with the following words:
“On this path, the concept of “empty space” loses its meaning” “Einstein A. Relativity and the problem of space: 1952 /” Works: In 4 vols.-M.: Nauka, 1965.-T. 2.-S. 744.
By the way, academician Sergei Ivanovich Vavilov, President of the USSR Academy of Sciences, adhered to a similar point of view: “Democrite’s empty space and incomprehensible ether were replaced by the complex, but physically accessible space-time of Einstein.” » Vavilov S.I. Experimental foundations of the theory of relativity. - "M.-L.: State Publishing House, 1928. - [Series: The latest trends in scientific "thought, Vol. 3-4].-S. 13.

The phrase that Blavatsky’s books were on Einstein’s desk, wandering from one article to another, has a single origin: in the text of Roerich’s Links http://www.kuraev.ru/rerihss.html it is written: “Let me remind you that, according to contemporaries, “The Secret doctrine "E. P. Blavatsky was Einstein's reference book" (Vergun V.V. Does Russia have the right to secular spirituality // K. Myalo. Star of the Magi... M., 1999, p. 11)."
In fact, there was such evidence, but in this place http://www.vav.ru/mkg/zv/p-editorial.html it is written: "And again, this was intended to be done by the Roerichs, continuing the tradition begun by H.P. Blavatsky. In parallel with them, to the development of the deep wisdom of the East Scientists with a synthetic mindset rushed to philosophy: Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, Crookes, etc.” This means that if I have mystical books on my table, we can say that for me they are table books, despite how skeptical I am about them. All this is the usual cheap fraud, which all those who want to discredit another person love to resort to. Once you read Einstein's works, it becomes clear that neither in word nor in context do they have anything to do with the speculative fantasies of Blavatsky or any other religious or mystical concepts.
A reference is often made to this statement by Einstein: “Astrology is an independent science. It explains a lot to us. Thanks to my acquaintance with it, I learned a lot and used it many times.” A participant in discussions on the Fornite site with the nickname Pete conducted an investigation into the origin of this phrase, showing how and by whom this phrase was launched:

Michael Gilmore

For the first time, the texts of two letters from Einstein concerning his lack of belief in God as a person are presented in full.

Almost a century ago, on initial stage of his intellectual life, young Albert Einstein became a skeptic. He writes about this on the first page of his Autobiographical Notes (1949, pp. 3–5):

“I fell - although I was born in a completely irreligious Jewish family- deep religiosity; but at the age of 12 he abruptly left religion. Reading popular science books, I soon became convinced that biblical stories there are many things that simply cannot be true. The result is a thirst for free thought and, in addition, the impression that young people are being deliberately deceived... This is where my distrust of authorities of any kind is rooted, this skepticism that has never left me since then ... "

We all know Albert Einstein as the most famous scientist of the 20th century; many know him as a great humanist. Some consider him a religious man. Indeed, Einstein's works contain now widely known statements about God and religion (1949,1954). But although Einstein said that he was religious and believed in God, he put his own, very special meaning into this. Many people know that Einstein was not religious in the usual sense of the word, but the fact that he clearly and clearly called himself an agnostic and an atheist will be a real discovery for someone. Nevertheless, to anyone who understands the meaning in which Einstein used the words “religion”, “God”, “atheism”, “agnosticism”, it is clear that he is absolutely consistent in his attitude towards faith.

Part of Einstein's popular understanding of God and religion is inspired by his own aphorisms: “God is subtle, but not malicious,” “God is cunning, but he does not plot,” or “God is clever, but he is not a scoundrel.” (1946). And one more thing, also mentioned many times, “God does not play dice.”

“I want to know how God created the world. I am not interested here in this or that phenomenon, the spectrum of this or that element. I want to understand his thoughts, everything else is details.”

It is easy to understand where the impression comes from that Einstein in these cases is talking about his close relationship with God as a person, but it would be much more accurate to say that he is talking about the universe here.

Einstein’s statement about his “faith” in Spinoza’s God is also often quoted. But taken, like most such sayings, out of context, it is, at best, misleading. It all started when Cardinal O'Connell of Boston criticized Einstein's theory of relativity, warning young people that under the foggy veil of this theory lurks "the vile specter of atheism" and "thinking that sows doubts about God and his creation" (Ronald Clark. Einstein, The Life and Times, 1971, pp. 413–414). Einstein had already encountered more serious protests against his theory in the form of anti-Semitic gatherings in Germany, so at first he did not pay attention to the cardinal's accusations. But some time later, on April 24. 1929, New York rabbi Herbert Goldgein cabled Einstein with the question: “Do you believe in God?” (Sommerfeld A. To Albert Einstein 70th Birthday. 1949, p. 103) In response, Einstein sent what was later replicated: “I believe in Spinoza’s God, who manifests himself in the ordered harmony of the Universe, but not in a God who deals with the destinies and actions of people. " (ibid., p. 103). The rabbi who persistently tried to defend Einstein from the cardinal interpreted Einstein's words in his own way, writing: "Spinoza, who is said to have been enthusiastic about God, and for whom all nature was God's. manifestation, of course, cannot be called an atheist. Moreover, Einstein emphasizes singularity. Einstein's theory, if taken to its logical conclusion, will give humanity the scientific formula of monotheism. He debunks the ideas of dualism and pluralism. He leaves no place for polytheism in any of its manifestations. . Perhaps the latter caused the cardinal’s indignation. Let’s call things by their proper names” (Ronald Clark. Einstein, The life and Times, 1971, p. 414). on science, addressed to Archbishop Davidson: “It doesn’t matter. It is simply abstract science” (p. 413).

American physicist Steven Weinberg (Dreams of a Final Theory, 1992), analyzing Einstein’s statement about “Spinoza’s God,” noted the following: “Does it matter to anyone that we use the word “god” instead of the words “order” or “ harmony,” unless we are doing this to avoid accusations of godlessness?” Weinberg's argument is, of course, reasonable, but in the case of Einstein we must make allowances for the fact that he was a product of his time, and for his poetic worldview, and for his cosmic religious perception of such concepts as the order and harmony of the universe.

So what, if you look at it, did Einstein believe? A lengthy answer can be found in Einstein's essays on religion and science in his Ideas and Opinions (1954), Autobiographical Notes (1949), and several other works. How about a shorter answer?

In the summer of 1945, shortly before the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Einstein wrote a short letter in which he formulated his atheistic views (letter 1). This was a response to Lieutenant Guy Rayner, who addressed Einstein from the shores of the Pacific Ocean with a request to clarify what the world-famous scientist believed in (letter 2). Four years later, Reiner turns to Einstein for further clarification: “According to your letter, it turns out that for a Jesuit priest, anyone who does not belong to Roman Catholic Church, and you are actually an Orthodox Jew, or a deist, or anyone else. Did you intentionally leave room for such an interpretation, or are you still an atheist in the dictionary meaning of the word, i.e. “one who denies the existence of God or a higher power”? Einstein's answer is given in letter 3.

If we combine the key points of Einstein's first and second answers, then his position leaves no room for doubt: “From the point of view of a Jesuit priest, I am, of course, an atheist and always have been... I have repeatedly repeated that, in my opinion, the idea of ​​a personal God quite naive. Call me an agnostic, but I do not share the militant spirit of true atheists, whose fervor is largely due to the pain of getting rid of the shackles of a religious education received in early years. I prefer a humble attitude, consistent with our lack of ability to rationally comprehend nature and our very existence.”

I was lucky enough to meet Guy Rayner at a meeting of humanists at the end of 1994. That's when he told me about Einstein's letters. Rayner lives in the Californian city of Chatsworth, worked for many years as a teacher, and is now retired. Einstein's letters, which he had treasured for almost his entire life, were sold in December 1994 to a historical documents company (Profiles in History, Beverly Hills, California). Five years ago, a short note (Raner & Lerner, Einstein's Beliefs, 1992) describing this correspondence appeared in the journal Nature. But Einstein's two letters remained unknown to the general public.

Interestingly, Banesh Hoffman's excellent biography Albert Einstein, Creator and Rebel (1972) does include Einstein's letter to Reiner (1945). But although Hoffman quotes the letter almost in its entirety (pp. 194–195), it does not contain the following phrase: “From the point of view of a Jesuit priest, I am, of course, an atheist and always have been.” Hoffman's biography was written with the participation of Einstein's secretary Helen Dukas. Whether this important phrase was omitted from her, or whether it was Hoffman’s own initiative, I don’t know. However, Freeman Dyson (introduction in Quotable Einstein, 1996) notes that “Helen wanted to introduce the world to the legendary Einstein, friend of schoolchildren and hungry students, a gentle, ironic philosopher; Einstein, incapable of rage and tragic mistakes.” According to Dyson, Dukas "was fundamentally wrong in trying to hide the real Einstein from the world." Perhaps it was for these protectionist reasons that she excluded Einstein from the atheists.

One of the best definitions of the God that Einstein believed in is contained in Ronald Clarke's book Einstein, The Life and Times (1971), written by professional biographer Ronald Clarke (although physicists do not favor this book): “ However, Einstein's God is not the one most believe in. When he wrote about religion - and in his mature and elderly years he often addressed this topic - he, under various names, brought out what for mere mortals - and for most Jews - seemed to be simply a variation of agnosticism... This was a real faith. It matured early and was deeply rooted. Over the years, it was ennobled, christened a cosmic religion - a phrase was invented that gave proper solidity to the views of a person who did not believe in life after death and believed that if virtue is rewarded in earthly life, then this is the result of cause-and-effect relationships, and not a reward from above. So for Einstein, God meant a coherent system of following laws that could be discovered by a person with courage, imagination and a persistent desire to discover these laws” (p. 19).

Einstein continued this search, continued until last days of his 76-year-old life, but he was not looking for the same god who appeared to Abraham or Moses. For him, the goal of his search was world order and harmony.

Dear Mr. Rayner,

I received your letter dated June 10. Never in my life have I spoken to a Jesuit priest, and I am amazed at the audacity of this lie about me.

From the point of view of a Jesuit priest, I, of course, have always been and remain an atheist. Your counter-arguments seem very correct to me and could hardly be formulated better. Anthropomorphic concepts in relation to what is not human are childishly naive. We must humbly admire the harmony of the structure of this world - as far as we are able to comprehend it. And nothing more.

WITH Best wishes, Sincerely yours, Albert Einstein

Copy to Lieutenant Glinden.

Dear Mr. Einstein,

last night I talked with a Jesuit, Catholic priest, on various issues related to religion, and during the conversation he made several statements regarding you, which I am inclined to doubt. Since I would like to clarify these issues for myself, I would be grateful if you would comment on the following points.

He said that at first you were an atheist. Then, according to him, you talked to a Jesuit priest, and he gave syllogisms that you could not refute, after which you began to believe in a higher intelligence that governs the universe. One syllogism was as follows: creation requires a creator; The universe is a creation, therefore there must be a creator. Here I questioned the fact that the universe is a creation; I see the explanation for the complexity of the plant and animal world in evolution; the movement of planets can be explained by the laws of repulsion, etc., and the concept of the infinity of the universe explains what evolution and the laws of probability cannot explain. But even if there were a creator, he could only remake, not create; Moreover, by assuming the existence of a creator, we again return to where we started - someone must have created the creator himself, etc. This is exactly the same as considering that the world rests on the back of an elephant, the elephant on turtle, turtle on another turtle, etc.

One way or another, according to him, this was enough to convince you of the existence of a higher intelligence that rules the universe.

Second syllogism: “laws” of nature (gravity, etc.) exist, but if there are laws, then there must be a legislator; God was the lawgiver. To me this sounds like a verbal balancing act. Given that the universe existed, whether there was a "god" or not, something had to happen; if all matter came together heavenly body, You would have the law of attraction or something like that. The laws to which he refers here seem to me to be mere statements of fact, and not laws which presuppose an intelligent legislator.

He could not remember the third syllogism. But if this story is true, then you can probably do it. He also argued that the theory of evolution has now been completely refuted; I have the opposite impression. Although Darwin's theory of survival of the "fittest" has generally been refuted (admittedly, I do not know much about modern theories in this area), in my opinion, the theory of evolution remains a fundamental concept in biology. Am I wrong?

My personal philosophy is generally consistent with the humanist position expressed by the American Humanist Association. I was under the impression that you were associated with this movement, so I doubted that the above arguments led you to believe in a “supreme intelligence that rules the universe.” I would be extremely grateful to you for a short letter that sheds light on this situation. My friend, with whom we had an argument, said that he would be very grateful if you would send him a copy to the following address...

Dear Mr. Rayner,

I am pleased to conclude from your letter of September 25 that your beliefs are close to my own. Trusting your sound judgment, I authorize you to use my letter of July 3, 1945, as you see fit.

I have repeatedly said that, in my opinion, the idea of ​​a personal God is rather naive. You may call me an agnostic, but I do not share the militant spirit of true atheists, whose ardor is largely due to the painful deliverance from the shackles of the religious training received in their early years. I prefer a humble attitude, consistent with our lack of ability to rationally comprehend nature and our very existence.

Sincerely yours, Albert Einstein

Skeptic, vol. 5, no. 2,1997.

Translation by Maria Desyatova and Rosa Piskotina

A university professor asked his students this question.

Is everything that exists created by God?

One student boldly responded:

Yes, created by God.

Did God create everything? - asked the professor.

Yes, sir, the student answered.

The professor asked:

- If God created everything, then God created evil, since it exists. And, according to the principle that our deeds define us, then God is evil.

The student became quiet when he heard this answer. The professor was very pleased with himself. He boasted to the students that he had once again proven that belief in God is a myth.

Another student raised his hand and said:

Can I ask you a question, professor?

Of course,” the professor answered.

The student stood up and asked:

Professor, does cold exist?

What a question? Of course it exists. Have you ever been cold?

The students laughed at the young man's question.

The young man replied:

- In fact, sir , cold doesn't exist. According to the laws of physics, what we think of as cold is actually the absence of heat. A person or object can be studied to see if it has or transmits energy. Absolute zero (-460 degrees Fahrenheit) is the complete absence of heat. All matter becomes inert and unable to react at this temperature. Cold doesn't exist. We created this word to describe how we feel when there is no heat.

The student continued:

Professor, does darkness exist?

Of course it exists.

You are wrong again, sir. Darkness doesn't exist either. Darkness is actually the absence of light. We can study light, but not darkness. We can use a Newtonian prism to split white light into many colors and study the different wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple beam of light can break into a dark world and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a space is? You measure how much light is presented. Is not it? Darkness is a concept that humans use to describe what happens in the absence of light.

Finally, the young man asked the professor:

Sir, does evil exist?

This time hesitantly, the professor answered:

Of course, as I said. We see him every day. Cruelty between people, a lot of crime and violence around the world. These examples are nothing more than manifestations of evil.

To this the student replied:

- Evil doesn't exist, sir, or at least it does not exist for himself. Evil is simply the absence of God . It is similar to darkness and cold - a word created by man to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not faith or love, which exist as light and warmth. Evil is the result of the absence of Divine love in a person’s heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat, or like the darkness that comes when there is no light.

The professor sat down... This student was young Albert Einstein.

A smart professor once asked a student an interesting question at university.
Professor: Is God good?
Student: Yes.
Professor: Is the Devil good?
Student: No.
Professor: That's right. Tell me, son, does evil exist on Earth?
Student: Yes.
Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God created everything, right?
Student: Yes.
Professor: So who created evil?
Student: …
Professor: Is there ugliness, arrogance, disease, ignorance on the planet?
It's all there, right?
Student: Yes, sir.
Professor: So who created them?
Student: …
Professor: Science says that a person has 5 senses to
explore the world around. Tell me son, have you ever seen God?
Student: No, sir.
Professor: Tell us, did you hear God?
Student: No, sir.
Professor: Have you ever felt God? Have you tasted it? Did you smell it?
Student: I'm afraid not, sir.
Professor: And you still believe in him?
Student: Yes.
Professor: Based on the findings, science can claim that there is no God. Can you do anything against this?
Student: No, professor. I only have faith.
Professor: Exactly. Faith is the main problem Sciences.
Student: Professor, does cold exist?
Professor: What kind of question? Of course it exists. Have you ever been cold?
(The students laughed at the young man’s question)
Student: Actually, sir, there is no such thing as cold. In accordance with
laws of physics, what we consider cold in reality
is the absence of heat. A person or thing can be studied at
the subject of whether it has or transmits energy. Absolute zero (-273 degrees Celsius) is the complete absence of heat. All matter
becomes inert and unable to react at this temperature.
Cold doesn't exist. We created this word to describe what we
feel in the absence of heat.
(Silence fell in the audience)
Student: Professor, does darkness exist?
Professor: Of course it exists. What is night if not darkness:
Student: You are wrong again, sir. Darkness also does not exist. Darkness is actually the absence of light. We can study light, but not darkness. We can use a Newtonian prism to split white light into many colors and study the different wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple beam of light can break into a dark world and illuminate it. How can you know how dark any space is? You measure how much light is presented. Is not it? Darkness is a concept that humans use to describe what happens in the absence of light. Now tell me, sir, does death exist?
Professor: Of course. There is life, and there is death - its other side.
Student: You are wrong again, professor. Death is not back side life is its absence. In your scientific theory a serious crack appeared.
Professor: What are you getting at, young man?
Student: Professor, you teach students that we all came from monkeys. Have you observed evolution with your own eyes?
The professor shook his head with a smile, understanding where the conversation was going.
Student: No one saw this process, which means you are to a greater extent a priest, not a scientist.
(The audience exploded with laughter)
Student: Now tell me, is there anyone in this class who saw
Professor's brain? Have you heard it, smelled it, touched it?
(The students continued to laugh)
Student: Apparently, no one. Then, based on scientific facts, you can
conclude that the professor has no brain. Saving your presence,
Professor, how can we trust what you said in your lectures?
(Silence fell in the audience)
Professor: I think you just have to trust me.
Student: Exactly! There is one connection between God and man - FAITH!
The professor sat down.
This student's name was Albert Einstein.

A. EINSTEIN – ABOUT FAITH, ABOUT RELIGION, ABOUT SCIENCE...

“If Judaism (as preached by the prophets) and Christianity (as preached by Jesus Christ) are purged of all subsequent additions - especially those made by priests - what remains is a doctrine capable of healing all the social ills of mankind. And every man's duty good will“In your little world, persistently, to the best of your ability, fight for the implementation of this teaching of pure humanity.” (Albert Einstein, Ideas and Opinions, New York, Bonanza Books, 1954, 184-185).

“Anyone who seriously engages in science comes to the realization that in the laws of nature there is manifested a Spirit that is much higher than the human - a Spirit in the face of which we, with our limited powers, must feel our own weakness. In this sense, scientific research leads to a religious feeling of a special kind, which really differs in many ways from a more naive religiosity.” (A statement made by Einstein in 1936. Quoted in Dukas and Hoffmann, Albert Einstein: The Human Side, Princeton University Press, 1979, 33).

“The deeper a person penetrates into the secrets of nature, the more he reveres God.” (Quoted in Brian 1996, 119).

“The most beautiful and profound experience that befalls a person is the feeling of mystery. It lies at the heart of true science. Anyone who has not experienced this feeling, who is no longer overwhelmed by awe, is practically dead. This deep emotional confidence in the existence of a higher intelligent power, revealed in the incomprehensibility of the Universe, is my idea of ​​God.” (Quoted in Libby Anfinsen 1995).

“Behind all the greatest achievements of science there is a confidence in the logical coherence and knowability of the world - a confidence that is akin to religious experience...” (Einstein 1973, 255).

“My religion consists of a feeling of humble admiration for the boundless intelligence that manifests itself in the smallest details of the picture of the world, which we are only able to partially comprehend and cognize with our minds.” (Saying made by Einstein in 1936. Quoted in Dukas and Hoffmann 1979, 66).

“The more I study the world, the stronger my faith in God.” (Quoted in Holt 1997).

Max Jammer, professor emeritus of physics and author of the biography Einstein and Religion (2002), argues that Einstein's well-known statement, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind,” is the quintessence of the great scientist's religious philosophy. (Jammer 2002; Einstein 1967, 30).

“In the Judeo-Christian religious tradition we find the highest principles that should guide all our aspirations and judgments. Our feeble powers are not sufficient to reach this higher goal, but it forms the sure foundation of all our aspirations and value judgments.” (Albert Einstein, Out of My Later Years, New Jersey, Littlefield, Adams and Co., 1967, 27).

“Despite all the harmony of the cosmos, which I, with my limited mind, am still able to perceive, there are those who claim that there is no God. But what irritates me most is that they quote me to support their views.” (Quoted in Clark 1973, 400; Jammer 2002, 97).

Einstein wrote about fanatical atheists:

“There are also fanatical atheists, whose intolerance is akin to the intolerance religious fanatics, - and it comes from the same source. They are like slaves who still feel the weight of chains thrown off after a hard struggle. They rebel against the “opium of the people”—the music of the spheres is unbearable for them. The wonder of nature does not become less because it can be measured by human morals and human goals.” (Quoted in Max Jammer, Einstein and Religion: Physics and Theology, Princeton University Press, 2002, 97).

“True religion is true life, life with all the soul, with all its goodness and righteousness.” (Quoted in Garbedian 1939, 267).

“Strong mental activity and the study of God’s Nature are the angels that will guide me through all the hardships of this life, give me consolation, strength and uncompromisingness.” (Quoted in: Calaprice 2000, ch. 1).

Einstein's opinion about Jesus Christ was expressed in his interview with the American magazine The Saturday Evening Post (October 26, 1929):

“What influence did Christianity have on you?

— As a child, I studied both the Bible and the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am fascinated by the bright personality of the Nazarene.

—Have you read the book about Jesus written by Emil Ludwig?

— The portrait of Jesus painted by Emil Ludwig is too superficial. Jesus is so large-scale that it defies the pen of phrase-mongers, even very skilled ones. Christianity cannot be rejected just on the basis of a catchphrase.

— Do you believe in the historical Jesus?

- Of course! It is impossible to read the Gospel without feeling the real presence of Jesus. His personality breathes in every word. No myth has such a powerful vital force.”

In 1940, A. Einstein described his views in the journal Nature, in an article entitled “Science and Religion.” There he writes:

“In my opinion, a religiously enlightened person is one who, to the greatest extent possible, has freed himself from the fetters of egoistic desires and is absorbed in the thoughts, feelings and aspirations which he holds because of their suprapersonal character...whether or not an attempt is made to connect them with a divine being, for otherwise Buddha or Spinoza could not be considered religious personalities. The religiosity of such a person lies in the fact that he has no doubts about the significance and greatness of these superpersonal goals, which cannot be rationally justified, but do not need it... In this sense, religion is the ancient desire of humanity to clearly and fully understand these values ​​and goals and strengthen and expand their influence.”

Einstein wrote this letter on January 3, 1954, to philosopher Eric Gutkind, who sent him a copy of his book Choose Life: A Biblical Call to Rebellion. A year later, the letter was sold at auction and has remained in private collections ever since.

In the letter, Einstein proclaims: “The word god (the original spelling is preserved - Ed.) is for me just a manifestation and product of human weaknesses, and the Bible is a collection of venerable, but still primitive legends, which, nevertheless, are rather childish . Not even the most sophisticated interpretation can change this (for me).”

As you can see, the great physicist was so ambiguous in his statements that you can direct the scientist’s train of thought about faith so that it turns out that his opinion can coincide with both a believer and an atheist...